Concert Review: Master with Claustrofobia and Dusk 8/16/19

Paul Speckman of Master

It doesn't seem likely that my having a routine when it comes to concerts would make me unique. This one went as many of them do, especially when the intrepid Danny Nichols is in attendance. The big difference tonight was that I drove instead of him.

Danny, myself, and my daughter started our evening at Steve's Hot Dog's Tower Grove East. If you live in St. Louis and don't love this place, I'd ask you to kindly leave.

After dinner, it was time to drop off the kiddo and head down to Fubar. She's been to a few shows, but this didn't seem like the best idea for her first club show.

Upon arrival at Fubar, I did the first thing I needed to get done, I walked over and bought a Master T-shirt. Now, this would seem to be a breach of journalistic ethics, but I already like Master, so if they laid an egg, I'd say so and still proudly wear my new bad ass death metal t-shirt.

LP Review: "Zarathustrian Impressions" by Polemicist

Zarathustriam Impressions

Once again, we meet a new band from Philadelphia.

When I was there a number of years ago, there was a scene developing, as based on the records I was receiving, but I saw no evidence of it with my own eyes.

But let's be real, Gritty is fucking metal, and I would go to any hole in the wall metal club with that crazy SOB.

But furry streakers aside, let's get on with Polemicist. In the long standing tradition of polysyllabic names, theirs means one who stirs up controversial debate.

That's damned metal right there.

When you listen to the album, you're going to be greeted by an absolute buzzsaw of a record. They hover between Black and Death Metal. Their version of the hybrid is past satisfying. Consider all of the metal technicality of the latter with the abrasiveness of the former, and you've probably got a good idea of where they are coming from.

Polemicist aurally demonstrates why this music is called metal. This record is sharp, heavy, and will slice through human hip bones.

RELEASE 8/30/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Damned In Endless Night" by Warcrab

Damned In Endless Night

There's nothing better than a split LP is there?

The only drawback they have is that you have to double up the hashtags when you're posting your sweet vinyl LPs on INSTAGRAM, am I right?

So this one here...it's a bit of an odd pairing really.

It's also tracked a bit strangely. They don't have separate sides dedicated to each band, but appear to switch it up every few tracks.

On top of that, normally, you don't have these harsh death metal bands playing with grooving sludge bands do you?

Really, Damned In Endless Night is probably the most unique split I've ever... <checks notes>...

...never heard. It's the most unique split I've never heard as it's not a split.

Hailing from the UK, Warcrab appears to have yet to settle on what particular subgenre they're going to focus on. They switch back and forth from a stoner/sludge to a blackened death with alarming regularity.

This changing of styles so seamless that it doesn't give the sense of a parlor trick. We're not talking about Fear Factory's vocal change ups that never felt right. After some time of death metal obliteration, Warcrab moves into something a bit mellower that pulls the listener into a warm pocket.

Then, once that pocket's full...the band goes back into full ground assault and expels all contents of said pocket and the cycle repeats itself an a wonderfully satisfying way.

RELEASE 8/30/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

Vinyloscopy with Chris McCrimmon of Widow's Peak

Widow's Peak

Let's get down with Widow's Peak. That name brings up two things in my diseased brain:

Totally Metal...and my mom.

My mother has a widow's peak. She's always had it and hates it. I'm totally jealous, because I have a receding hairline. One of us looks way more metal with our hair pulled back into a ponytail...or in my case a man bun like the Ginger Ale dude.

Anyway Widow's Peak is more of the former than the latter, or my mother hasn't been totally open with me.

My newest favorite Calgarians (who aren't Brian Sutter) are about to hit the road all the way across Canada. Though there's only ten provinces in their home and native land, they're going to pound the holy living hell out of all them with their death metal.

Alberta is getting 8 shows. EIGHT SHOWS in Alberta. Widow's Peak is doing this the old fashioned way. 

In the meantime, check out their debut EP, Graceless, which will only cost you $5 CAD ($3.75 USD) via Bandcamp.

The best shredder this side of Medicine Hat, Alberta, talked to us about some records. 

Check it.

Pizza Pie Do or Die with Adam Pell of Accursed Spawn

Accursed Spawn

When you need something to smile about, Ottawa, Ontario might just have something for you, or maybe it's just me, being a hockey fan here in St. Louis, MO.

Though 98% of all NHL fans believe in the lie of the Original Six. There were actually four original teams in the National Hockey League and only two of them still exist. Of the two that do not, one was the Ottawa Senators.

Who moved to St. Louis to become the St. Louis Eagles.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with Canada's Capitol City Catterwaullers: Accursed Spawn.

If you're into that heavy music livin', smash down their latest record on BANDCAMP. You even get to buy in Canadian Dollars!

For the low, low price of six Twonies, you can slam your face to The Virulent Host.

But for now, let's talk pizza.

LP Review: "Neon Graves" by Goregӓng

Neon Graves

Death metal is still my favorite kind of extreme metal. Perhaps the venerable subgenre isn't kvlt enovgh or brvtvl en0vgh?

It's still what captures my imagination and places a hook in my nose when it's time to play something exceptionally metal.

The issue is that of all the death metal out there, most of it is kind of shit.

The best death metal comes from bands that either started the formulas, altered the formulas, or just give me an alternate take on the genre.

With that in mind, I present Goregӓng to you today. My information lists them as a Death/Doom/Crust Metal band.

That's a lot of words to describe this band who just thunders out some metal. What these Americans have done is find a style of music that fits in neatly between Grindcore and Death Metal from the 80's, but that's not specific enough.

They took that specific kind of metal that they created and then modernized it. They've polished their missing link metal into something new. Get on it.

RELEASE 5/20/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

Interview with Junkpile Jimmy

Junkpile Jimmy

It's time to return to Alberhill, California in order to speak intergalactic time criminal, Junkpile Jimmy once again.

You may not recall now, but this gentlemen sent me a copy of his insanely crazy record that's all kinds of insane. We're talking Rimmer on a date insane.

Something happened though, between the original transmission of this interview to my fingers receiving the answers.

Here's how you know it's a time warp...when I asked the last question, the St. Louis Blues were the worst hockey team in the NHL....and not a team (as of this writing) riding an ELEVEN GAME WINNING STREAK!

So, onto the insane death metal that's clearly nuts.

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking some time for me today.

Junkpile Jimmy: No prob, it's an honor!

GM: Let's start off easy and let's all be chill and peaceful. With that being said, what is wrong with you? It appears you're insane.

Classic Spins with Basilysk

Basilysk

One of my favorite cities, and most likely my future home once everyone I know here in St. Louis has died, is Philadelphia, PA.

In the last few years, the City of Brotherly Love has been crushing out some amazing death metal. Seems about right doesn't it?

Philadelphia banging on about death metal? Yeah, that's prefect.

There's a new kid on the death metal block up there. If you've not heard of Basilysk, check out my REVIEW and based on that, but it at 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?

Basilysk is extremely stoked about our upcoming EmergencE album, because it is a twisted conceptual journey. It begins with the buzz of cicadas emerging to welcome the listener into the summer realm of our fiery metal symphonies. 

Video: "Glory In Gloom" by Junkpile Jimmy

Have you ever heard something so out of the blue, you just had to tell every single human being on the planet Xenon about it? Well, that's how Junkpile Jimmy struck me.

Unfortunately, my home planet doesn't have friendly affairs with the said planet of Xenon, though they love all sorts of music, they don't much cotton to outsiders. It's such a strange thing.

Anyway, the rest of the people of the galaxy will have the luxury of meeting and listnening to Junkpile Jimmy. Then they can decide for themselves.

But seriously, ORDER THE RECORD! 

Video: "My Guide My Hunger" by Hell's Guardian

Riding high on the release of their latest effort, As Above, So Below, Hell's Guardian has released the video for their latest single, My Guide My Hunger.

The track features a couple notable guests.

Adrienne  Cowan of Seven Spiers and Marco Pastorino of Temperance both add their vocal talents to the mix to make this a big single.

Check it out below and plop your Euros down over at BANDCAMP if you dig the tune.

Video: "Walking Divinity" by Equipoise

We're out and about today. Let's check out the latest lyric video by Technical Death Metal.. or was it Brutal Death Metal ban...Melodic?

Equipoise. There are seven people in this band. SEVEN!

Check out this slab of thunder and see what you think about preordering their new record, Demiurgis. It's out on March 8th via The Artisan Era.

LP Review: "Their Worm Never Dies" by Contrarian

Their Worm Never Dies

Presently, I'm in a death metal spiral.

The latest releases by Gruesome and Deicide have made appearances on my turntable along with some classic Morbid Angel.

The latest release by Contrarian ranks up there with those bands for me as well, and it wouldn't be out of place to make comparisons to Carcass.

Contrarian take a different tact than many of our modern day death metal bands. Instead of playing thunder and lightning in order to pummel the listener with brutality...

There's a series of progressive songs that have melody, riffs, blastbeats, and demonic growls.

This is the kind of death metal that.

The guitars are perfectly compressed. The vocals are other worldly and ominous. The drums are right in the pocket. The band plays with the precision long time metal fans come to expect out of top tier metal.

An early candidate for best death metal record of 2019.

RELEASE 3/15/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Emergence" by Basilysk

Emergence

There comes a time when...well when it's time to push the tables against the walls, put on that death metal record, and listen to the speakers hum.

In the years and decades since the likes of Morbid Angel, Carcass, and Obituary came into my sphere, Death Metal, proper death metal, has held a violent spot in my heart.

The blast beats, the overlong solos, the rough and monotonous vocals, they all add up to the thing that makes the riffs.

The Old School Death Metal formula is little more than boiling water, but it's so hard to get right. And by right, I mean that it creates music that I relate to.

Comparative newcomers, Basilysk, are able to scratch that itch. Honestly, a big part of that has to do with the engineering of this record. The levels aren't making the drums crush your ribs. The vocals don't overshadow the riffs.

When Death Metal is mixed just right, it becomes a delicious red velvet cake. (Get it? Red Velvet Cake is like...you know...red..blood colored? Violent?)

When the blast beat breakdowns hit, there's literally nothing in death metal today better. The rest of the album though? It's not exactly shabby either. Make sure you don't miss out.

RELEASE 2/22/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Lords of the Permafrost" by Usurper

Lords of the Permafrost

In the middle 1990's, a band formed that was strong and legendary.

That band recorded five albums and called it a day in 2005. This band of course, was Usurper.

Now, we all know how metal is. There are a great deal of amazing, legendary, and staggeringly good metal bands, but they're all pretty much underground.

So for me, it's Usurper, welcome back and it's so wonderful to meet you.

In this case, without fear of contradiction, I can say that their reputation is quite well earned.

Lords of the Permafrost takes me back to a time when death metal was heavy, but it wasn't so heavy that, well you know my speech certainly. The biggest change between the before time and the current time that Usurper embodies...is my personal favorite.

The guitarists don't always simply play the same rhythm chunks in order to pound the listeners' ear canals into bloody submission, but they harmonize, play arpeggios, and yes, offer bitchin' guitar solos.

Lords of the Permaforst is a perfect death metal record from top to bottom. Welcome home, Usurper. We're better off having you back.

RELEASE 2/22/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK 

Classic Spins with Usurper's Rick Scythe

Usurper

If you get into your way back machine, head to Chicago in the early to mid nineties and you can meet this band that continued to write heavy metal Dungeons & Dragons long after it had been deemed cool.

That band was called Usurper and they've returned to the fore in order to bring us more heavy metal based folklore.

They were one of the first extreme metal bands to sing about those old heavy metal ideas.

Here's the good news, they're back and ready to drop their new record, Lords of the Permafrost, but that's not hitting your ear holes for about a month yet. Check back for a full review.

In the meantime, Rick Scythe is the first person to check in on my new column, Classic Spins.

Let's get it on.

LP Review: "Living Tomb" by Ossuarium

It's been rolling around in my internetting lately.

The it being the latest album from 20 Buck Spin: Living Tomb by Ossuarium.

That was enough to pique my interest in this up and coming death metal band.

Ossuarium appears to love to defy convention as much as they adhere to it.

Living Tomb begins with the requisite overture that so many death metal bands entitle, simply Intro.

Then instead of the blast beats from hell, I was greeted by a thunderous two four beat that held power and sway.

After denying the blast beats for a time, they came in, but not overpowering the music like in so many records laid down at Morrisound, but with a subtlety that made the tracks feel like they were running...away.

Living Tomb won't be the longest album you get this year, but it's likely to be on many end of year lists in about 11 months.

RELEASE 2/1/19 PREORDER FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Chapters of an Evil Transition" by Ravenous Death

Chapters of an Evil Transition

In the world of tomorrow, Death Metal has cleaned up its act.

Long gone are the drums featuring as much distortion as the guitars. The vocals now have changed into something barely recognizable to those weened on Carcass and Master.

In days gone by, the subgenre was rearing its head out of the muck left in the wake of Thrash.

Death Metal is the unholy second division of metal.

Bands like Morbid Angel, Arch Enemy, and latter day Carcass turned it into something clean. Surgical even.

That's all well and good, but horror, classic horror show...you can see the strings. You know the blood is actually Hershey's Chocolate Syrup... That's when it's time to listen to music that sounds like a two by four to the face feels. Today, Ravenous Death is willing to give us the blow that we all need to take from time to time.

Chapters of an Evil Transition is a dirty thing. The tracks are slimy and it'll be like your first time hearing death metal all over again.

RELEASE 1/21/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

Concert Review: Cannibal Corpse At Delmar Hall 11/30/18

November, it's the time of the ancient ones in my opinion. The sun has gone into hiding. The cold is starting to cut to the bone.

It finally feels like when the temperature hits 35F that it's probably going to stay here for a long time.

At the end of November in St. Louis, MO, Cannibal Corpse brought their current tour to Delmar Hall on, you guessed it, Delmar Blvd.

7pm found this blogger in the car listening to Sepultura in order to get into the mood. Frankly, there something in the back of my brain gnawing at me. As I drove to Delmar Hall to see the most infamous, notorious, and plain famous death metal band on the planet, it was after the backside of my consciousness.

In less than 12 hours, my alarm would go off and it would be time to go make pancakes for the the little short girl who lives in my house. She had a hockey game early in the morning and needs her carbo load.

LP Review: "Hadal Ascending" by Ichor

Hadal Ascending

There's a lot of talk out there by old farts who're long divorced from the actual music scene, Gene Simmons, who want to say rock is dead.

Well, he's old and wrong.

In the world I live in, there's more new music than could ever make it into my world. The vast majority of it though, isn't kitsch  music for the masses.

The music I find attractive in 2018 is new. Take Ichor for example. They're death metal right?

In 1992, Death Metal had hard and fast rules. Your drummer had to be basically a force fed automaton pounding out surgical beats. The guitars had to be fast. And blastbeats. No matter what. Blastbeats.

Of course, Ichor has all of these things, but they don't stop there. Why should a band's expression stop at an imaginary, though clearly delineated place? Hadal Ascending won't convince anyone who's not already among us, but they'll entertain many a metalhead who's grown tired of well worn formula.

Release 12/7/18 PREORDER FACEBOOK

Vinyl Review: "Wants You Dead" by Junkpile Jimmy

Wants You Dead

Have you ever heard of this place called California?

Apparently over one sixth of the United States's population lives in this elbow shaped land mass on the West Coast. This state abuts the Pacific Ocean and the State of Nevada.

Talk about Scylla and Charybdis am I right?

If you were to ask someone who's not a USA citizen, or someone West of Los Angeles, what the defining feature of California is you'd probably get an answer along the lines of warm sun and Hollywood.

For me, the defining jewel of Cali is the Bay Area, what with the Metallica, the the Janis Joplin, The Winterland, and the eternal fall and all, but I'm slightly odd or I'm going slightly mad...either way.

Back to Hollywood....