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. 

The album ends with the cycle of karma, and drags your soul kicking and screaming into the afterlife, until you fade away into clouds of good feelings. It's a trip. 

2. My very first album was Live Evil b Black Sabbath. Since then I've had a strong affinity for the live record, even if they're a bit fake. KISS set the bar with Alive!. Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of any one. Tell me about your favorite live record?

Jimmy, bass: From a musical standpoint, my definitive live album is Slayer Decade Of Aggression. It's the perfect representation of Slayer's discography at their creative climax.

For sentimental reasons, Kreator Live Kreation. I saw Kreator in concert for the first time during their Violent Revolution tour. The songs on this live album remind me of piling into a van my dad rented for us because we were too young to drive, and going crazy for Kreator at BB King's Club in NYC.

Brings back golden memories of good times with people I love and music I love. Lucky to say not much has changed.

3. There are a great number of records I've turned to for my moods. What do you listen to when you're angry? Sad?

Luke: Tool Aenima. It is a very angry, cathartic album but also turned into an introspective direction. Lyrically speaking, this resonates with me because it's like "yeah, you're feeling this way, but here's how to take it internalize it and let it pass."

It rips hard, too. 

It's so complex, and the lyrics are relatively abstract, but somehow personal. Whenever I'm really pissed off I put on Pushit.

4. One of my friends laughs at me, routinely, for loving the Misfit Toys of albums by major bands. Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, Carnival of Souls by Kiss, Diabolous En Musica by Slayer, etc. 

What's the strange one that you love?

Mike: drums: Alanis Morisette Jagged Little Pill because with every single song, there's not a single filler song. Every song is top notch and well written by every single musician. 

Ironic has the best melody, but they're all the same level. It's tough to pick one. 

It has one of the greatest vocal melodies I ever heard, if you listen closely. It's actually pretty neat. It's why I fell in love with her voice a long time ago. 

Something about her voice made her seem like a nerd, but at the same time pretty hip.

5. It's almost fashionable to release live versions of albums or re-record the old ones. King Diamond is releasing a concert with Abigail front to back. Roger Waters has done The Wall twice. Which ones do you have in your collection? 

Jimmy: Megadeth Rust In Peace Live. For one thing Rust In Peace was the first Megadeth album I ever bought in 2001, and you always remember your first. 

Years later I saw Megadeth tour with Slayer for the 20th anniversaries of RIP and Seasons in the Abyss.  

I got to hear Slayer and Megadeth play through the entirety of two albums that were hugely inspirational in my formative years, as both a musician and a person. 

I fell in love with Megadeth all over again, so naturally I bought the Rust In Peace Live CD soon after.