Metallic Storm

I think it's about time for another obscure compilation of spotty Heavy metal. Metallic Storm first dropped in 1982 courtesy of Ebony Records out of the UK. As far as I can tell, Ebony's sole output was a myriad of slapdash samplers of lesser known NWOBHM and Hard Rock, usually peppered with a few hidden gems, Metallic Storm, however, packs a lot of rough diamonds, and an early appearance by a young band from Denmark calling themselves Mercyful Fate. Following the King and his plucky pack of Danes comes the Econo-Judas Priest via Sunset Strip coke pablum from Tantrum, no thanks. Scimitar deliver an awesome charmer of a NWOBHM style tune called "That's The Way I Want It To Be." The unappealingly named Tarot Sutra contribute a clumsy 70's rocker that brings to mind images of wood -paneled dens, dirt weed and high school talent contests. Mean Machine are a hot mess of AC/DC-esque biker drool. I fucking love them. Confessor (not that one) are up next with an oddball keyboard and flange-slathered number that kind of comes off like W.A.S.P. meets The Stranglers. Jury show up in a glittery coke chariot of AOR schmaltz, but still not terrible. Wells Fargo (the band, not the bank) are pretty bad all around, but still better than Tantrum, they sound kind of drunk, I dig 'em. Mercinary are the blandest of the bunch, no real magic. Wykkyd Vikker are as corny as their name would indicate.  Pentapus kind of sound like the younger brothers of those dirtbags in Mean Machine with their very NWOBHMish bath tub amphetamine scooter bitch rock. Detroit border on some cummy booger sugar mean street meandering with a confusing number called "USA Light," but even this one is pretty enjoyable, sleazy, poorly recorded... what's not to like. Moby Dick aren't nearly as heavy or dicky as their name might indicate, but their peppy AOR inspired pop metal is pretty infectious. All in all, Metallic Storm is a ridiculously fun listen, with every band (with the exception of Tantrum) offering something of value in their material. Also it almost seems that every band (with the exception of Mercyful Fate) are drunk. Metallic Storm may be a great album to get absolutely blotto blackout with. I fucking love this record. I think you will too.

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Bullshit Detector 1

I think I love the Bullshit Detector series of compilations more than any other CRASS related records. The first of the series was released in 1980. If clumsy punk and British accents are your bangers and mash, mate, dig in and fatten up on bullshit.

'Ere

4 Tribes

Excellent four-way split of obscure Japanese bands from 1988. まつじ (Matsuji,) 666, Poison Arts, and F.O.A.D. play fast, fuzzy, metal-tinged Japanese Hardcore. All the bands deliver the goods and will sate any fan of the Japanese thrashing punk, but まつじ kind of standout with their occasional vocal forays into Bad Brainsisms. I can't think of a better way to kill fifty minutes than with four devil-driven far-east death tribes.

攻撃

Dennis Dread's Halloween Mix Tape

Well it would seem that Cosmic Hearse now officially has a time-honored holiday tradition; The Dennis Dread Halloween Mixtape. I always look forward to his eclectically spooky grab bag of razor-infused apples and cianide-laced candy corny gems of obscure sonic fright. For those of you who don't know the man, or dare to doubt his creepy credentials, Dread is the man behind the great Battle for Art blog, Destroying Angels Magazine, and most notably the twisted artist behind all great album covers for Darkthrone, Autopsy and a few other notable noisys. So sit back and let Dennis Dread haunt your dreams.

Children's Black Mass ~ Quintessence

Quintessence was comprised of the entire Mazzei family: Michael, Edith, Francine, Terese and Loretta. The gang’s all here. Who are they? I have no idea. To the best of my very questionable knowledge, this score for John Russo’s 1982 “thriller” Midnight is the only thing they ever recorded. Our All Hallows Mass has begun, brothers and sisters....

One/Werewolves On Wheels ~ Don Gere

Meandering hippy evil from the best genre-bending satanic/werewolf/biker flick ever made. Recorded in 1971 and recently re-issued by the fine audiophiles at Finder’s Keepers. “Hey, we all know how we’re gonna die, baby! We’re gonna crash and burn!”

Sinister Purpose ~ Credence Clearwater Revival

Put me in coach. I’m ready to play. Today. Look at me. I can be. Centerfield.

God of Darkness ~ Bum

Bum was formed in 1964 in Essex, England and released this occult rocker in 1967 shortly before changing their name to Iron Maiden in 1968. Relax, their other jams are mostly longwinded and not nearly as menacing as this wild invocation would suggest. An altogether different bunch of limeys would go on to have much better luck with the name Iron Maiden. Catchy isn’t it?

Voyage Of Darkness ~ Jagged Edge

Street metal from Cleveland, Ohio circa 1982 that will kick your ass and make sweet love to your woman in the Chinese take-out parking lot. Punk upstarts like Minor Threat are often celebrated for hand gluing their records and booking their own shows but there was a whole microcosm of “privately pressed” hard rock that doesn’t get enough credit for keeping the D.I.Y. spirit alive during the 70’s and early 80’s.

Prince Of Darkness ~ Omen

Omen did everything right on Battle Cry. This is a perfect heavy metal record from the fucking awesome album cover art to the hyperactive ode to nocturnal emissions ‘Be My Wench’. If you’re in a band that professes to play “heavy metal” and don’t listen to Battle Cry on a regular basis you should probably reconsider your genre. And reason for living.

Werewolves On The Hunt ~ Stormwitch

Thanks to the musical genius and sheer determination of Steve Harris and Dave Murray, nerdy longhairs can waste the rest of their lives on youtube turning over obscure stones of NWOBHM and watching bands like Stormwitch clamber into the light. This is the lycanthropic power anthem from their 1984 debut LP.

Dead Of The Night ~ Demon Flight

You don’t see many Demon Flight patches sewn onto metal vests. That’s probably because their entire catalog consisted of three songs, including this shrill castle stomper featured on the very first Metal Massacre comp in 1982 that gets in and gets out without wasting our fucking time with moody intros, meditations on trees or general progression. Play this in a room full of black metal symposium types and watch ‘em squirm…

I Am The Skull ~ Danava

Danava has come a long way since their humble formation as a Goblin cover band back in 2003 and emerge from the theatrical basement prism as one of the most potent bands in the Northwest. Their new album Hemisphere of Shadows is one of the best records of the year. Ignore all the inevitable “hipster” and “faux retro” bullshit and enjoy some righteous banging.

Satan’s World ~ Crysys

More exceptional heavy rockin’ from Portland, Oregon! The mostly unknown and unfortunately spelled Crysys self-released one LP called Hard As Rock on the mysterious Long Street Records and it’s a smoker. I’d love to find the boulders along the Sandy River where they painted CRYSYS ROCKS and raise a few Budweisers from an inflatable raft in their honor.

Witches ~ Doomed

From the 1992 Doomed To Death 7” but widely heard for the first time this year thanks to Aphelion’s green vinyl comp, Doomed was an Autopsy side project featuring Chris Reifert, Danny Corrales and Petri Toivonen of Funeral. Corrales is one of the most underrated guitarists in any genre (and one of the nicest dudes you’re likely to meet) and if Reifert didn’t actually invent death metal he certainly twisted it to its greatest, goriest heights. Essential!

Buried Alive ~ Deathrash

Here’s a fun ripper from New Jersey’s Deathrash circa 1986 featuring Tony “Whiplash” Scaglione on drums! These dudes are actually back together and my talented pal Rich Rethorn did the cover drawing for their 2010 compilation Thrash Beyond Death which features a hapless mosher who is banging so enthusiastically that his grinning skull has exited his face. If this sounds too happy for a Halloween mix tape, go read some Edgar Allan Poe and fuck off.

Satan Theme ~ The Nightriders

The classy title theme to Al Adamson’s 1969 biker classic Satan’s Sadists, a “wild new movie all about the wave of revolution and anarchy sweeping the U.S. today.” Composed and conducted by Harley Hatcher and performed by The Nightriders. I just looked up Satan’s Sadists on IMDB and the Plot Keywords are: “Biker, Stabbed In The Throat, Female Nudity, Russian Roulette, Gore.” What else do you need to know?

Ballet ~ Michel Polnareff

If your ears feel as though they’re being molested by this creepy little synth number, it might be due to the fact that it’s the score to a creepy little 1976 film about a serial rapist. Side two is a queasy concept composition that plays like a bummer meth binge titled, fittingly, ‘The Rapist’. Fortunately overlooked by miserly record collector types due to the incongruous cover art, this one can still be salvaged from Goodwill bins.

The Hungry Moon ~ Xander Harris

Justin Sweatt is the enigma behind Xander Harris, one dude with a laptop, synthesizer and taxidermied raven who gets Italian horror soundtrack disco right! I scored this Contamination cassette a few months ago at a Portland gig in support of his Urban Gothic LP and was thrilled when he turned out to be a totally nice guy who can carry a conversation. I admittedly expected some greasy Klonopin addict with a Flock of Seagulls haircut and pointy shoes.

Halloween ~ The Coffinshakers

Tonight the graves are opening up! The beautiful baritone of Swedish Johnny Cash/Lon Chaney disciple Rob Coffinshaker beckons the bad moon rising and summons the children of the night. For fuck’s sake, can someone please tell Mr. Coffinshaker to drop me a line? I really want to draw a cover for this guy.

Little Black Bag ~ Gene Moss and the Monsters

1964 was indeed the “year of the monster” and this little ditty summarizes the ghoulish zeitgeist pretty well. There were tons of novelty records like this but Dracula’s Greatest Hits is distinguished by outstanding artwork by none other than Jack “EC” Davis! My copy still has the monster fan cards insert and, predictably, the drawings are far better than the actual music.

I'll Cut You Down ~ Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats

They have a dumb name and recently signed to Rise Above records so I can already sense a Ghost-like backlash on the horizon but this catchy dirge perfectly invokes the urban malaise of Whitechapel circa 1888. Enjoy it while you can.

Spell Thrust ~ Cult of Daath

Cult of Daath don’t seem terribly active and didn’t bother responding to my adoring e-mail last year informing them that this tune from their 2010 Doomed By The Witch cassette is an instant classic. In fact, it’s one of the best metal songs of the past decade. “Ring the astral bell!”

Golem ~ Protector

In Jewish folklore the Golem was a hulking creature made of mud, sorta like Frankenstein with a kippah and an overbearing mother, so I figured I could slip this German thrash homage into my Halloween mix without stretching the parameters too much. “Myth? Truth? Who knows?”

Excrement Exorcist ~ Cross

I imagine these dudes living together in some filthy Seattle punk house that smells like moldy bong water. As weird as it sounds, I hear influences as disparate as Hellhammer and Integrity on their 2010 Never Ending Death demo and I actually mean that as a compliment. One of these guys was in Wormwood who played at my house back in 1999 and I remember them sounding vaguely like mid-era Neurosis but that’s mostly gone on this three track offering.

Halloween Queen ~ Acid

Some fans consider this third/final album the band’s weakest link and it certainly lacks the cool cover art of their preceding LP’s and Black Car EP, but it’s still a total rager. The Halloween Queen married Satan when she was 17! Is that even legal? For those who don’t already know, Acid was a Belgium rock band which boasted musicians named “T-Bone”, “Anvill”, “Demon”, “Dizzy Lizzy” and of course the beautiful Kate De Lombaert. Class act!

Ballad Of The Hip Death Goddess ~ Ultimate Spinach

To my untrained ears this groovy epic perfectly echoes the CCR tune we opened with and merits the 8+ minutes it has usurped here. These mild mannered New England “heads” recorded a few albums of mostly lite rock back in the late 60’s but somehow managed to nail this sexy psychedelic death ballad in the process. Great Von-esque intro too!

Munster Mosh ~ Virus

Yup, the third-tier UK thrash band with some of the most poorly executed artwork to ever disgrace 12 square inches doing their uncredited 1988 rendition of the Munsters theme song. It’s not like I could put this on my Thanksgiving mix tape. Happy Halloween!

BOO!

Nard Times

"Nardcore" refers to the punk scene from Oxnard, California's lima bean capital and home to some of the better bands that played the ol' hardcore in the '80s. We heard from Ill Repute, Stalag 13, and Dr. Know but this comp also has tracks from other Nard-hitters like R.K.L., Agression, and Scared Straight, and some lesser known Nard tards like False Confession (who rule,) Rat Pack (also rule), The Rotters (not so great,) A.F.U., and Habeas Corpus. More good than bad on this regional compilation. Nardcore (the album) serves as a great primer in Nardcore (the scene) or a snapshot of certain place at a certain time. So what if it's on Mystic?

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Eruption

Here's a post that I have been really excited about. As much asI am a huge fan of these obscure regional Heavy Metal comps from the '80s, usually they yield one or two discoveries, a few passable bands, and then one or two laughable abominations. Heavy Metal Eruption is a welcome exception, a privately-pressed Italian grab bag of awesome. Every track here is decent. Halloween kick it off with an obviously NWOBHM inspired gem "Vikings" Crying Steel keep it steely with "Thundergods," a peppy cut of real Heavy Metal. I have heard the bulk of Crying Steel's catalog and these Bolognese bangers had it right. Death SS is one of Italy's best known metal bands. Their contribution, "Black and Violet" is pure occult doom bliss. Elektra Drive serve up a great song called "The Lord of the Ring" that sounds like Slough Feg meets Pagan Altar with spacey keyboards. Ransackers keep it metal with "Deathline." some odd acoustic guitars, squirly solos, and strange vocals make this track another charmer. Revenge slunk along with sleazy number "Angels In Leather." Revenge comes off kind of like Judas Priest circa Defenders of the Faith but with the addition of quaaludes. Hearse favorites, Rollerball are the greatest Italian Heavy Metal band of all time and their track "Wild Town" just cements that notion. Shining Blade bring the lamp down with a ballad called "Freakish Footsteps" maybe not the best choice to represent their band. Still not a bad track, give them a break. Steel Crown bring us back with the way over the top "Prisoners In The Box." Jesus, listen to the drummer and bass player, Steel Crown kept busy. Strana Officina, ,these unhinged uomini are the only band here that sings in Italian. The music is dirty rocking Heavy Metal with the confident vocals of an absolute character named Bud. Heavy Metal Eruption is a veritable Vesuvius of molten metal, enjoyable from front to back.

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Four Burials

Some of the most crippling doom acts of recent joined forces in 2008 for a four-way pout off called Four Burials. The funeral procession begins with Otesanek from Philadelphia. Their contribution, "Seven Are They," plods like a hulking, lumbering pachydoom, but unfortunately it gets a bit tiring. Loss follow up with a gorgeous track called "Death March Toward My Ruin." Loss is a band who have never let me down, this one is no exception, just devastating. Spain's Orthodox is another band whose body of work has captivated me. Their druggy hypnotic "Heritage" stretches over eighteen minutes of delicate Krautrock doom. The whole service comes to a despondent close with the Australian band Mournful Congregation and their song "Left Unspoken" a cavernous lament that towers and then sinks into drunken despair. Four Burials is a massive testimonial from some of the finest and most heartfelt doom bands of the last five years. So highly recommended it isn't even funny.

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EAT ME

The EAT ME tape was one of scores of compilations released by BCT tapes in the '80s. Kind of a random collection with bands from Southern Califonia, Mexico, the Midwest, and Seattle. The ubiquitous White Flag kick it off with some of their best material (as opposed to that 4 bands monstrosity from last week.) Deranged Diction from Seattle play generic but enjoyable hardcore. I don't know where the hell Corrupted Service were from but they are pretty forgettable so what does it fucking matter? I remember not liking Killroy back in the day but these songs aren't bad, melodic mid-tempo almost 77 style punkers. The Wallflowers suck and contribute two Stooges covers and a jokey funk song, completely useless. Solucion Mortal are one of a few bands from Mexico's hardcore scene of the '80s that I had heard of. Their sloppy, atonal hardcore might be more interesting if it were better recorded but probably not. No Response from Wisconsin sound totally unhinged and cool, doesn't even really matter that this was obviously recorded on a boombox in their garage. So there you have it, the EAT ME tape is pretty much a shit sandwich with standouts White Flag and No Response kind of saving the day.

EAT IT

4 Bands That Could Change The World

The four bands that could've changed the world (and ultimately didn't) were 7 Seconds, F, Adrenalin O.D., and White Flag. This was released as a tape and an LP in 1987 by Gasatanka Records, which was the concern of White Flag's singer Bill Bartell. The proceedings kick off with 7 Seconds, who never changed the world, but did change into a shitty U2 type alterno-rock band around the time this material was recorded. If you really want to endure the pseudo-reggae version of "Walk Together Rock Together" be my guest, I am skipping it. Next up is White Flag, and for all the derision this band reaped with their terminally jokey attitude and constant desire to fuck with the "rules" of punkness, they were a pretty great band, however this is material doesn't really demonstrate that fact. Next up is F, who I have boldy claimed were one of the greatest hardcore band to ever come from Florida and maybe the USA, but again, the material they contribute to this comp is pretty forgettable. Interestingly enough, the cover art was provided by F bassist Eddie Nothing and shows F singer, Phil, about to stick a pin in a world balloon. Adrenalin O.D. turn in some lame covers and a poorly recorded live version of one of their best numbers "Rock n Roll Gas Station." So basically what we have here is four great bands showcasing their laziest, most uninspired material. Not sure how anyone involved thought this was a good idea or even remotely world changing. Why the hell did I even post this? Cosmic Hearse has jumped the shark.

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Oslo We Rot

Here is a solid compilation containing four groups of backwards thinking Norwegianocidal maniacs. The title and cover are a rather obvious and adorable tribute to one of the greatest Death Metal records of all time. Execration kick things off with their knuckle drag number "Entheogen." Obliteration are probably the best known of the four due to their stellar album Nekropsalms. Their track, "Envenomed" also happens to be the best on here. Lobotomized are fucking cool trashy, punky primitive Death Metal with two songs about pee pee (one being a Mentor's cover) and one about poo poo. Diskord play angular, mathy Death Metal that kind of reminds me of Black Flag's Process of Weeding Out meets later-era Death, and I am way okay with that (also look out for their fantastic Doomscapes album). Oslo We Rot is about as great as compilations get, I only wish it was longer.

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Dennis Dread's Halloween Mix Tape 2

Last Halloween I turned the reins over to Mr. Dennis Dread and he did a smashing job with a great Halloween mix tape. We decided to make it a tradition and bring him back for another potpourri of creepy cantos. For those of you who so foolishly doubt Dennis' credentials, besides having great taste in music, he is also an accomplished illustrator best known for his work on recent Darkthrone albums. He also runs a great art zine called Destroying Angels. Once again, a tip of the ol' witch hat to Mr. Dread for all that he does.

Intro ~ Alfred Hitchcock

The disembodied voice of Alfred Hitchcock presides over our All Hallows ritual. I listened to this record hundreds of times when I was a kid and the hastily painted cover art still takes me right back to wild nights with jack-o-lanterns on every porch. "Now that we're all here, we can begin..."

Phantasm Intro/Main Theme ~ Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave

If you haven't spent time in a dark room with the 1979 Phantasm soundtrack coursing through the headphones like a silver sphere aimed straight at your soul, you are truly missing out on one of life's simplest pleasures.

One Step Into Oblivion ~ Blizaro

Blizaro is the brainchild of Rochester, New York doom enthusiast John Gallo. I've considered myself a fan ever since I scored the Horror Rock demo back in 2006, lured by Lucio Fulci graphics and the promise of, well, horror rock. John plays in a bunch of metal bands but Blizaro is his psych/prog project that pays homage to the great esoteric horror scores of the 70's and early 80's. This mesmerizing track comes from the Orne split 7" which was recently released in a limited pressing of 400 by Svart Records.

Mount Meru Is Tall ~ Saturnalia Temple

Perhaps you will challenge my choice to place this gateway to Saturn's Temple on a Halloween mix tape. Perhaps you will debate the appropriateness of a Saturnalian celebration in the heart of autumn. You will of course be sadly mistaken. Few hymns will clear a room of unwanted influence and open the veil to the dark forces waiting beyond as effectively as this hypnotic offering from the Stockholm trio that has restored my faith in the magic of sound and all things heavy. The gate is open...

Sister Devil ~ Sixx

I'm a relatively recent convert to Sixx since I didn't even know this band existed until I heard about the lush vinyl reissue last year. This is the Von dudes apparently after they traded in their bloody skull-crowns for ruffled silk shirts. I've never been a fan of Christian Death or bands of their shockingly pretentious ilk but this really works for me. I'm glad it's Halloween because now I can play this record loud without blushing. Bela Lugosi is dead indeed.

Hangman ~ Deathcharge

One of Portland, Oregon's best kept secrets is also one of the city's longest running punk outfits. Deathcharge has had a revolving line-up for over a decade now but they seem to have a solid core at the moment and have been playing local shows relatively consistently in the past year. So far their few recordings haven't done their unique brand of Discharge cum Killing Joke death noise the justice it deserves but the forthcoming debut LP is very eagerly awaited. No mosh. No fun.

Recognition ~ H.P. Lovecraft

These terse H.P. Lovecraft readings by John Arthur and Mike Olsen were lovingly reassembled from out-of-print recordings and released as a limited 7" over a decade ago by someone who clearly wished to remain anonymous (let's call him "He Who Cannot Be Named", eh?) and they very quickly became as difficult to find as the original vinyl. My copy is 179 out of 300. Behold the muted terror of a doomed cosmos.

Necronomicon ~ Sacrifice

Our brothers to the north really excelled at this kind of ferocious speed metal during the 80's. No, I'm not talking about Scandinavia this time. This is CANADIAN METAL and Sacrifice was one of the most promising harbingers of the bunch. A class act with the kind of satanic lyrics that got you into trouble with teachers back in the day. Seriously. I think these dudes were still in high school when they recorded Torment in Fire which is really remarkable when you consider their complex song structures and absolutely relentless shredding.

Stirring The Cauldron ~ Whiplash

Whiplash's debut LP Power & Pain is one of the most grossly under-appreciated thrash albums of 1985 (and if you like fast pissed-off music you know 1985 wasn't a shabby year). This came out around the same time as Bonded By Blood but how often do you see kids air guitaring Spit On Your Grave? Well, actually, I see that a lot at my house but you get the point. This is the sound of three Passaic barbarians named Tony dragging Kreator through the meanstreets of New York Hard Core. Total schism.

Horrorshow/The Mansion ~ Hallows Eve

Long ago, before metal came to be personified by sensitive men with beards, heavy metal was a hooded executioner rendered in discount paints with the anatomy of Popeye the Sailor Man. Atlanta, Georgia's Hallows Eve was that hooded executioner and they delivered the fucking goods. Take this selection for instance from their debut LP, which is really two distinct songs that form a mini-cycle of sorts. They went on to score a cameo on the River's Edge soundtrack before disappearing into a fog of nihilism and madness (i.e., short hair and day jobs).

Lycanthropy ~ G.B.H.

These collectible British Punk action figures come complete with leather, bristles, studs and acne! Of course these quintessential street urchins also ripped this chorus straight out of Lon Chaney Jr.'s quivering lips: "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers at night can become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright!" Death Breath did a killer cover of this snotty classic but for my money nothing beats the original source. This just sounds like nothing else!

Till' The Following Night ~ Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages

English audio pioneer Joe Meek recorded this killer debut single for the "monster in black tights" known as Screaming Lord Sutch in 1961. It was swiftly banned by the BBC. No wonder the Brits had to invent punk rock and smash the system (see above). What an incredibly uptight society. Sutch's early stage show included coffins and skulls and is widely recognized nowadays as a precursor to the horror shock antics of Alice Cooper and probably Black Widow and Death SS as well. Ritchie Blackmore was one of the original Savages and he left the fold in the late 60's to form Deep Purple!

Night of the Vampire ~ Entombed

To be perfectly honest, these dudes lost me after Clandestine but I do appreciate their noble stab at this Roky Erickson favorite. Sure, it's stilted and crunchy to a fault but I like the emotive Danzig flair on the vocals and the totally rockin' part at the end. This was a split 7" with Ohio punks the New Bomb Turks which was a weird pairing at the time. In hindsight I guess it makes sense.

The Tell Tale Heart ~ Beyond Possession

Who knew skating and gothic literature could live together in such beautiful harmony? This is the title track from Calgary skate rockers Beyond Possession's 1985 debut 7" The Tell Tale Heart. This is sorta like Suicidal Tendencies without all the bandanas and messy circle pit stabbings. As a general rule it's not a great idea to rhyme 'house' with 'mouse' in a hardcore song unless you're Ludichrist but this particular ditty is about Edgar Allan Poe so fuck your rules, man!

Intermission ~ Vincent Price
"We have much studying to do, there are many ancient mystic texts to guide us..."

Deathknell ~ Ghost (Sweden)

The b-side of the debut 7" from these mysteriously shrouded satanic messengers from Sweden is absolutely enthralling. The clean Blue Oyster Cult influences evidenced by such bands as The Devil's Blood become even more pronounced in the capable hands of these earnest rockers. E. Danielsson of Watain has provided their stark and provocative imagery thus far. Perhaps he is himself one of the six nameless ghouls? I have no idea, but I can't wait for the full-length!

At The Sound of The Demon Bell ~ Mercyful Fate
I couldn't resist. I'm running on a bells theme here, folks.

Cloven Hoof ~ Cloven Hoof

The debut LP from these champions of NWOBHM is a galloping occult adventure of epic proportions! The cover is directly inspired by the old Coven record but they've incorporated crude stenciled flames and a serpent demon mascot that makes those Grim Reaper covers look really fancy. For fans of Pagan Altar and 'EAVY METAL only. And if you're not a fan of 'eavy metal, why are you here? "Seek not to envoke demonic entities beyond the living, unseen forces mankind can never hope to understand, in satanic pact a soul giving, unto hell, when time relents to death's command." Huh?

Halloween III Montage ~ John Carpenter & Alan Howarth

This is really loud in the mix for some reason but don't forget to wear your Silver Shamrock masks anyway.

Re-Animator ~ Rigor Mortis

Here's an obvious choice given the horror thrash leanings of this mix tape but I just love this catchy chorus that you can sing along to even when you're drunk. Which is fortuitous because when I finally saw them play a few years ago Bruce Corbitt stuck the microphone in my face while I was thrashing up front and if the lyrics were more complicated that would've been an embarrassing moment of silence. This is from their debut 1988 LP which boasts absolutely perfect cover art by a guy name Cort Johnson who did skateboard graphics back in the day. Incidentally, Mark Ryden did the fantastic cover art for their follow-up EP Freaks and he has since gone on to become a hugely successful fine artist.

Werewolf's Life ~ Fear Itself

I don't know much about this band from Anchorage, Alaska so I'll spare you my snide commentary except to say that this 57 second blast is culled from the 1988 Attack Is Now Suicide compilation, which also features one of my favorite R.K. Sloane drawings of all time, and it's about a werewolf. The life of a werewolf is not easy.

Violence Is Golden ~ Gargoyle

What?!? You've never hear of Gargoyle from New Jersey??? Poser. Actually, in this case the correct answer is, "Who the fuck is Gargoyle from New Jersey?" These dudes only released two demos in their very brief tour of duty so unless you were lucky enough to stumble into Bleecker Bob's at precisely the right moment in 1986, chances are you're probably not familiar with their ripping thrash. Do I really need to explain why a band called Gargoyle deserves to be on a Halloween mix tape?

Sendero Siniestro ~ Anal Vomit

"Bestial" is a dumb adjective that gets passed around like chlamydia by message board lurkers these days. But when you really think about it, how many of these frowners are truly bestial? Peru's Anal Vomit is the real deal, as proven by this raging invocation from their 2004 Demoniac Flagellations LP. Misleading name aside, their songs of satan, pussy and death are delivered with such psychotic devotion that they make their underground counterparts sound like doughy pacifists in comparison. They're even willing to let it all hang out on their albums and that's pretty bestial (i.e., "of or relating to beasts; resembling a beast; lacking intelligence or reason; marked by base or inhuman instincts or desires").

Twisted Darkness ~ Yellow Cross

I don't want to be accused of ignorantly wallowing in nostalgia so here's a track by Olympia, Washington's very promising Yellow Cross from their 2009 demo. It sounds like Blue Cheer hanging out with Paul Chain at a pizza shop. Black Virgin part II is the real gem on this demo but it was too long for our purposes and I really couldn't justify it on a Halloween mix tape. But twisted darkness? That's spooky.

They're Creeping Up On You ~ Engorged

I love this little gem from the Engorged/Gruesome Stuff Relish split. This was originally intended to be a 7" but the Engorged dudes wisely included 4 minutes worth of Creepshow samples so it became a 12" 45 (which worked out well for my crude cover art). This isn't necessarily characteristic of the Engorged sound but it definitely conveys their essential underground ethos and approach. Hopefully these guys will return from Yuggoth soon and finally finish recording the House of Cthulhu LP. Ahem. Guys?

Necronomicon ~ Les Dexter

My favorite track from one of the greatest cinematic scores of all time. The Dunwich Horror is actually a pretty dull flick but we can all learn a thing or two about dynamics from a laid-back cool cat like Les Dexter. Just listen to how these exotic sounds swagger & boom like an ethereal procession sent straight from R'lyeh with all the time in the world to fuck you up. THE STARS ARE RIGHT!

Mineshaft Chase ~ Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave
Phantasm reprise.

Der Henker Von Dartmoore ~ The Vampires of Dartmoore

The Vampires of Dartmoore was an imaginary West German pop group providing the soundtrack to an imaginary Euro-trash horror flick circa 1969. Metronome and Mercury Records basically wrangled together these session jazz musicians in an attempt to cash in on the popularity of adult-oriented monster novelty records and they produced two LP's, Psychedelic Dance Party and Dracula's Music Cabinet. Exploitation director Jess Franco actually discovered this LP and licensed it to score one of his 70's tits 'n' terror romps. The rest is history. Very confusing history. Recently repressed on gatefold vinyl by Finders Keepers.

Outro ~ Alfred Hitchcock
"This concludes our danse macabre..." Happy Halloween.

Side Trick

Side Treat

Also on a side note. Cosmic Hearse is taking a few days off to get caught up on all the unglamorous behind the scenes work that goes on here. Don't take it personally, use the time to talk to your kids about drugs or something.

Cleanse

This compilation, curated by the well known punk graphic artist known as Pushead, was sort of a mindfuck for me when it was released way the fuck back in 1985. Cleanse The Bacteria just upped the ante as far as hardcore brutality was concerned, and exposed the general punk public to some amazing obscure bands. We all benefitted from Pushead's tireless letter writing and tape trading. Cleanse... also marked my first experiences with soon-to-be favorites like Poison Idea, The Execute, Siege (way ahead of the pack in sheer hostility), and Mob 47, as well as offering up contributions from some bands I was already well aware of like Septic Death (of course,) C.O.C., and 7 Seconds (who seem a bit tame for this comp.) This is some kind of fancy pants CD reissue with a ton of extra tracks. Let's skate.

Here

Sucksess

In 1982, Roger Rogerson, the original bassist of the Circle Jerks, curated this punk document for the notorious Mystic Records. He opted to cull twenty-three tracks from ten bands you've never fucking heard of and call the whole shebang You Can't Argue With Sucksess. F-Troop kick things off with three average tunes, nothing memorable. The Crewd are cool, they have some ugly guitar tones, play with gusto, and keep the songs short. Red Beret seem to bite off more they can chew and have an annoying singer. I want to like them more than I actually do, sorry Red Beret, oh and your name sucks, reminds me of that Prince song. Speaking of assy names...next is Nuclear Baby Food, who seem a bit out of place with their polished power pop, but their track "Suburbia" is pretty cool. Mad Society got some attention around the L.A. scene by having a 10 year old frontman. Their three tracks here are my favorite for that reason, primitive wonky punk with the cutest vocals ever. Their EP rules too, if you aren't a dick or a cop maybe I'll post it. Secret Hate are okay, energetic punk. No Crisis aren't super original or spectacular but their typically early So Cal punk is fun and genuine. I remember The Conservatives from the Hell Comes To Your House comp. Like most of the bands here they play quintessentially L.A. proto-hardcore beach punk. Even Worse are the only band featured here not form Southern California, they hailed from New York City, and had a government-hating female singer, but they too sound like they could have come from Los Angeles. So all in all we have a decent, not mind-blowing comp that does a an adequate job of documenting the time between punk and hardcore in Southern California.

Suck It!

Southern Elite Circle

Like the BMIA, the Black Twilight Circle, and Blazebirth Hall, The Southern Elite Circle is yet another alliance of like-minded Black Metal bands that share members and hail from a particular region, this time Argentina. Oddly enough the bands associated with the SEC promote a nationalist socialist agenda that may offend some of you more sensitive readers. This lengthy compilation showcases the bands with each band delivering two tracks. First up is the extremely harsh Argenraza (who were featured on the Hearse here.) Argentum's acoustic guitar and flute folk metal track "La Tierra Blanco" sounds pretty tame after Argenraza, and their second track "Jose Antonio" is a corny darkwave number with lazy samples of some speech, presumably by canonized Spanish Fascist, Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera. Campo de Mayo's first track is rather bland generic Black Metal, but their second is a more primitive sounding repetitive piece that is far more interesting. Furor's first track is just layers of hypnotic guitars, it works much better than the second track, which is rather base poorly recorded Black Metal. Nachtgeblut are clearly the most proficient band of the group, but this doesn't mean they are the most enjoyable. They turn in a rather plain Black Metal song and a hokey keyboard piece. Permafrost has cool guitar tones and simple robotic riffs, at first the obvious drum machine and generic vocals were a distraction but I found myself liking the band by the end of their two songs. The compilation wraps up with Ulfhethnar who aren't terribly original but their no frills blasting chaotic Black Metal is enjoyable just the same. Argenraza and Permafrost are the real standouts here, but from front to back the Southern Elite Circle compilation is a dynamic and consistently interesting listen, even if the bands aren't spectacular on their own.

Here

BIPPP

This compilation of early French Synth Wave weirdness is absolutely stunning. Outmoded synths and e-drums float some of the most infectious hooks to put a smile on your dour mug. This is Franco-Robot pop music of the highest caliber. Every track is simply delicious but standouts come from Act, Comix, Ruth, Visible, and the fantastic Mary Möör (need more Möör.) Seriously, if you can't get behind this you might as well report to your nearest Sleepshop at once.

Here

Metallic Squadrons

Tan ahora usted sabe del boner Cósmico Hearse para los álbumes regionales obscuros de la compilación no importa cómo es débil es la música real. Éste viene de México. Escuadrón Metálico recoge el ' más venenoso; bangers 80s del sur de la frontera. ¡Sobre todo estas bandas juegan el metal clásico de la velocidad con vocals del falsetto cantado en español, doble del ataque del tambor bajo…METAL!!! Las bandas incluyen Gehenna, Aspid, Z, Khafra, y Ramses.

Aqui

Destroy Power

Here's a compilation EP released by Lost & Found in 1995. Uncurbed kick things off with their furious Swedish hardcore track "Riots In Blood" I am not sure where Taste of Fear hailed from but their contibution "Headstone" bears the early pummel of proto-grind and crust. Disgust are next, remember them? They were one of the more memorable groups in the sea of dis-clone band oversaturation at the time. Cold World were like Austria's answer to Siege, they really should have been better known. Finnish band Bastards sound a bit out of place here with their rather dated Finnish hardcore sound, I love them (even featured their amazing EP here) but they sound a bit wimpy sandwiched between Cold World and Dead Beat. Kaaos suffers the same affliction. Their track "Vaihtoehto" is one of their bests but has also appeared on numerous other more appropriate comps. Boston's legenday Disrupt grind and scrape through the 34 second "Same Old Shit." Sweden's No Security peel paint with their cut. Confrontation kinda suck but I am sure someone will tell me how they were really important and seminal and whatever. The whole affair is wrapped up by the two best known contributors, Siege and Heresy. Both kill of course. Not sure if this comp actually destroys power but it definitely destroys boredom for approximately fifteen minutes.

Destroy

Liberty or Death

Here is a fantastic lo-fi tape compilation of Japanese Hardcore bands that were previously unknown to me. The tape is called Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death (not very Japanese, eh?) and the bands are Baroudeur, Saru, Zverg, and Deformed-C. Baroudeur and Deformed-C sound exemplary of what we have come to expect from Japanese Hardcore with their wild soloing and gruff vocals. Saru and Zverg sound like they could have been from anywhere. I think I like Deformed-C best.

自由

Green Metal

Not eco-friendly metal but rather metal from the emerald isle, Ireland. Another regionally specific metal comp that probably never got much attention outside it's country of origin, probably due to the fact that it isn't very good. Let's break it down. Assassin kick things off with some wimpy party pop metal. Poorly recorded and corny, Assassin doesn't leave much of an impression. Blackwych play some street tough NWOBHM style biker metal. Nothing extraordinary but having a song called "Metal Maniac" can't hurt. April South have a female vocalist, also worth noting: there first track "Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile" is sung in Gaelic and has a distinctive Irish feel, like a proto-Cruachan. Their second song "Rock n Roll Rodeo" is a feckin' mess. Up next is Kruger, and not to reference an old stereotype, they sound drunk. Kruger aren't great or anything but there is a charm to their sloppy approach to classic, fun heavy metal. Stonesnipe only get one track on the album, a ballad called "A Change From Yesterday." Totally forgettable. Speed contribute a track called "A Real Live Wire" apparently about a lass who is bad news. The song is made enjoyable by it's ham-fisted drum beat, corny overdubbed drum fills, and the banshee like shriek of the singer. Trojan kind of owns this comp based on the performance of vocalist Eddie Kenny and the driving chug of their track "Soldier's Song." Overall a fairly mediocre comp with a few highlights (Trojan, Speed, and Kruger.) I'm sure Ireland had better bands in 1985 than these.

Up The Irish!

Downtown Noise Punker

Here's a raucous international compilation of noise junkie punk bands who worship in the temple of the Kyushu gods Gai and Confuse and rummage in the dumpster of Britain's Disorder. Pure distorted fun from Chaos Destroy (US), The Wankys (UK), Dead Noise (US), Merciless Game (US), Geranium (Japan), Kamikaze Noise (US), Rukkus (US), and Wank Channel (UK) make this violent party a fucking go.

Noise!