That's right, Cosmic Hearse is celebrating its two year anniversary. Big thanks to all the readers. What I'd like you all to do today is leave a comment telling me of your absolute favorite discovery from the Hearse, that record you had previously never heard before but blew your mind. That would be a nice way of showing your appreciation, should you be so inclined. Anyhoo, here's to another year of hearing and discussing special albums. I love you all.
fuck yea man congrats on that! i've heard so much new shit from this blog but the overall best find on here would be Bone Awl. i'd heard of them previously but could only find most of the releases here. thanks a lot dude and keep up the good work!!
ReplyDeletewell tbh though I comment every now and then I don't download all that much. reason being I haven't been listening to a lot of music recently. and even when I don it's just Slayer or Trouble or something.
ReplyDeletebut I'll go with the Nip Drivers stuff. a while ago I had fever and was feeling a bit down, and I put on the Nip Drivers stuff and basically spent the next hour or so bouncing around naked. so that was good.
Happy b-day Cosmic Hearse!
ReplyDeleteI have found many a crusty, blackened treasure here, but I will be eternally grateful to you for introducing Moevot and the other creeps of the LLN to my little world.
Thanks!!
Rock Jack's debut "Belly Bones" was arguably the masterpiece of the decade. When will we see a follow up?
ReplyDeleteHickey. One of the all time greats. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite all-time find (thus far) is definitely Doc Dart's "Patricia" - there isn't a week where I don't listen to it at least once.
ReplyDeletePoison Idea - Feel The Darkness. A classic I didn't had the chance to listen to before you posted it (that's a shame I know but I guess that's why you posted it. For educational purpose). I bought the vinyl reissue after listening to it just once. It's now one of my favourite album of all time.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to the Hearse and salutations from France, the country of weird cheese and weird black metal.
Thanks for all the great music.
Tos
Happy anniversary! Nice & always interesting blog, not to forget your to-the-point and entertaining way of writing... might say 'one-of-a-kind'.
ReplyDeleteWhat definitely blew my mind here is the Totem-EP (http://cosmichearse.blogspot.com/2008/03/do-something-witchy.html), awesome awesome stuff!
This is also something why I stick to your blog for quite a time now: one can't foresee what's coming next, totally mixed music styles here. Great!
to be hoest: agalloch, after i havent listened to metal for a longer time, they inspired me for an new start.
ReplyDeleteWoW
ReplyDelete2 godamn years already
congrats and thank you
hands down my fave discovery is that godamn buch of evil bastards known as
'An' with that ripper of an alb, called "world minus population"
Hails
Wipers- Over The Edge
ReplyDeleteCongrats on keeping this going for 2 years and thanks for sticking with it.
Albumwise: Hanatarash and his eye, Moevot, that Orgasm album....but it is also great to take part of the music world of cosmic hearse, read about the albums and fantisize and imagine music...
ReplyDeleteIt's fairly recent but Bosse-De-Nage are amazing. Those and that Sleepwalker disc are insanely good. Hail the Hearse.
ReplyDeleteHickey, I allready told you but since you posted it I'm obsessed with it .. and it lasts ... I'll make an effort and mention another one : Dr.Octagon. And again and again thanx a lot to you !
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say what my favourite is.... though gormantatinus is pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteBlack Flag- The Process of Weeding Out, i had it in my collection but it was unlistened to until you spoke of it's greatness. Thanks, it blew my mind to hear such pain and torment without any words.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites so far from the Hearse are probably the various Woodsmoke label posts, especially the Münn and Ancestortooth demo tapes. I had no idea the label even existed before coming here, let alone heard any of the material! As an oregon native I still can't get enough of that crusty underground DOOM. Just never thought that kinda shit would be coming out of salem, haha.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, happy anniversary to the blog and keep up the good work Aesop. Maybe you could even upload some more Woodsmoke stuff in the future!
Congratulations! There are so many awesome posts, but the if I must pick one, I must say Råg i Ryggen. It's just one of those records people must hear. I play it for everyone that enjoy soulful and kick ass music. I have actually forced some to listen to it as well. If they don't like it, they are idiots. Simple as that. Being from Scandinavia, I can understand the Swedish lyrics as well. Let me tell you, the opening track "Det Kan Väl Inte Vara Farligt", is the best anti-drug/bad lifestyle song ever. Those sXe have a thing or two to learn. Anyway, the whole album is just bursting at the seams with raw energy and super awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteRunners up are Leland, Jon Wayne and Far Out. Your blog is truly the best.
Congratz on the anniversary! The best finding from here must be Fuckmorgue's Down Forever! That shit blew my mind and my balls off. It was like getting raped by deities (and who wouldn't like to be that?) and I listen to it almost at a daily basis ever since I got it. "Thank you for the music" and keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteWhat kicked my ass was that WILLIE D!
ReplyDeleteAlso that SACRAMENTUM. . .
probably my favorite writing of yours - and honestly that's my favorite thing about the Hearse - was the time you posted Gil Scott Heron's wikipedia bio but swapped the name out for Roosevelt Franklin.
If I could request one thing next year it would be more of your stories where the album or the music is just an excuse to tell a rad war story.
Anyway many thanks, Aesop!
Hi Aesop!
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt, my favorite is that masterpiece called "First Words", by Gift Horse. I was also lucky enough to find it for sale on ebay few days ago.
Regards
Happy B-Day Hearse! Long-time reader, long-time fuckwit here.
ReplyDeleteThis blog has actually totally reformed the way in which I listen to music in the past year. It blows my mind to think that so many albums I now hold as classics I may have never heard if I hadn't entered the Hearse. And I continue to discover amazing, obscure gems.
Going totally gaga over the Finnish punk shit right now. Have and will they always be the most musically destructive country?
Thanks Aesop, you're a scholar in my mind.
my favourite would be those maria kannon records. fucking kirishitan!
ReplyDeleteTROP FEROSS! Cool as fuck and I had never even heard of them until you posted it.
ReplyDeleteDissection or the Vlad Tepes/Belketre split.
ReplyDeleteThe one that sticks out most for me of late is the Sleepwalker tape. Fan-fuckin'-tastic. Excellent blog man, the descriptions raise it miles above the rest.
ReplyDeleteKeep. It. Up.
Marblebog - Csendhajnal
ReplyDeleteThis depressive and foggy release encouraged me to find other tortured black metal from the depths of the forest. (Hypothermia, Veil, Defaillance)
Long live the Hearse! Cheers to two great years!
I check out the Hearse every day, and I'm amazed to find that it's only been two years. Your posts are always fascinating and often hilarious. It's been an education - thanks for all the effort you put into it.
ReplyDeleteI'd second the thanks for providing an introduction to the shadowy world of LLN, but if I were to bring it down to just one band, it would have to be the incredible Paysage D'Hiver. I now have everything they've ever recorded. Congratulations on your anniversary, and keep up the devil's work!
I'd have to say Crogmagnon - Orgasm twisted me up pretty good. The little man inside is still scratching his head, "wtf??". Bonus points for "Taste the Steel" from the Beowulf album. So tasty! Thanks and love right back atcha.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on two years of great descriptions and posts!
ReplyDeleteNo way I could just pick one but here are my favorites so far:
Cargo S/T: The guitar work is so lush.
Sacramentum: "Far away from the Sun" great guitar work and I can't believe I didn't know about this. This gets played quite often.
The Peace "Black Power": so lo-fi and charming.
Your ZZ Top rips from your vinyl is outstanding as well.
Keep up the great work. We all enjoy this site.
Regards-
My buddy Patrick Delaney (Villains fame) hooked me up with your blog and we were both madly in love with Scorpions Fly to the Rainbow... i swear youtubing those old videos of them Old Grey Whistle Test style ..lipsync or not ... makes me happy. my new 3 month old son watches them endlessly with me. Your site is on the top of my daily nerding list ..
ReplyDeleteHail Satan.
Niko - Antwrangler
Happy birthday and fukk off santan up it ass.
ReplyDeleteI would say all of the more rare Légions Noires stuff you posted, as well as the Black Plague zine. Never thought I'd ever see that! Thanks and happy birthday
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Cosmic Hearse, and thanks for all those amazing albums you have been posting. I check your website every singly day, and you have opened my eyes to bands that I hadn't been familiar with, i.e. Kataxu, Akitsa, Moevot. Those have been truly amazing discoveries, and have really altered my personal notions of what constitutes good music.
ReplyDeleteI recently also checked out your own band; excellent stuff!
Thank you for that; and keep up the work! All the best.
Man, it's hard to think of a singular album from the past year and half or so that can sum up the awesome discoveries of the hearse. Ahulabrum (sp?) is certainly up there, can't say I listen to it all that much, but where else would I find an obscure alien-obsessed black metal band. Recently, Master's Hammer and Valenta have brought delight. I'm also just as much thankful for the albums I know but may have forgotten about. Case in point, the somewhat recent Corrosion post. Or those Finnish punk band posts. Anyway, I would be remiss to not mention that part of my daily routine upon slugging into work each day, is checking the hearse BEFORE anything else. It's really all downhill from there. Thanks mr. aesop!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 2nd birthday! I hope there will be many more to come.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have any album from your lists which totally blew my mind, because, apart from your posts on hardcore bands, I don't like black metal or its branches of music.
HOWEVER, what I really LOVE (yes, LOVE) is your style of writing, the words you choose for your reviews, your enthusiasm, the fact that the reviews are short and never ever pretentious. The way you write about music is great!
This hearse is cosmically fantastic :)
Keep on ruling, Aesop. For discoveries, Lykathea Aflame is burning a hole in my head. It's from another universe, and I love it. And seconded on Poison Idea, I don't know what's wrong with me to have never heard that.
ReplyDeletelong time fuckwit, first time commenter.
ReplyDeletenarrowing down to one the amount of awesome shit thats turned up here, both stuff id heard before and records i might never have found otherwise? damn near impossible. claiming i cant choose just one? total cop-out. but there you have it.
sure, if you posted nothing but blackened kvlt madness, this blog would still rule, based on the quality of said madness alone, as well as your writing (which is a huge standout in a world of dry music blogs) - but what makes it really stand out is the all-over-the-map nature of what you post. its like a real persons musical taste. like mine, at least. we have our focus, and then these crazy tangents that sometimes were reluctant to reveal, but the fact that a record doesnt mesh with what were "supposed" or "expected" to like doesnt have shit to do with whether or not its just a damn fine piece of music that more people should listen to. that you can come up with so much of it, on a daily basis, amazes me. thanks, and happy anniversary
hands down, my favorite post was the Fuckmorgue ep. Completely blew my mind. Thanks so much for that and many others! Happy Birthday, Hearse.
ReplyDeleteDamn, where do I start? Most recently I was blown away by that Valenta tape— possibly perfection in the raw occult heavy/black metal form. The live UFO LP had me for weeks. Niddhögg— most NSBM is terribly recorded and played, not that this isn't, but there is a sinister aura beyond the norm. Rattus 7". Trouble's Psalm 9... and still is, huge for me. That's just off the top of my head.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am on my deathbed (sometime between tonight and 35 years from now), I'll always remember the Hearse for reawakening my love of obscure, bizarre, intense music in the late 00s. This is what the internet should be about. Thanks.
JMD
Royal Oak, MI
Since the day you posted it, I've been getting weekly listens out of the oddball Hans Reichl and his daxophone.
ReplyDeleteI don't comment often, but am using this opportunity to thank you, Aesop, for all of your hard work. This blog is great!
-john in Detroit
Happy Anniversary. I love reading this blog, but I don't download the linked stuff all that often. I would have to go with the Marblebog Csendhajnal post for something I dowloaded and listen too. I am not a Black Metal freak and spent ten years ignoring most of it in favor of Death Metal and other stuff. What I enjoy is your informative pieces that you write about the obscure stuff you post. So, in a weasely second answer to your charge, I liked the posts about the LLN, not that I downloaded and listened to it. Thanks for the education.
ReplyDeleteI love the black metal but cant get those weird Zam-rock jams outta my head.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely has to be the Warning album. I constantly listen to it, and tracked it down on ebay so I could have a physical copy. Also really liked Corporeal,
ReplyDeleteDantesco, Ashbury, Bosse de Nage, Lik, and the Manilla Road posts.
Chris
Manes (http://cosmichearse.blogspot.com/2009/05/under-blood-red-moon.html) was really amazing.
ReplyDeleteAshbury. One of the many great early 70's heavy rock bands. I thought I had a handle on most of that time/generas must haves but this one eluded me until you dropped it on me. THANKS
ReplyDeleteyo,my man,happy 2nd birthday to your blog.some of the finest music in the world is here,and i'm glad to have found you on the web.i just celebrated one year on the web on nov 14th,and i wish i had more well wishers posting comments to my birthday post,at sluggisha.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletecongrats again,keep it rollin',one of my favorite sites,thanks,G O D.
I came for the 80s hardcore, but I stayed for the black metal demo tapes...
ReplyDeleteAfter discovering Draugurz here, I bought the tape and ruined my car stereo with it for months.
Gift Horse.
ReplyDeleteBlowfly - Disco is a close second. I lost my original CD so it was great to hear it again.
that Bomb album you posted early on was pretty fucking amazing.
ReplyDeleteThis blog has opened my ears and mind to the artistic possibilities of black metal. Especially the creepy, lonely-as-fuck sonic discharges of lo-fi sorrow from the rare cassettes and vinyl. I've also searched out classics from Norway and rekindled my love of CELTIC FROST.
ReplyDeleteFor a specific band I've found on this blog, I might go with FUCKMORGUE and ZOUO as being favorites. ABYSMAL GRIEF and the first LUDIRCA album have also get major play.
Thanks for posting all of these gems. Looking forward to many more years of COSMIC HEARSE.
Bilskirnir. There's something about the combination of lo-fi tape scuzz and epic Viking melodies that leaves me craving more. Obligatory "I'm not a Nazi" comment goes here, but I wonder why I dig this stuff so much when I've never been able to get into the "classic" black metal bands (Mayhem, Darkthrone, etc.) -- I came here about a year ago via a search for some old-school hardcore record or another. Is it that Hitler likes melodies, but Satan doesn't?
ReplyDeleteLLN stuff, akitsa "prophetie heretique", lascoweic + death in june "discriminate"
ReplyDeletehappy anniversary, dude. checking this blog in the morning has become a daily ritual for me, it's always exciting to see what you've posted/written.
ReplyDeletemy favorite thing you posted is definitely "Into The Grave." i now own an awesome t shirt with the cover art for that album. did you know there are a bunch of zombies lurking in the foreground? the hearse has been really important in turning me on to death metal in general, actually.
this empty flow. magenta skycode..
ReplyDeletea billion times thank you!
I really love The Witch Lazy Bones there are tons and tons more but that one is so sweet!Thanks Aesop!
ReplyDeleteI've found lots of great stuff via the Hearse, but the most-listened-to would have to be that Nils EP. It's not even a style I normally listen to all that much, I just connected with it immediately and ended up listening to it obsessively for weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am gonna have to say either Sargeist or JFA off the top of my head.
ReplyDeleteLes Legions Noir! Best blog ever, hands down.
ReplyDeleteThank you sir, for the many varied treasures contained in this cosmic vault. I have discovered several gems among the filth..
ReplyDeleteSLEEPWALKER- s/t
(Got me back into metal after a lengthy hiatus)
DOC DART- Patricia
(Drum machine/mental breakdown w/ trademark Crucifucks caterwaul,Yeah!)
GOBLIN- Profundo Russo
(Profound Death-funk to be sure..)
Any chance you've got the solo Klaus Flouride album?? Impossible to find, No chance of re-issue..
Up yr. alley??
Keep up the good work.
Know that it is appreciated.
Question Mark and Ashbury. Hail Satan!
ReplyDeleteOther killer finds:
220 Volt
Horse
Attila
Space Art
Bodkin
Angel
The Witch
Knokkelklang blew my mind when you posted it, still does. Thanks for the awesome blog!
ReplyDeleteBefore I found your blog, I was just a mild mannered caucasian headbanger, but now, thanks to your numerous nsbm postings, I've become a white supremacist! And the world owes it all to you, Aesop!
ReplyDeleteNo, but in all seriousness, all the African stuff you've posted has ruled and the Attila album with Billy Joel a'shreddin? That shit is fresh. Cheers and keep up the good work, Aes.
Gormantatinus = Life changing post
ReplyDeleteRam Jam = Complete waste of cyberspace
It is hard to pick an absolute favorite - as I've discovered tons of good shit on the hearse. Standouts for me: Cargo, LIK, Wigrid, Life, Chrissy Zebby Tembo - and so many more. Love the classics you put up too - it is great to read about people's memories. Thanks again and long live the hearse!
ReplyDeletejohn / milwaukee
Brother Aesop,
ReplyDeleteIt has been a while since I have been able to do much downloading. Computer troubles and hard drive space constraints have greatly slowed my explorations. However, I still keep up with your blog anyway just because I like your descriptions and it is nice to get all of these crazy names bouncing around in my head. My favorite find has probably been Spirex, just because that stuff was so forward-thinking and also sooo under-the-radar that it reminded me to stay aware that there is always something new under the sun and that there are a million amazing bands in a million towns that I will never have the privilege of hearing.
hey Aesop! Paternoster! A brilliant find.
ReplyDeleteMine was surely Wicked Lady; this one totally impressed me and lead me to my 60s/70s-underground obsession. Big thanks for that one!
ReplyDeleteHappy 2nd Hearseday. Now we have the terrible twos coming, all right. I listen to the Nils the most often but had heard of/ heard them before so I guess the one that blew my mind the most that was completely unknown to me was Part1 - Pictures of Pain. Thanks for all the hard work & great, great blog.
ReplyDeleteDear Sir,
ReplyDeleteAdd another tally: "MY #1 FAVORITE BLOG to check daily"
As my PC randomly plays "Halloween" off Fatal Portrait, I'm gonna say thanks for the old Jerry's Kids album! Cheers!
Bosse-De-Nage, Schramm soundtrack
ReplyDeleteI have been turned on to so much great music from the hearse. I would have to say "Africa" by Amanaz has been my favorite. Such a warm heartbreaking album. That's what I love about your postings- one day it's a great album from Africa and next it's one of the best metal albums I've heard in awhile. Thanks for putting the time in.
ReplyDeleteSo much great shit on here that has made an otherwise sucky year much more bearable. My favorite so far has to be My Solid Ground. I am also grateful for the posting of Hard Stuff and Night Sun (both seem to be hard to find otherwise, and we've got a pretty exhaustive oldies store here in Calgary, believe it or not). Thanks for the amazing tunage!
ReplyDeleteTB
I only found this place a few months ago,but I've gotten tons of great stuff, and have been turned on to whole groups of bands I might not otherwise know about.
ReplyDeleteI'll say my favorite find was the woodsmoke audio wake, Körkarlen.
Thanks for the tunes.
Bosse-De-Nage
ReplyDeleteGift horse
tons of great stuff!
Congrats on 2 years of awesome postage. MOAR PLZ..
-Rob
Great blog! I'm very fond of the Epheles tape you uploaded a few months back, and I love the title track from Peter Grudzien's The Unicorn.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 2 years, and many more. It is a tie with the LLN sequence, and Munn. Munn opened my eyes to the entire woodsmoke world, and my world is now a better place.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to say. You've posted A LOT of really great stuff. My favorite part about the blog and you is probably that you're basically my kvlt Annie Sullivan, as you'd say. Other than that, I treasure that Borgo tape above most other things and I don't rightly know why. It's probably the weirdest tape I've found on here, tbh. I also love First Spell and that Ildra tape. Your blog is awesome. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteI was stoked when I found the Mighty Sphincter stuff on your site. I'd been searching for that shit for awhile. I dig just scrolling around and reading about a lot of the obscure metal shit that I wouldn't find elsewhere. Thanks man!!!!
ReplyDeletecongratulations!!!
ReplyDeletei love all those weird black metal treasures i discovered here, especially all that saarland stuff (cause i live in this region of germany).
but i also discovered a lot of great non-black metal stuff here!
thank you so much and all the best!
DJ Z-Trip & DJ P
ReplyDeleteLLN
Bone Awl
Ghremdrakk
many more
happy bday
NO BEAST SO FIERCE
http://nobeastsofiercenyc.blogspot.com/
Happy birthday to the best blog on the net! Like many others, I'm sure, Cosmic Hearse is one of my first stops every morning after I've checked email and misc. messages. So many unearthed treasures here that it's hard to choose. Hell, I'm still psyched that you posted the Oak album that I did art for. You tracked down El Ritual for me. Anything from the Woodsmoke label has been fantastic. You got me hooked up with digital versions of ZZ Top with the proper, un-remasted bullshit, sound.
ReplyDeleteBut if I had to narrow it down to just one album, it would be the Rag I Ryggen. I'm sure I spelled that wrong, but whatever, I can't say it properly either. That album has become a huge hit amongst my friends, we've introduced tons of Swedes to it, and the phrase 'Jan Banan' is now a catchphrase between myself and several Swedish grinders.
Long live the Hearse!
Good job, thanks for all the cool tunes!
ReplyDeleteThe Hearse has been so consistently diverse for the several months I've been following it. But I gotta say it's your taste in Black Metal that keeps me coming back. Favs you've turned me on to:
ReplyDeleteDesolation Triumphalis - Forever Bound To Nothingness : it's so damn lovely
& Dark Tribe - In Jeraspunta : so damn psychotic
Thank you for your dedication (there are hardly any long lapses of time without any posts) and hard work. Keep it up!
It's hard to remember all the great gems I've found on the Hearse.
ReplyDeleteDismember - Like An Everflowing Stream. I was loooong overdue for this one!
Poison Idea - Feel The Darkness. Fantastic!
Blowfly (Okay, technically this was from the Agalloch van rides...)
Boss-De-Nage. I'm way picky about my BM as I'm not usually much for the purer stuff, but I really dig them.
I already loved them, but your Cirith Ungol post had a mighty writeup.
Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra. I'd always loved Slowdive's cover, but this record is a real trip...with a certain twang, no less.
Thank you for being such a wonderful musical encyclopedia, and a great friend.
holy crud bombs man. i had thought this blog thingy was alot older actually. anyway i guess all that woodsmoke stuff would be the unheard stuff that blew my mind.
ReplyDeletebut really most everything posted on here has been pretty much, good stuff. whether i'd heard it before or not. you rule aesop!
congrats Aesop! took me a while but I'd say I'd go for this one: HOTH - Rites Of The Black Goddess
ReplyDeleteBone Awl gave me a boner. much love for the Hearse.
ReplyDeleteOnly blog I visit daily... To much great shit to mention (especially Black Metal) Beowulf and Chrissy Zebby Tembo stand out, please keep up the great work, love it!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the other comments yet. I have to say, off the top of my head, the one that blew me away the most has to be Shevalreq!
ReplyDeleteI know, I am weird.
Paternoster and/or Pagan Altar. Thanks Aesop.
ReplyDeleteDark Quarterer. That album got me through some interesting, often difficult times. I wrote a review for it that I shared with a few of my friends, but never posted on the blog. Didn't want to steal any of your thunder. It's not great. In fact, it's pretty sanctimonious and meandering, but on the off chance you care to read it, here goes:
ReplyDelete"The last few years for me have been full of ups and downs- foundation shaking events that have cast my personal identity, and my passions, into an existential upheaval. All through it, music has more and more constantly filled the gaps left in the firmament of my consciousness, solidifying itself into both a needed escapist succor, and something to focus my enthusiasms on whilst my previous drives have given seeming way to these frustrating, more and more apparently constant, tumults.
This realignment of interests, coupled with a rather prevalent history of perfectionism, is probably the reason it took me so damned long to decide on which album to share with you all today.
Seriously, I thought about it almost all of last week, but when I went down my list of possible albums to share with you all, one stood out above the rest, and here's in large part why-
Some months ago, I was asked to write and present a speech at my high school graduation. Throughout most of the endeavor, I listened to this album on repeat- The sincere, inspired, music contained within pushing triumphantly through it's muffled, shell of a production, providing the perfect parallel of a backdrop for my hitherto largely comatic creative processes, themselves at the time flowing with fervent force through the ruins of my extirpated psyche with great emotion.
Said speech was later given to an audience of expectant onlookers. People laughed, clapped, and teared up. Congrats and exultations were given. The usual fair.
Overly wordy sentimental bullshit aside-
No, perhaps it's not a universal masterpiece, but I'm not expecting that sort of reaction from any of you. What it is, is one of my favorite (if not my very favorite) heavy metal albums... perhaps judged more on personal fancy than overall quality.
However, Dark Quarterer does manage something very rare with this album- with it's unique dreamy atmosphere, impassioned instrumental work, infectious heavily accented English-as-a-second-language crooning, interesting songwriting, and the sort of eccentric exuberance that is o-so characteristic of Italian Metal bands, they have created a work that is absolutely timeless for me, something I can (and have) played over and over again in succession without tiring.
Get this shit and judge for yourself. I command it.
...Yes I know I already shared this business with a good lot of you. It's worth another listen. C'mon now."
Cheers, Aesop.
Another daily reader. Along with all the weirdo black metal bands that this blog has gotten me obsessed with, I'd have to say the Gorguts album, because it was the first death metal I'd ever heard.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Ram Jam, Angel, Bomb, Manilla Road, hell, even Benighted Leams. Too much awesome. Happy 2!
ReplyDeleteCongrats and happy birthday! I really appreciate all the work you put into this site. I've found out about so much here that I otherwise would have no idea about. This site also lead me to many other great music related blogs to the dismay of my hard drive.
ReplyDeleteIt would be too hard to narrow it down to one album for me, but the first ones that come to mind are Cargo and The Wicked Lady. Most recently it's been ABC Diabolo. I also need to thank you for getting me into Manilla Road. Some other favs have been Leland, Chrissy Zebby, Rag I Ryggen and too many BM posts to list. Thanks for everything!
I'd also like to thank you for the Ludicra set @ the Middle East in August. Best four song set I'll ever see.
Brian/Massachusetts
I'm relatively new to this blog-found it in October-but I can't say you've steered me wrong on anything you've posted. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHate picking favorites. How about a couple of things I've listened to this morning that were treats from the Hearse: Bilskirnir and Pagan Altar.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
How the Fuck did I forget Dark Tribe and Willie Dee?!
ReplyDeleteI was able to track down the Dark Tribe guys and was able to talk them into a trade for some Jabladav material.
Here's hoping/knowing you will get 100+ comments
Oh man, probably the Les Legions Noire stuff. Specifically the strange more dark ambient stuff like Moevot and Aakon Keetreh. Thanks for that and happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteBeen checking out your blog since August, it is now a daily occurance to check up on the latest post. Please please keep up the good work, the mind blowing music and your words are very much appreciated. Off the top of my head highlights include Confuse, Ata kak, malveillance, moevot, mutiilation, jammerskrik, Körkarlen and many many more horrible noises.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to you Aesop.
Oliver. Birmingham, England.
Congratulations! As others have said, checking out Cosmic Hearse each morning has become something I look forward to. I might not download your selection, but I always enjoy the write up.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, the album which I've discovered here which gets the most play is Bonded by Blood by Exodus. I have never heard it, but I vividly remember seeing the cover when I looked through my older cousin record collection when I would visit NYC in the mid 80s. He had all sorts of great music which I didn't really appreciate when I was 12.
Other stuff which I've played often is ABC Diabolo, Paysage D'Hiver, and Fuckmorgue.
Thanks!
HEATHER LEATHER!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat post of yours about hose fine Latino metal mistresses has the highlight this year. "Pretty Shy Boy" is the one song that has ear wormed into many hearts.
Check out this video I made with that song and my pooch on a bike ride.....you will throw up!...but hey it's your fault to begin with for sharing this lovely pop nugget.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tGwytUVYsY
this is my all time favorite blog, and the all time favorite post has got to be the massrohandt // sraet & esimorp split tape.
ReplyDeleteYou all are so great. Thanks. Also, for you folks that check every day, why not just hit that handy "follow" button at the top left by the search window. This way you will get automatic updates to your google page and Cosmic Hearse looks way cooler by proxy for having so many fans.
ReplyDeletehell,it's so difficult to choose!so,from the top of my head,Gifthorse(this album blew my mind and it still does every time),Witch(i love all the Zamrock albums you've posted but this stands out for me),all the crusty black metal stuff you've posted(Bone Awl,Mallveilance,etc).anyway,thank you for all the great music and excellent write-ups.may the Hearse live long and prosper!
ReplyDeleteDark Tribe - In Jeraspunta is still my favorite off the site but I really enjoyed Ashbury, Ahab and Doc Dart's solo album Patricia as well.
ReplyDeleteThe cannibal holocaust sound track was also a nice touch too because I been looking for it for a while.
Over all I love almost everything you post and hope you keep it up for another year!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan. Another album which I was introduced to by the Hearse which I play often.
ReplyDeletethank you for the greatness
ReplyDeletei am extremely grateful for so many posts but the ones that stand out for me lately are the Load ones- never heard of that band before your posts, can't stop listening to them now! if you have anything else from them, please, please upload it!
ReplyDeletemany happy returns and be well!!
v
I'd have to say Dag Nasty "Can I Say" and Jerry's Kids "Is This My World" because I thought i knew both bands (and disliked them) but couldn't be more wrong! I'd just heard the wrong records! Thank you for straigening me out and also turning me onto Lik, Load, Deadsea, Overkill LA, & Flesh Columns among others. I actually hope one day i can get my own stuff featured on here for a day (cough catatonicdisassembly.com cough lol) ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! I have really enjoyed your blog, my favorite album from here would have to be The Wipers "over the edge", but there have been many amazing an ear-opening finds. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteAm I really the first to mention the Sardonis ep. What are these people not smoking?
ReplyDeletetoo many to possibly name them all man...
ReplyDeletebut top of mind would be the Jacula and Embryonic Devourment discs... this is easily a consistent favorite blog for me. thanks as always and congrats!
I'd have to say Der Golem 'Zmet'. That, and the Ahulabrum cassettes. The LLN stuff goes without saying, I salute you Aesop. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteAhulabrum. Also, lots of other queasy sounding black metal demos. But,the utter diversity of postings is why I check this blog daily. Keep up the excellent work!
ReplyDeleteGreg
Count me among all of those who check in on the site daily, as well as those who were blown away by the Ahulabrum tapes.
ReplyDeleteholy shit though, your blog rules, thanks for the records/laughs.
Had to have been münn. Being a huge Otesanek (sadly RIP) fan I couldn't help but feel nostalgic when I heard their absolutely depressing cassette-only (and how punk is that these days) dirges. Happy Turkey Day all!
ReplyDeletethe ZZ Top vinyl rips, that Amanaz album, and The Dogs 'Fed Up' have been my favorite things you've posted. thank you for your continued dedication to this blog (read it everyday) and for sharing your excellent taste in music with all of us.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely all of the LLN posts. Really bizarre creepy shit. Heres to another year!
ReplyDeletehappy birthday and much thanks. faves would be the african psych stuff, the Valkyrie tape (never thought i'd here that!), that Load cd, and the ZZ Top rips (so crucial). thanks again.
ReplyDeletei would have to say Leland "this is my world" blew my mind completely. Also Load is really incredible.
ReplyDeletePagan Altar too.
There's too many. Good fuckin work aesop. keep it up.
eli
Dark tribe is pretty damn good. thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on two years! Best music blog on the net, this is.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are both recent. First, the Körkarlen album is a thing of transcendent beauty, although the circumstances under which is was made could not be more tragic.
Second, that Bosse de Nage stuff is amazing. I look forward to hearing more from those guys.
Oh, and Sleepwalker is amazing.
Once again, great blog - keep up the great work.
I believed that punk rock was, for me anyways, something best left in my high school days until I heard Poison Idea's "Feel the Darkness". I also really dug the white fuzz-laden J-Hardcore acts like Zouo and GAI, and anything you posted from Sublime Frequencies. Oh, this is, in fact, the best blog ever. Keep that shit up.
ReplyDeleteIts gotta be Tejas. I havent heard a better rock album anywhere since Ive downloaded that shit. Thanks a whole lot hombre.
ReplyDeleteJeez, way too many to list. One that springs immediately to mind that I had absolutely no clue about before your blog is Maria Kannon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the music and many happy returns.
Happy anniversary Cosmic Hearse!
ReplyDeleteI started following this blog last summer and back then I used to read it like just maybe once a week or something. Nowadays I check it every day. I really couldnt start my day without reading The Hearse. Its just so great.
I have found tons of new exciting bands/albums and even some new Italian movies (Dario Argento). Picking just one album from all these great bands was really hard. After long consideration I picked First Utterance by Comus. That album is amazing and I have listened it so many times now.
Other great things that need a short mention: Attila, Bedemon, Weed, Cargo and Dark Quarterer.
So thank you Aesop for making this great blog. Also thank you for all the great music. I hope this Cosmic Hearse keeps on riding!
Congratulations on the anniversary! As for crucial posts, there's so many it's difficult to even fathom where to begin... but my favorites so far would definitely include Der Golem, Boss De Nage, and Wicked Witch.
ReplyDeleteBonus points for posting the Manes album UNDER EIN BLODRAUD MAANE, one of my favorite albums for a long time now (and one that everybody interested in black metal should hear), and Abruptum's EVIL GENIUS, which is brilliant (but still nowhere near as demented as their first two official albums).
LLN beyond Vlad Tepes and Belketre, and Sodom. All the more obscure noise punk shit is greatly appreciated too.
ReplyDeleteYour blog rules, keep it up!
Just started following but Brutality - SoA was truly brilliant.
ReplyDeleteAngkor Vat's A Pulse Beyond Nothing is probably my favorite. Such a strange, sad, and beautiful album. There is so much incredible black metal that I discovered through your blog; Evil, Raate, Ghremdrakk, Infernum, Epheles, Bilskirnir, that crazy Saarland shit, Sombre Chemin, Nos Vrolok, the list goes on...
ReplyDeleteand that Lord Asmodeus tape, holy shit... you make life so much more fun by making shit like this available to us
so thank you
Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteGrausamkeit and Birkabein - it reminded me how I felt the first time I've heard black metal.
Aesop-
ReplyDeleteThank you for opening my ears to so much great music!!!
-A.J. Anonymous Jew
rock jack slays fools and my wife likes it too. when the wife isnt around, antropomorphia.
ReplyDeletefuckmorgue
ReplyDeleteMan, absolutely one of the best blogs around. I look to you for punk/metal stuff, but I'd have to say my tops so far, off the top of my head would be:
ReplyDelete1) "Latinamericarpet" Sublime Frequencies comp
2) Poison Idea was a name I knew, but had never known "Feel The Darkness"
3) ZZ Top's early days
4) Jerry's Kids
Of course the reads are always hilarious, profound or both, regardless of the material being written about.
Great stuff, Aesop.
Keefe
Awesome blog. zipper and ram jam are two that spring to mind. Plus never ending thanks for the quality zz top rips.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. its a hard one... I would have to say all of the rare as fuck black metal tapes.
ReplyDeleteKEEP SHIT UP
Checking comic hearse is like drinking coffee i have to do it every day...
Der Golem-zmet
ReplyDeleteThis album is now one of my all time favorites, the emotion on it is so direct and powerful. If you have any more post-punk/dark ambient stuff like this, please, please post it!
Hey, thanks so much for all the effort and awesome recordings. The greatest thing I've discovered through your blog has to be Darkthrone's "Goatlord", now my favourite album from them.
ReplyDeleteI'll also add that I've been through all of your reviews on RYM and if you write a book I will buy it. Regardless of what it's about.
ReplyDeletei appreciate all the weirdo BM stuff i'v efound through your blog, but i really liked the Woodsmoke posts, especially Munn
ReplyDeletePhafner's Overdrive blew my fucking mind. It is everything that was right with the 70's.
ReplyDeleteCaliginous Romantic Myth is mindblowing. I don't care that it's sloppy, it works so well.
ReplyDeleteThat and Goatlord.
I love your posts, you ignite my passion for music and come off as an awesome guy. Keep the hearse rolling, please.
yes as so many before many happy returns ! best music blog evah(simple fact). cup of coffee and checking the hearse is the way to start the day for me . the write ups are marvelous . one day you get an obscure black metal tape then african underground rock and then on to so more weird stuff i wouldnt have heard about without your daily posts. to name a few : nightsun(excellent kraut rock) and a lot of punk and hc i wouldnt have usually cared for like poison idea. and that write up for the rainbow album was great . here´s to the next year!
ReplyDeleteAll the French black metal.
ReplyDeletePretty much impossible to pick a single band for me, though Christian death stick out in my mind at this moment as well as the Woodsmoke, Manilla road, Ahulabrum, Command and Blazebirth Hall posts. But that is the tip of a very large weird, primitive, Third Reich fetishism shaped iceberg of bands i have found on the Hearse.
ReplyDeleteALL HAIL AESOP!!!!
Only blog I care to check on anything like a regular basis. I can't pick just one favorite post... there's the Beowulf album, which I've listened to more times than anything else I've downloaded from here... Der Golem was a departure from my usual tastes yet very much enjoyed... a lot of '80s Japanese and Scandinavian hardcore that I've always been curious about but not had the chance to hear... and you've rekindled my love for black metal, the rawer the better. I particularly appreciated the Korean BM posts being as I'm a resident of that country, it was nice to see that my current adopted homeland has produced real black metal and not just lame goth shit and Pantera clones wearing makeup. Many, many thanks for the music, kind sir!
ReplyDeleteShit, I just found out from reading the comments that you posted some Hans Reichl. You the man!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, no other blog out there has the combination of religious, almost daily output, an eclectic mix of styles, all rolled up with engaging and personal descriptions. Shannon and I check this junk daily. Thanks for exposing us to all sorts of shit we were too lazy to seek out, from LLN to This Empty Flow to Wicked Lady to the Cambodian Mix Tape. Long live the Hearse!!!
the later JFA album, pure awesomeness. Thanks for the amazing music everyday!
ReplyDeleteThe Wicked Lady: Axeman Cometh... how had I missed this brilliant slab of psychedelic death boogie? Travelling around the universe indeed.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are when you go into "punk rock storytime" mode and whip out some obscure FLHC stuff.
ReplyDeleteThat always makes me feel good, and the music always rips.
Congrats, on the two year mark, brother.
You are a prolific mofo to get 152 comments on one post - damn!
Let's go see DRI in January, wanna?
Nigel Pepper Cock....
ReplyDeleteOr Hanatarashi....
So many albums to choose from! You fucking rule.
What I love about your blog is that it treats a wide range of music, which made me come across non-metal things I normally wouldn't, such as Wipers, Death in June etc. (I must admit though, I never got too much into the BM stuff.) It also re-ignited some flames of mine and made me feel guilty for not getting more into them earlier, such as Manilla Road and Pagan Altar. Oh, and some soundtracks I always meant to look up, such as the one from the incredible Wicker Man! Yeah, marry me Aesop, haha. Love from the Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteSomeone said this early on in the comments, but I agree that Sargeist has been the thing I found out about from you that has gotten the most listens. Thanks for everything, though...
ReplyDeleteim new in here but happy anniversay mate looks to be some real goodies
ReplyDeletethanks philpotty
Loved Skorpio! That was the soundtrack to last summer for me.
ReplyDeletethanks so much for all the great music. i discovered your blog about 6 months ago when searching for that weird, f'ed up lo-fi black metal which is legion on this site. it is truly one of the first things i check when i wake up in the morning, and i have made many many great discoveries.
ReplyDeletetoo hard to pick a fave, but i will tell you a record that hit me in a profound way, and that is beherit's "H418ov21.C". soooo much better than what i expected from reading about this "controversial" record. a great piece, and reminds me a little of some of coil's work (which is no bad thing in my book). and as i've come to black metal through a lifelong interest in experimental music (ala tg, nurse with wound etc) a fine reminder that great music truly has no boundaries. thanks again.
Congrats on 2 great years Aesop...
ReplyDeleteOf all of the great music...Ashbury sticks out the most!
Sleepwalker s/t and everything you've posted from Load.
ReplyDeleteOne of the few music blogs I still read every day!
cheers aesop! looking forward to reading your blog for many more years. thank you!
ReplyDeletedespite that i come here to read mostly about metal and hardcore, my favorite find from the site is still Dara Puspita "Flower Girls". fucking gem!
Happy birthday Cosmic Hearse! Although I haven't be disappointed by anything I've discovered here, I think my own personal fave - because it was so unexpected - is Skorpio.
ReplyDeletefinist- the awakening is by far the funniest album i found on the hearse
ReplyDeleteFar Out (the Japanese band), Khmer Folk and Pop comp, and that Hard Stuff album: all gems. And also, in all honesty, 'Hollow Psalms' rocks my world. Good day to you, sir.
ReplyDeletedefinitely the woodsmoke releases! you're the shit mang! keep'em coming
ReplyDelete(not a discovery, but was happy to see the abcdiablo)
Doc Corbin Dart's Patricia & everything you've posted by Load.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that had totally flown under my radar before it appeared here, & blew me away when I heard it? That Kreamy 'Lectric Santa album. Hopefully one day it'll get reissued or I'll track down a 'real' copy of it.
ReplyDeleteAll the stuff in the 70s category gets me stoked. Them shits is D-O-P-E.
ReplyDeleteTnx a lot for those pretty nice underground bands that you put on your blog !!
ReplyDeleteHope you will not stop your beautiful work !
My Solid Ground!
ReplyDeleteAwesome Awesome Blog.
ReplyDeleteCirith Ungol Frost and Fire blew my doors off but
Twilight of the Idols by Slough Feg is my personal favorite.
That fucking Pagan Alter Volume 1 is totally epic bro!
You are the BEST. Happy 2 years.
My Solid Ground still blows me away (especially "Thats You" . . . what a solo). Bone Awl also rips. Cosmic Hearse is my go-to website, so it's hard to narrow it down. The Nils and The Witch also get frequent play.
ReplyDeleteDestroy 2 - We Are Voice & Rhythm Only
ReplyDeleteand all the other stuff Eye made.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood to see the ridiculous number of lurkers to step up for this post. Much deserved congrats on the 24 moons, Aesop!
ReplyDeleteThe most amazing record I got off your blog is Chrissy Zebby Tembo's My ancestors. I've been losing might be the greatest song of all time. Ata Kak and the Stella Polaris demo also rank high.
Happy barfday blog.
ReplyDeleteThat's gotta be The Wicked Lady.
ReplyDeleteFucking incredible record...
/Carl W
Thank you for great blog and great postings! Especially for bands from Woodsmoke label.
ReplyDeleteTheres been some great albums on here but the most fucked up thing I downloaded has to have been that Don Rickles set, the casual racism dropping from the mans lips had me gobsmacked, they truly were different times
ReplyDeleteCongrats Aesop, I have to thank you not just for individual albums but introducing me to entire genre's. For example I would have never bothered to listen to Death Metal if not for your enthused and evocative descriptions, the sound of Dismember just blew my mind.
ReplyDeleteAlbum I coundn't do without but hadn't heard before: 'Feel the Darkness'. I passed on a vinyl copy a month or so before your post, thinking it was gonna sound like 'Kings of Punk'. I didn't know they later quantum leapt in to what to my ears sounds like classic rock played by really fucking angry drunks-on speed.
Thanks mate! Here's to two more!
1) Der Golem album
ReplyDelete2) The Execute ep
3) Ahulabrum demos
4) Alle Totmachen demo
5) Weird korean BM
6) Adolescents LP (im very young, so in fact, its shame that i dont discover it before... fuck - so thanks!)
7) Sleepwalker
8) And your post of Abruptum "Evil Genius" changed my opinion about this band completely.
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks.
congrats on two badass years of mind-expanding blogging! the hearse is totally part of my daily routine; check email, check craigslist for free shit, download your posting for the day.
ReplyDeletethanks so much! keep up the nice work!
Long Live The Hearse!
ReplyDeleteFavorite Post: DEADSEA "S/T"
..."Cut the throats,spill the blood!"
Thanks for everything dude. The only site I check on a daily basis.
Congrats!
ReplyDeleteMy favorites thus far:
Yogurt (All of it)- I don't see how else I would have ever heard this.
Reagan Youth: Youth Anthems for the New World Order - Heard the name for years and never gave it a shot and now is one of my favorite hardcore albums.
Thank you and keep it up.
Definitely that Hell Demo.
ReplyDeleteMorbid Angel-Love of Lava,Hickey,and most recently War-Total War!!!!!!!!!!!Mike http://convulsingdischargeofinanity.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletesince discovering the Hearse last month, I've downloaded more than I've had time to listen to. But my favorite so far is all the Woodsmoke stuff.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Off the top of my head.. Agony Bag.
ReplyDeleteMoëvöt
ReplyDeleteLove it and didn't know anything about it until I found it here,
Happy anniversary and thank you
My buddy turned me on to your page and I just can't stop the steamroller.
ReplyDeleteWake Up On Fire and Abysmal Grief have changed me. I mean they have physically mutated me. Thank you.
190 posts! Bloody hell! As great as it was to find LLN, South Korean BM & Zambian rock on here, the greatest album you've uploaded has to be Dawn's 'Slaughtersun'. Here's to another 24 months at least.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite discovery from here has been Cromagnon, the hippie band. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteZZ TOP rips. that shit saved me painful hours of trying hopelessly to connect my turntable to my computer. "and I thank you."
ReplyDeletehappy birthday, The Hearse is one of the main reasons that there is a Terminal Escape.
congrats man! i just came across this site recently, super down. as far as stuff i was introduced to thru your site its gotta be bodkin or phafner. i love all them psyche africans too, and i'm really hyped you posted wicked lady and sudden death.
ReplyDeletehands down the best blog in the world...fuck the world..i mean the universe...best discovery maria kannon
ReplyDeleteNew rider to the Hearse. Biggest suprise for me has to be the ELF album. A side of Dio I never knew existed.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, keep it up.
And many thank yous.
It Is I
ReplyDelete...if I have to choose one.
Love this site. Keep up the good work Aesop!
Just ONE?!?!? I'm going to have to go with Witch's "Lazy Bones!!". It was so unexpected and wonderful and real and I listen to it at least once a week. Soooo much great stuff though (The Scam?!?!?!? Jeez!!!!). Thanks for all your hard work...I know when I see a longer than usual paragraph below the cover or graphic of the day I feel like my day's going to be a little better. Cheers
ReplyDeleteles legion noire, wicked witch, process of weeding out.
ReplyDeleteya'lls rad. i think you know this.
I came for the ZZ Top vinyl rips (still on the hunt for original copies of 1st album and Rio Grande Mud), but the Cargo and Pagan Altar got me hooked. Happy Anniversary and thanks for the tunes.
ReplyDelete