Glacially Musical's Top Vinyl Records of 2020!

 Without further ado, I'll throw this to myself and see you in 2021!

Vinyl Review: "I Want This To End" by The Erkonauts

Can we all take a moment to really consider what a shitshow 2020 has been? When something goes right, three other things go wrong.

Honk if you've had your Prius's catalytic converter stolen this year and take a shot if it's happened to you twice. I'm in the latter.

Honk if you've lost your job. Honk if you've lost a parent and just drink a bottle of whiskey if you've lost more than one. 

Light a candle for those who've lost more than two.

So, for the last review of the year, I'm lucky enough to get to do a vinyl review of this amazing band's latest record. You might recall my previous reviews of The Erkonauts...they're an odd sort of band that's a bit influenced by bands like Faith No More and Infectious Grooves.

Let's dive into side one.

Sophomore Jinx with Radiant Knife

There are so many times when I'll hear a band say that they can't determine what sort of music they are playing. 

More often than not though? 

It's a total BS thing because they don't want to try.

I've not heard Radiant Knife say that, but I'll tell you that I can't figure out what kind of music they are and all the times I've tried to describe it, I've totally failed.

The Lafayette, LA duo though, should be in all your earholes. Check it all out on BANDCAMP.

Naturally, because they're such a cool and unique band who've dropped a pair of albums during our pandemic, I asked them about High School.

1. There is nothing more awkward than sophomore year of high school. Tell me about your circle of friends. 

Classic Spins with NoSelf

It's time we heard from our friends in NoSelf on more time.

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?
 

A: As far as concept albums go my first thought was Atreyu’s The Curse.

 

 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?

A: Metallica S&M hands down.  When that album first came out my friends I jammed that one a ton. 

 

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? 

Premiere: "How The Gods Kill" (Danzing Cover) by Death On Fire Featuring Rob Wrong of The Skull

Let's talk about some Death on Fire!

Right now, it wouldn't be hard to believe for any of us to think the whole fucking world is on fire, so Death on Fire sounds about right today.

I'm pleased to give you the first listen to their new single. In case you were wondering, Danzig III: How The Gods Kill is my personal favorite of the original three Danzig records. (The rest of them don't count. @ me in the comments!)

It seems that the band feels in a pretty similar fashion, said Tim Kenefic of the track...

This song seemed very fitting after the year we have had. it was a lot of fun working on this and putting our slightly darker twist on it. We can't thank Rob enough for his willingness to rip a solo for us too.

Get over to Bandcamp for all your Death on Fire needs and listen to the new single below. You can get your own copy of the song on 12/31 when we kiss this fucking year goodbye with fire.

Death on Fire · HGTK FINAL

Sophomore Jinx with Becoming The Lion

Have you ever talked to someone about becoming an Animagus? Well, I'm not 100% certain, but perhaps, Becoming The Lion has.

Check out these Wisconsinite's records over on BANDCAMP.  

While you're streaming one of their tracks, find out what life was like in high school!

1. There is nothing more awkward than sophomore year of high school. Tell me about your circle of friends. 

R - My circle of friends was constantly changing from year to year from middle school to high school for one year or another. 

Some were expelled from school and some went off to rehab so I guess you could say I had to navigate through social groups a bit to survive for my scholastic years. 

Taco Tuesday with Alpha Boötis

 It's a little hard to describe a band, and more often than not when you ask them to do it themselves, they get defensive...and say we're a rock band. It's like the whole world's gone Japanese or something.

But Alpha Boötis, suffers under no delusions. Here is their description from BANDCAMP:

Space Disco Synth Metal with operatic vocals, epic sci-fi stories and powerful production.

So naturally I asked them about Tacos.

Premiere: “Causes” by Gravehuffer

It’s not often that I get to do much with anyone from my home city, much less anywhere else in the state  

I’m pleased to share with you today some off the wall extreme metal from Joplin, MO from Gravehuffer. 

Check them out on BANDCAMP.

In the meantime, enjoy their new video!

Beer Thirty with NoSelf

NoSelf has given us their tour du beers. 

Check out their latest single HERE.

In the meantimne, crack open a Scottish Ale and read on.

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.

This is a really good question. I love all kinds of different styles, but I definitely lean toward IPA’s.

My all-time favorite IPA is the Shark Attack from New Smyrna Beach Brewing Company. With a close 2nd Space Dust by Elysian Brewing.

2. Many international people have laughed at me for this, but American Beer is the best in the world. Not American Lagers, that piss water is best used for drinking 15 of them while you're at the karaoke bar, but American Craft Beer.

Which nation is pumping out the best beer?

Sophomore Jinx with Alpha Boötis

Normally, I'd give you some sort of (attempted) witty reparte about the band doing my latest column, but these fellas do it better than I could.

Check out their BANDCAMP.

Hi! We are Ozymandias and Harakoa, the two voices of synthwave/heavy metal band Alpha Boötis.

We went to school in Montreal, Canada, which has a very different grade system.

Let’s talk about our Secondaire 4, which is the equivalent to sophomore year of American high school. 

1. There is nothing more awkward than sophomore year of high school. Tell me about your circle of friends.

Classic Spins from Kyle Alexander of Alexander

When's the last time you thought about some heavy music from Germany? In my line of work, it's actually not been all that long, but it might be for you?

Nah, we both know that you're reading this and you're thinking about heavy bands from Germany on the regular.

Today we've got the progressive duo Alexander. 

They've got a record out there in the world...

Two tracks.

Here's some BANDCAMP action.

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?

Cartoon Express with Inferno Doll

Look, you know what I'm going to say if you've paid any attention to what's been going on here for the past way too long.

I love talking to folks who share my interests that reside in another country. 

Today, we've got Chile's (later Calgary, Alberta) Inferno Doll talking to us about animated shows and movies she's gotten into.

You should thank her by streaming her latest EP on BANDCAMP.

1. From a very early age, I gravitated towards anime. I never knew Speed Racer was anything other than just another cartoon. What is the first one you watched that really shaped your tastes for years to come?

Sophomore Jinx with Wax Mekanix

You know whom I really loving these days?

God damned Gritty.

He's been the spirit.. you know? So, let's find out more about someone who shares that spirit.

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA we have Waxium Ulysses Mekanix. You should probably get over to BANDCAMP and check out that album.

1. There is nothing more awkward than sophomore year of high school. Tell me about your circle of friends.

I was born and raised in a small central Pennsylvania town.  I was a high school sophomore in 1977.  Honestly, I recall feeling more hopeful and excited for the future than awkward.  

Because I had a broad range of interests and activities, my male and female friends were more part of a ven diagram than a circle.  

The groups included:

Vinyloscopy with Scott Loose of Stellar Death

There's a post rock instrumental duo from the filthiest city in the USA...home of the original swamp, and some absolutely wonderful people and sea food.

The soft shelled crab for one thing is delightful!

New friends Stellar Death have their first album dropping in late January. You should probably look into that here 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? 

Scott Loose:  One album that always stood out to me as sounding particularly great on vinyl is Miles Davis ‘Kind of Blue.’  It just really works in this format. 

I listen to it frequently when I’m trying to relax, and just want to unwind.  But funny that you mention Sabbath, as I have a memory of jamming Master of Reality on my dad’s old record player when I was growing up.  

Fresh Fries with NoSelf

Check out the latest Fresh Fries with NoSelf.

Stream their song HERE.

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

A: Currently it is Chipotle

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.

Tell me about some big changes at the place in your lifetime or tell me which part of my sentence is the most surprising and why.

A: It's funny you mention Hardee's cause that was our go to spot for ditching school and crushing some Biscuits and Sausage gravy. That establishment does not exist there anymore. 

Classic Spins with JP Buzzard of Rockin' Engine

Good morning! It's time that you've met this band from Ottawa, Ontario, Rockin' Engine.

One could hazard a guess that they're a throwback band that's really ready to rock'n'roll like freight train.

Well, you could find out more about their latest album on BANDCAMP.

Now you can find out where they get their ideas!

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