Vinyl Review: "Belly of the Whale" by Ambassador

Belly of the Whale

Centuries ago New Orleans and St. Louis were a part of the same territory, The Louisiana Territory.

Other parts of the nation that don't have that direct connection to France don't feel the way we do here. Online pundits make fun of St. Louis for being the Gateway To The West.

But, we're proud of our historical position. We still remember a time when St. Louis was the European's frontier.

A family of New Orleanians (who came directly from France) made the arduous trek north and founded The City of St. Louis.

Louisiana, we're still siblings. So, we don't still make our living on the fur trade and you're still making yours off of...wait..

What was the New Orleanian method of money making back in the old days? Well, if it wasn't terribly obvious, Amabassador is from Louisiana, Baton Rouge to be specific.

Those old connections though, they never really die. Though my family isn't native to St. Louis, their music still speaks to me via French back channels. (Also, I'm not French.)

7" Vinyl Review: "Terasoma" by Avantist

terrace

Let's start off with some housekeeping.

This is the record that's been waiting, fairly impatiently for time in the sun in the Glacially Musical vinyl reviews.

Avantist and the follow up came to me in the same package. I made it a point to wait instead of thumping out two reviews by same band on successive weeks.

So, Terasoma gets to be a part of Glacially Musical's first ever Vinyl Week.

Both of the releases hit the streets this year and the band, continues to confuse me.

Our friends from Chicago have a color palette the size of Lake Michigan.

In fact, it's bigger than Wrigleyville and other things in Chicago put together. (Sorry guys, though this St. Louisan loves your city and your Metra Rail service, it's not like I'm spending oceans of time up there.)

OK, they have more colors than a Giordanno's pizza has cheese?

Vinyl Review: "Exhalants" by Exhalants

Exhalants

In Austin, TX there's a group of labels that send me vinyl to review from time to time.

They've sent doom metal, 90's alternative, punk rock, post punk, 90's noise rock, and whatever the world Quin Galavis is.

In the years of our association, I cannot find the common thread in what they release other than it's not death metal. (But who knows what's coming up right?)

So, this is the last of the three albums that they were kind of enough to send me recently.

I just kind of took them in the order that they were in the box and weaved them in and out of other vinyl reviews...it's been busy lately.

So, that's the very descriptive way of telling you that I really have no idea what's going to be coming out of the speakers when I drop the needle on this purple marbled (what?) record. (Apparently there's a limited run of random colors. Check that out HERE.

Vinyl EP Review: "Burn Barrel" by Skin of Earth

Burn Barrel

Before the review proper, it's time to announce what's going on this week.

As you read this, it's Monday after 8am Central Standard Time and you're drinking coffee. (As I write this, it's Saturday at 9:17 Central Standard Time and I'm drinking coffee.)

Over recent weeks, it became apparent that I had a backlog of vinyl reviews to get out. (Including one I've been holding back for awhile now.)

As it's the holidays and we're leading up to the big daddy of them all, Saturnalia, it seemed important to me that all of these reviews were posted.

We're starting off with a bit of a rarity here. This album isn't officially released until New Year's Eve, but here I am holding my glorious copy.

Skin of Earth is giving us Burn Barrel via a very cool imprint, Sump Pump Records. (Do you folks outside of the Midwest even know what a sump pump is?)

Beer Thirty with Sean Sabatini of The Great Sabatini

The Great Sabatini

Perhaps you're familiar with The Great Sabatini.

Personally, I recall an album cover with a really whacked out looking muppet.

In the meantime between then and now, The Great Sabatini has released a new record, Goodbye Audio, which has been released on all sorts of formats.

Check that out HERE.

But for now, we're going to check in with the main Sabatini, Sean Sabatini, the Montreal native about what sorts of beer he likes to imbibe.

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. 

Up front, let me say I'm not a big connoisseur. Having said that, I'm not really into the IPA's, I'd take a stout over an IPA, personally, or a lager. 

I've even warmed up to some of the fruitier things here 'n there. An Ontario company called Wellington Brewery had a nice one called Against The Currant, but I wouldn't have more than one in a sitting. 

(NOTE: I brought back some Wellington beer after a visit to the duty free shop at the Niagara Falls border.)

DLP Review: "IV: Mythologiae" by Slow

It's been about a year since Slow came into my life. Their record, V: Oceans was an absolute game changer for me.

It's now time to check in on their followup, IV: Mythologiae. Wait. What?

So, this album was originally released in very small quantities a couple of years back, but due to a hard drive crash, most likely caused by gremlins or the use of Apple iProducts, it was lost.

So, this isn't a re-release of that record, but wholly re-recorded version of that album. IV gives us the gift of Slow's evolution in reverse.

IV is mellower. It has a calmness to it that it's successor doesn't have. It wouldn't be wrong to say that V is the payoff of IV. After IV ends, the anger has built and it manifests itself along the edges. This makes me wonder, what will VI be like?

Slow will never win any awards for originality. Their albums aren't genre bending tours de force that'll leave you wondering what you just heard. They are examples of atmospsheric doom metal perfected.

This is a band that's true to their name and they take it SLOOOOOOOW.

RELEASE 1/25/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

Bookin It With Tommy Stewart of Negative Wall/BludyGyers/ETC

Tommy Stewart

Tommy Stewart has recently been featured on the Bludy Gyres section of the Rope Enough For Two split, which you can check out HERE.

Like all of us, he's trying to read books as well. Stewart was willing to give us a little bit of time to tell us about how he's reading.

1. I try to read at least two books per month, and mostly fail, what's your goal and reality?

I read all the time daily, but rarely finish a book. I have no goal, but reality is when I read for recreation.

I do it slow to enjoy it.

2. Encyclopedia Brown and Choose Your Own Adventure books were a big part of my childhood. What did you read back in Elementary School?

 Jules Verne and Charles Dickens. I was hooked on classics.

Video: "Kentucky Fried Christmas" by The Pocket Gods

It's that time of the year. My Instagram followers know this, but not everybody does...we listen to a lot of Christmas music on wax each year.

It's one of those things that we do for the sake of our daughter. Starting in November, we pick up Holiday records at the thrift shops as there's always plenty.

As far as I know, this one won't be at the St. Vincent DePaul Thrift shops, but you can check out the nutty video below.

v

Hometown Tales with Marc Durkee

Marc Durkee

It's time for yet another edition of  Hometown Tales. 

We're checking in with another Canadian metaller, name of Marc Durkee.

Durkee's latest release, Remain In Stasis, will be released on January 18, 2019. You can check out all that goodness on his BANDCAMP page.

Stasis is an uptempo rockin' album that's a bit reminiscent of Yellow & Green era Baroness, but with more crunch and more melody.

It's something you'll definitely want to catch.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a bit more intimate with the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia native on the FACEBOOK.

But, what is Yarmouth, NS? To find out more about this Maritime town in Nova Scotia, we'll turn the mic over to the man himself.

Video: "Antichrist" by Malamorte

Let's get some Italian Death Thrash shall we?

On January 19th, Malamorte, Alex Nunziati's side project, will be releasing Hell For All via Rocksthots records.

Before the disc drops, you can get your preorder on HERE and get a nice taste of the record below.

7" Vinyl Review: "Pyramid of Skull EP" by Skeleton

Pyramid of Skulls

It's been a long time since the days of checking out the Seven Inches at the underground record store.

In fact, that's never really been a part of my life, but I am reading the Beastie Boys book...and they spend loads of time talking about that from way back when in their hometown of New York City.

Now, the death metal EPs....

Those I kind of remember, but that was right before CDs exploded and killed everything that was good an holy in the world..at least in terms of physical music.

Today, we consider a 7" of interminable length. This thing, if you take it front to back, is about a solid five minutes of music.

Yes....five minutes.

LP Review: "The Veil of Darkness" by Gorgon

The Veil of Darkness

Recently, somewhere I saw a statement that the best thing about metal is always feeling like a newbie due to all the content out there.

When it comes to Black Metal, and definitely 2nd Wave, that describes me quite well.

Today I'm considering the upcoming release by Second Wave Black Metallers, Gorgon. They're wholly unfamiliar to me.

Even though I know better, the term Black Metal still conjures up images of Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth to me, even though that's a single subset.

To begin, The Veil of Darkness is an absolute achievement. It's a very mature version of nascent 2nd Wave Black Metal. The guitars, though lacking in dynamics, create several different moods.

There's a call and response feeling to the vocals featuring a single person. The drums bring the whole record into focus. Without a drumming playing sensitively to the rest, this whole disc would fall apart.  Amazingly enough, this whole album was done by one man.

This should definitely be on your preorder list for the New Year.

RELEASE 1/25/19 PREORDER FACEBOOK

Beer Thirty with Fall's Jesse Santos

Fall

Do you like some melody with your metal?

Are there times when the wall of sound just begins to crush your ears and you can no longer differentiate the difference between Mayhem and Bathory?

That totally happens to me. That's why I listen to records the same way I drink my beer. If I have a giant overly hoppy IPA up for the drinking, it's the last one I drink.

(That is of course unless I've got some beers I don't love too much...then you drink the giant hops of the DIPA and your taste buds are burnt.)

Life is all about those tips and tricks. Corpus Cristi's Fall is band that you check out before you put on the black metal.

On December 21st, they'll be releasing their new record, The Dream of Tragedy. Do yourself a solid. Get over to BANDCAMP and sample the wares.

But, while you wait for your order to arrive, let's chew the hops.

Road Warriors with Striker

STriker

How many times are we going to hear from Edmonton's Striker?

UNTIL THEY STOP ANSWERING OUR INANE QUESTIONS!!!!!

Put on your spandex. Get out your wah wah pedal. Then do some shredding finger exercises.

Or just read along!

1. What's the right length for a tour?

I'm a fan of about 30 shows. Enough to get into it, not too many that you start to go crazy. Most of our tours are about 3 to 5 weeks.

2. I've heard some great stories about strange ways of eating on the road. What's your trick to keeping your belly full while out there?

LP Review: "Moritat" by Der Rote Milan

Moritat

Years ago, when I was new to Adult Swim, Sealab 2021 didn't work for me. That was until the gateway episode, and then it made total sense.

For years, Black Metal didn't hit for me. It always seemed, less sophisticated than Death Metal, and far less interesting than Thrash Metal.

Then the gateway album happened, which I don't recall what it was to be honest with you.

It's not Moritat, but Germany's Der Rote Milan has crafted a record that could be a great many people's port of entry into Black Metal.

To be crystal clear, no one here is saying that this blistering album of blackness is anything other than a truly heavy piece of music, because it's not. It is a Melodic Black Metal (which was a new one on me) album. So it contains enough melody to resemble what civilians would think of as real music.

But then there's those vocals...they are pure black, with tinges of death. Don't miss out.

RELEASE 2/1/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

Interview with Swilson

Swilson

How many great things have come out of the state of New Jersey?

Naturally, there's Kevin Smith and Crew, but let's not forget that Scott Mosier came from Vancouver, BC Canada.

Well, according to Classic Rock Magazine's Ken McIntyre, Jersey City, NJ is home to the greatest band of the 22nd Century!

Glacially Musical is quite thrilled to be in the presence of such future historical figures. You might not know yet, as it's still only the 21st Century, but they've released Swilson on CD, LP, and Cassette. 

Find out all about that sweet ordering goodness on BANDCAMP. In case you're a friendly sort, get into a heated political debate with them on FACEBOOK.

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

Swilson: No problem! I’m into it. Thanks for wanting to talk.

Video: "To Live" by Second To Sun

Look at all of those guitar strings. How in the world someone can play a guitar with extra strings while my stubby fat fingers keep asking why not play a 3 string Cigar Box guitar???

Of course it's time to talk about Russia's Second To Sun. On November 26 they released their latest record, Walk. You should probably check out BANDCAMP for some more info.

In the meantime, watch this sweetness.

Bookin' It with Psychostick's Alex Dontre

The world's most insaney comedy metal band, Psychostick  has been releasing albums, their latest DO came out via their own damned selves this July.

They do it themselves because they exist on a level that your average A&R man cannot fathom. The band's pony tails are fake.

Just like theirs....

In the mean time, catch them on tour or stream their BANDCAMP.

But for now, let's find out about what they're reading over there in Chicagoland.

1. I try to read at least two books per month, and mostly fail, what's your goal and reality?

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.

Vinyl Review: "Short of Popular" by Cherubs

Short of Popular

It's been a minute since we've heard from Austin, TX based label Soncic Surgery Records.

They sent some truly amazing music my way last year.

In the meantime, the label owner has purchased a bar/concert venue and has just been working working.

Well, last week, he sent me a message that was basically get ready, because you're going to get some new music from us.

From where I sit, that's a pretty awesome thing. Especially since this gorgeous record is currently spinning on my turntable right now. Truth in journalism, it's my backup turntable. There was a Thanksgiving Incident.

Now, before I get far enough along to lose the plot, let's turn back the clock and get a little bit of information about Cherubs. Their Wikipedia page shows one extended play, three studio albums and a compilation album released back in 1996.