The Tears that Wet Gethsemane

Hey everyone, I am taking a few days off for no other reason that I am way behind in some other projects. Also I want to address the recent influx of requests to re-up dead links since the great file sharing holocaust. I am still on the fence about what to do about it. I certainly can't re up everything. I was thinking of having every Saturday's post be a re-up of something lost, starting with some of the first posts. I understand it is a drag to read a paragraph that entices you so, only to find the link dead. I also want to thank all the people who subscribe, comment and contribute. Oh, and seriously, I appreciate and try to take the time to listen to all the stuff people send me, but it gets overwhelming at times and I sometimes miss stuff. I don't want to discourage people from sending things my way but I also want it clear that sending me something does not guarantee it will be posted. Also, if you DO send something you are implying that you do want it posted, if you do not, please say so. All contributions sent by publicists or with a generic form email will be rejected and ridiculed. Thank you.

Creeps

Supuration were without a doubt France's best contribution to the ever flowing stream of global Death Metal in the early 1990's. The Creeping Unknown was the band's second EP and it is a fucking masterpiece. Sadly only two songs, but this young band crams enough strangeness and pummel into these tracks you might find yourself listening to this one several times in a row.

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Vomit Virgins

1988 for this punk record from Japan. They got a lady singing, the band's name means "Vomiting Virgins." Beyond that I know nothing other than this kicks ass.

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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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R.I.P. Jeff Davis

R.I.P Jeff Davis aka Jef Leppard. Dude was an awesome recording engineer, guitar player and all around great guy. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.

Mystery Girl

Storyteller, a rather low rent NWOBHM concern managed to eke out one awkward one single called Mystery Girl.  The A-side is a catchy but utterly inane song about a mysterious female that you see at a party and a nightclub, she dances, you see her, she disappears. Nobody knows her, she's a fucking mystery. For a band called Storyteller, they completely fail to spin any kind of tangible yarn with this song. The B-Side is a neon-beer sign scorcher called "Easy Living." Storyteller dropped this little bit of generica in 1985, a bit late in the game for the NWOBHM scene. No real mystery why Storyteller didn't rocket to superstardom.

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Silver

Vaguely Christian shoegaze from Riverside sounds about as unappealing as they come, but Starflyer 59's debut album Silver is a treasure trove of maudlin 90's quiet/loud.

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Kampfar

A great release from the time where most Norwegian Black Metal albums looked more like postcards than epic monuments to blasphemous evil. Released in 1997, Mellom Skogkledde Aaser was this young Norwegian band's second (and best) release. Despite the rather arctic looking clime portrayed on the cover, the title translates to "Between Wooded Hills." I imagine the band could have easily called this album "Valley." Kampfar's sound is more viking than Satan, reminding one of a less frenetic Enslaved. This isn't that childish flute fail of these new-fangled boring Napalm Records bands, this is well-executed 2nd wave Norwegian Black Metal.

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Doomsday

Doomsday for the Deceiver was Flotsam and Jetsam's debut and the only album to feature some guy named Jason who soon after became a millionaire with a terrible haircut. Flotsam and Jetsam were one of those bands that sat on the fence between Heavy Metal and the new Thrash, sometimes being referred to as "Speed Metal." Doomsday for the Deceiver is a plucky energetic album full of razor-sharp riffing and top notch performances from all involved, particularly the Jason kid. It is easy to understand why that rich band would want to snatch this kid up and totally mix him out of their albums. My only beef with Doomsday... is the songs seldom shift outside of the formula, plaguing a great album with a bit of sameness and lack of dynamics. But fuck if this band wasn't already at the top of their game on their first album, these dudes did their homework. This is a great for careening down a highway or ripping a drained pool on your stick. The pace is relentless. Protect your neck, son.

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War Cry

Shataan are a part of the extremely interesting Black Twilight Circle, but they may be the least Black Metal of the lot, the sound here is more akin to Hearse favorites Mighty Sphincter (R.I.P. Joe.) Shataan take the BTC's fascination with indigenous culture a bit further starting this oddball artifact with a flute laden instrumental called "Trail of Tears." This tape is a truly strange and engaging piece of work that didn't leave my deck for weeks. 

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Black Earth, White Ring

Easily the most compelling and well-constructed release from this new fangled Witch House scene. If you are familiar with this strange world, then you may know this, or at least know what to expect. All others are in for a veritable feast of archaic drum machines, layered outmoded synths, creepy vocals and a generally unfeeling coldness that coils itself like a snake around infectious melodies.

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Two Witches

Easily the best Finnish Death Rock album you never heard. Bleak, yet full of pomp, melodic yet infused with an ennui that can only come from Finland. Strange that the band would title their debut Agony of the Undead Vampire part II, but that is hardly the oddest thing at work here. This dropped in 1991, which strikes me as a bit late for this type of thing, but goddamn if this doesn't scratch that maudlin Goth girl itch inside of me. Every song here is a delectable morsel of Scandinavian sullenness, with the peak being the lugubrious lurch of the track "Winter." If this doesn't resonate with you, you are most likely undead yourself.

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Swankers

Swankers P.M.S. were a young bunch of Swedish punkers that managed to eke out one excellent EP called Anti-Oi before calling it quits. For taking such a fervent stance against Oi, Swankers P.M.S. played a somewhat '77 style Oi punk (notice the '77 on the cover.) Not the blistering hardcore assault of Avskum, Anti-Cimex, or Antisocial, but still a great piece of Svenne rebellion from the way back.

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Born Innocent

Born Innocent is the result of rich Hawthorne kids discovering the seedy punk rock of Hollywood and distilling it through their own love of pop culture and teenage snark. Redd Kross was started by the McDonald brothers as The Tourists and then Red Cross but changed the spelling to Redd Kross when the benevolent association of the same name took umbrage and threatened to unbenevolently sue the shit out of these kids. Originally the band featured Greg Hetson and Ron Reyes, but they left soon after to join the Circle Jerks and Black Flag respectively. Born Innocent brims with attitude, great songs, and enough references to the band's troubled anti-heroes to fill out a who's who of 70's and 80's icons, and hints at the full-on 70's retro concern the band would become with each subsequent release. I have pretty much loved everything Redd Kross since I myself was a snarky, pop culture-obssessed teenage punker, but Born Innocent remains my favorite.

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Cog Dis

On a tour stop in St. Paul, Minnesota, I had the extreme noise pleasure of seeing and meeting Cognitive Dissonance, an excellent crusty grindy band from Minneapolis. They played with such ferocity and conviction that I was pretty sure that while I stood there agape, sipping my watered-down whisky cola, the system collapsed and oppression was abolished. Such wasn't the case, however, and when they finished I promptly used my remaining survivor vouchers to purchase this fantastic tape titled Omens of Doom. Now I know the twin cities is known for this kind of filthy, anarchy-politico monkeyshines, but I think Cognitive Dissonance are miles ahead of the pack. Check it.

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