Horsecore

Dead Horse weren't exactly thrash, or death metal, or punk. Much like Acid Bath (a band I always considered kind of a bizarro world Dead Horse) these duders were one of those bands so unique and so inclusive of many styles, they could really only be described as horsecore. Which, incidentally, is the name of Dead Horse's first record Horsecore: An Unrelated Story That's Time Consuming. Dead Horse hailed from Houston, Texas, gained a loyal following in their home state, released some great records, and called it a day in 1996. They were so on their own trip, so special, so '90s.

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Destrozo!

Peru has never really been the country known for amazing punk records, but when I heard Narcosis' 1985 cassette Primera Dosis (First Dose), I was instantly strung out on their lo-fi presentation (no bass), infectious songs and the absolutely endearing voice of singer "Wicho" García. Oh, and perhaps the best and only Spanish language cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" Punk!

Aqui

Cosmic Hearse Turns 1

Hard to believe that Cosmic Hearse has been up for year now. So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive and not a single complaint from any bands or labels regarding the content. Big thanks to all the readers, especially the ones who take the time to leave comments. Huge thanks to all the readers who sent stuff in to share, and help me cross things off my wishlist. I tried to come up with some special post to celebrate the Hearse's one year anniversary but settled on just posting an updated version of A Yell From The Past by Draugurz. This is the CD version issued by Dark Hidden Productions. The original cassette version happened to be the subject of Cosmic Hearse's very first post. If you missed it the first time around (though the link is still active) I highly recommend this. It's one of my all time favorite bits of weird lo-fi Black Metal genius.

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This is also as good a place as any to mention that I am painfully aware of the problems with a number of the Zshare links. Not all my old posts are Zshare so check first. If you want something, and find the link is dead, just leave a comment at the post and I'll correct it as soon as I can. I am not really into the idea of going back and repairing all the links at once. Thanks.

Texas

Originally released by Hybrid Records in 1985, Jon Wayne's one and only recorded output, Texas Funeral, is one of those albums that many hold very dear. Nobody is indifferent to it, they either don't know it or they gush at the mere mention of it. Folks who haven't heard it in years can still quote from its lyrics and recall their favorite bits. Though this album is charmingly lo-fi and lyrically hilarious, much of its appeal stems from how little is known about it. Rumor has it that Jon Wayne was none other than Butthole Surfers mainman Gibby Haynes. I can neither confirm or deny this, but it certainly bears all the surrealist Texan wit of the Surfers. For many of you, hearing this again will flood you with memories. To the rest of you I say, get ready to fall under the spell of Jon Wayne and Texas.

Texas

Glory

The Glory Bell's Band (later called simply Glory Bells) were another outrageously gifted Swedish Heavy Metal band you probably haven't heard of. Their debut album from 1985, Dressed In Black has had me in its power for the last few weeks. Imagine Sad Wings of Destiny-era Judas Priest meets Taken By Force-era Scorps with one of the most hyperactive falsetto voices, and you might begin to get an idea of what The Glory Bells are about. That nutter vocalist was none other than the enigmatic Glory North, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Glory was a vocal chameleon sometimes sounding a bit like Udo, sometimes Klaus Meine, but always sounding like himself, if that makes sense. Also check out the chops of drummer, Peter Udd, the guy was clearly raised on a steady diet of Mick Tucker. His skills behind the kit later landed him the gig as the first drummer of Yngwie's Rising Force. If you got a diamond cutting hard-on over the posts about Witch Cross, Gotham City, Faith, and Wizz, add Glory Bells to the list of top notch Scandi-Metal to make your bag tingle.

Här

Gay!

The Gay Cowboys In Bondage were one of the better known Florida punk bands. Some of you might remember their track "Domestic Battlefield" from the Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Volume 1 compilation. This tape, We're Not Gay But The Music Is, was circulated in the South Florida underground in 1983. The Gay Cowboys shared a few members with the legendary hardcore band F (Pete Moss R.I.P.). Like F, The Gay Cowboys In Bondage were typical of the Florida scene, injecting a fair amount of snarky, childish humor, and terribly nerdy in-jokes into their punk rock social commentary. Thanks to the amazing Lou Ming for bringing this back into my life 25 years later.

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Elf Power

Well the Elf is none other than Ronnie James Dio and his pre-Rainbow concern. In fact, Elf contained three other members who went on to join Rainbow: drummer Gary Driscoll, piano dude Mickey Lee Soule, and bassist Craig Gruber. Listening to this album, it's easy to understand why Richie Blackmore eagerly scooped these guys up. Dio's voice is instantly recognizable here. This came before his obsession with swords and wizards. Elf were about some sawdust floor honky tonkin' bar stomp blues rock with lyrics about gamblin', ramblin' and women of loose morals. Fucking awesome.

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münn

Woodsmoke is an interesting label out of Salem, Oregon that specializes in fantastic lo-fi tapes from a number of doom, drone, and black metal entities like Leech, Soleil Noir, Mania, Ancestortooth, Dusk Summon, Vault Dweller, Destruction Ritual, and münn. Here I present the münn cassette in its hypnotic entirety. I guess Woodsmoke is too cult for a website. Anyone desiring more information should write to them, perhaps they will reply.

Woodsmoke

322 23rd St. NE

Salem, Oregon

97301

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Death Certificate

Ice Cube's angriest outing since leaving NWA was by far 1991's Death Certificate. On this record no one is spared Cube's wrath and biting criticism. Be you black, white, a bitch, a ho, a Korean liquor store owner, a sellout, Uncle Sam, the police, you can't escape the sharp sting of Cube's always brilliant lyrics and keen observations. This is where it became abundantly clear to me that Cube was the true genius behind NWA. This record is essential. Kind of weird that this is the same guy who starred in "Are We There Yet?" But I choose not to think about that.

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From Dream To Dream...

It occurred to me last night that there might be someone out there who's never heard this album, and I awoke, drenched in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. So if you are one of those poor souls who permeates my subconscious with your ignorance, get this so we both can sleep easier at night. This is easily one the finest pieces of Swedish Death Metal ever forged.

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The New Los Angeles

There are a few albums out there that I think really capture the zeitgeist of Los Angeles. There's X's aptly titled Los Angeles with it's gritty tales of love and death in the city of angels, there's Black Flag's My War and it's claustrophobic, dry-heat, "slowly losing it" vibe. There's the Gun Club's Fire of Love, Saccharine Trust's Paganicons, The Germs (GI) and even Motley Crue's Shout At The Devil. All of them do a fine job of conveying the lonliness, desire, passion, violence, and stifling heat of L.A. Now let's add It's Casual's album The New Los Angeles to the list. It's Casual are from L.A., and they obviously have a love/hate relationship with their hometown. This record is both an homage to, and an indictment of their sprawling, smog-choked burg. Songs about LAPD, cholo life, cars, guns, and freeways, played with a Black Flag-like hostility. It's Casual obviously dig Black Flag, but really, who doesn't? Just two dudes, a fucking staggering wall of amplification, and Los Angeles, that fucking whore, as the muse. Seriously, this will floor you like a slab of concrete to Reginald Denny's dome.

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Stella Polaris

Another fantastic release from the now defunct Autistiartili Records, this limited tape (150 copies) by the band Stella Polaris contains some warped, super lo-fi, punkish, Black Metal akin to their countrymen, Akitsa and Malveillance. Thematically, Stella Polaris seem to adhere to the same Third Reich fetishism as bands like Command and Sombre Chemin, so again I issue a warning to those who are sensitive to these kinds of political agendas.

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Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze

Around 1994 I was at a party here in San Francisco. The kind there were before the dot com boom. You know, one of those where a couple of hundred assholes were crammed into a Victorian. There would be a keg in the kitchen, chicks doing blow in the bathroom, some shitty band playing in the living room. Anyways, I was at this party and I was chatting with some guy about music and whatever kind of drunken small talk you have at parties and he reaches into his backpack and hands me this tape with the cryptic words "Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze" scrawled on the label. That tape sat in my bag for a week or so before I decided to check it out. When I did, I was floored. Well someone had the good sense to press this to CD (no label information is given). And now I am that guy at the party handing you that tape, only now the tape is a batch of shrunken digital files, and the party is the interweb.

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Twilight Of The Idols

Of all the things that make me proud to call San Francisco home, the food, the heroin, the weather... none cause such a swelling in my breast as The Lord Weird Slough Feg. For those of you who don't know, Slough Feg (for short) are a true Heavy Metal band influenced by Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Celtic Mythology and fantasy role playing games. The band has never released a dud, but it is their second album, Twilight Of The Idols, that I most often reach for when I need a Feg fix. This is by far their most daring work with some forrays into 70s style hard rock, and classic doom, some acoustic songs, bagpipes, and the Slough Feg trademark: the charismatic voice of Mike Scalzi. This one also contains what many consider their finest song, "The Wickerman." Slough Feg often gets compared to Manilla Road. Both bands have remained consistent and true to their metal, even when real Heavy Metal wasn't cool. Both bands have enigmatic, unique frontmen. However, Slough Feg always seemed more intrepid in their approach. Twilight Of The Idols is easily one of the best metal albums of the 1990s. You need it. Added bonus of bizarre cover art by D&D artist Erol Otus. Lawful awesome!

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Enlightened Interdependence Is The Key

Yeah, I know that every blog even remotely worth reading has done a post about Man Is The Bastard, but probably because they were so fucking great, so on their own trip, and so prolific. And some poor souls out there have never bothered to check them out. So with that in mind, I present the Man Is The Bastard D.I.Y.C.D.. It compiles some material from various out of print splits and EPs. It's a great catch-all release for the fans, and a great introduction for those who have yet to become fans. Of course I could spout on about there unflinching, uncompromising ideology regarding sexism, racism, classism, fascism, capitalism, veganism, animal liberationism, homophobism, multi-national corporationalism, and any other ism you can think of, but I think it's best to let the band yell in your ugly, stupid face for about seventy minutes. That should learn ya'.

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Today Is Only Yesterday's Tomorrow

Dude, sit down, shut up. You're about to go on a journey that would make the corpse of Gary Gygax harder than the finest girdle of Mithril. Uriah Heep's 1972 opus Demons And Wizards is about as close to a perfect album as any of us will ever get and I'm going to tell you why. First off, it starts with a wizard, a wizard who comes along and tells you tales and drinks your wine. Over the course of the album you travel through time, encounter a rainbow demon, and reunite with the wizard in paradise.

Uriah Heep always sort of existed in the shadow cast by their bros Deep Purple, but strange, considering what an achievement this album is. The song writing and the playing on Demons And Wizards are absolute genius, and the regal vocals of David Byron are at their peak, he even sounds a bit like Bowie at times. Really, this album could only have been made in 1972, bands just don't sink this much heart and soul into their art anymore. Fortunately we have Demons And Wizards. I still see the vinyl around as well, so there is no reason not to have this in your collection. Oh, and dig that crazy Roger Dean cover.

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New Blog Launched

My new blog. I decided to start Legacy Document to encompass things other than records I adore. I sort of envision it as an online magazine/journal/resource. It will contain some interviews, show reviews, film stuff, art, opinions, news, and whatever else I feel like putting there. Comments and contributions are always encouraged. Check it out.

Silence Dawning

Csendhajnal is the first full-length from the Hungarian Black Metal band Marblebog. The strength of this one-man entity is the lush hypnotic trudge reminiscent of Burzum. This was released on cassette in 2004 and reissued in 2006 on CD. When I first heard Marblebog, my waning interest in Black Metal was rekindled. Dim the lights, pour yourself a cask of wine and let the depressing layers of Csendhajnal wash over your tortured soul.

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Death In June

DISCriminate is a two disc collection of Douglas P.'s personal favorite Death In June tracks. It's also a great primer on the group's lengthy and interesting career. With tracks culled from DIJ releases from 1982 to 1996, it shows the complete range of Death In June's catalog. Perhaps you've always wanted to check Death In June out but were intimidated by the many releases. Well fret no more. I'm in your corner.

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IT IS I

San Jose's It Is I was the post-Asbestos Death band of Tom Choi, the one Asbestos Death member who didn't go on to form Sleep. It Is I released just one album, 1995's Evolve. The record is a caustic monolith of bitter doomy sludge metal that never really got much attention. Their drummer was called "The Terrorizer" or something of that nature and played with huge dowels rather than regular drum sticks. Maybe a bit gimmicky, but it does sort of speak volumes about the band's intent to pulverize and do little more. Absolutely crushing.

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Blood

Could it be the Reign In Blood of punk? I think so.

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Return Of The Blood Farmers

If you saw this one at your local Black Metal mercantile, you probably glossed over it. Perhaps because of its dull cover art, the band's generic name and the logo's font. You may have dismissed Dark Tribe as another inane corpse-painted horde of euro-teen pillow biters paying tribute to Satan and Darkthrone by glutting an already oversaturated market with another boring, worthless black metal record. Well, you couldn't be more wrong, champ. This German band is worth your time, their 2004 album, In Jeraspunta - Die Rückkehr Der Tollwütigen Bestie is the sonic equivalent to deep-seated psychosis. At times like the buzzing of a thousand insects, at others, like the stabbing of a thousand knives. Many of the songs seem to never kick in, a tension is built and never released. It all adds up to a rather taught and unnerving listening experience. Dark Tribe, despite their name, is unlike anything before them or anything since. Trust me. This is fucked and mandatory.

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Aids-A-Delic

The fourth album from Hanatarash came out in 1994 and was affectionately titled Aids-A-Delic. My favorite Hanatarash album by far.

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Invasion

In 1980 Manilla Road self-financed and released their debut album Invasion. The full-fledged metallic approach of the band hadn't yet been realized, so this comes off a bit more like early Rush with a serious hangover. Way back when I posted their best album, 1983's Crystal Logic, I pretty much made my case as to why Manilla Road should be hailed alongside the greats of metal, so I'll stop here and let you take in one of America's truest Heavy Metal band's humble beginnings.

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Oppression

Sorto, along with Sekunda and Alamaailma, was widely regarded as one of the worst Finnish punks band ever. That is precisely what made me anxious to check them out. Man, I was not disappointed in the least. Sorto was terrible in the best possible way. If you went ape over the amateurish outsider punk of Rutto, Butcher, or Chemotherapy, then you need some Sorto in your life. Trust me, it's bad. You'll love it.

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Who Knew Billy Joel Didn't Always Suck?

You know that doughy, sad-eyed, piano man that penned such drivel as "Uptown Girl" and that god-awful boomer anthem "We Didn't Start The Fire"? Well, he didn't always suck. In fact, in 1970 he was one half of Attila, a duo that was way ahead of their time, about 30 years before the whole minimalist two-piece band trend. Attila played ridiculous Hammond B3 vs Drums mathletic spazz rock that is so fucking crazy it might make you forget Jon Lord and will definitely make you forget "Tell Her About It," at least for a little while. Listen for the blast beat in "Brain Invasion." Brutal.

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Fallen Angel

Blasphemy was the hugely influential Canadian Black Death Metal beast that single-handedly spawned the subgenre of "War Metal." For many, this album is sacrosanct, a bible to be followed to the letter, a blood declaration of war against all that is holy and clean. Sure, go ahead and count me among them. Fallen Angel Of Doom.... is pure, unfiltered chaos. It's easy to see why this blew minds when it was unleashed back in 1990. Sick. Sick. SICK.

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Explicit Lyrics/Street Raps

Before becoming a full-time member of The Geto Boys, Willie Dee had a fledgling solo career that spawned this album, Controversy. Many of the songs on this album feature The Geto Boys and many of the songs turned up later on their Grip It On That Other Level album. So Why, besides the puzzling cover artwork, would anyone be interested in this? Well, how about cuts like "Fuck The KKK," "I Need Some Pussy," and my personal favorite, "Bald Headed Hoes"? That's right bald headed hoes, an issue that Willie Dee feels so strongly about he states, "I'm proposin' a bill to Capitol Hill to kill all bald headed bitches at will." This is is the enigma of Willie Dee, rapper, hair lobbyist, and, at one point, professional boxer. That's right, in 1999 after leaving the Geto Boys, Willie Dee had a short career boxing under his real name of Willie Dennis. He won his first two fights by first round knockout, boxed to a four round draw in his third fight, and then was knocked out in the first round by Kevin Butts. This pretty much ended his stint in professional pugilism. Now even though Willie Dee's infamous bald-headed bill never made it to the senate floor Mr. Dee deserves our praise and respect. Oh, and don't forget to vote today.

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Guerra

Oh, hell yeah, motherfuckers. Back when I posted the classic Warfare Noise 1 comp I mentioned that, while Sarcofago might have been the most influential of the hyperspeed Brazilian satanicunts, it was Holocausto's contribution, as well as their war-obsessed third reich schtick that I found most compelling. Their first full length LP, Campo De Extermino is a much maligned classick of chaotic blasting riffery, goofy Portuguese lyrics about warfare, and enough primal teenage shock tactics to earn it's place as your new favorite Brazilian thrash album. Adore o poder do culto brasileiro da guerra!!!

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Dusted

In 1985 YDI followed up A Place In The Sun with The Black Dust LP. Many people were turned off by the slower tempos, longer songs, and even more metallic overtones (mainly in their manner of dress) of YDI at this time. Everything that made YDI and A Place In The Sun so potent are still present on Black Dust, the rage, the skronky wonky guitar tones, and most importantly, the animalistic voice of Jackal. Black Dust is a an arduous beating with a blunt instrument, a beating you've had coming for a long time. Just take it like a man.

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Staub

Here's yet another fucked up demo from another one-man Saarland band. Staub is the work of Machosias who also lends his talents to Old Pagan and Birkabein. Staub has more industrial leanings than the other strange Saarland Black Metal hordes. This tape is called Paranoidies and is a compilation of Machiosas' favorite tracks from previous cassette releases. Is PCP sold over the counter in Saarland? I can't figure out why the place churns out such fucked up black metal. Any ideas?

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