To Cavirs

Who keeps the flame of true Hellenic Black Metal alive? Kawir, that's who. Here is an early EP from one of my favorite Greek Black Metal bands. Kawir uses a very traditional approach. The old Olympian gods (Varathron, Rotting Christ, and Necromantia) are invoked in their mid-tempo trudge, liberal use of archaic keyboards, and lyrics singing the praises of Zeus. All that and and an excellent flying space Parthenon make for a truly epic release.

λατρεία

Venus Gang

Venus Gang was another creation of French superstar genius producer/composer Jean-Pierre Massiera, who was affiliated with Cosmic Hearse favorites, Rockets. For three decades Massiera masterminded a number of brilliant conceptual musical entities with a fondness for schlock sci fi and funky beats. Venus Gang was Massiera's attempt throw his beret into the ring of disco. Galactic Soul was Venus Gang's only album, but a number of minor hit singles ensued. Play this at your next future-of-the-seventies coke party and watch silver space panties hit the dance floor.

Here

Majesty

There have been dozens of metal bands calling themselves Majesty, so finding any real info on this obscure band pretty futile. However, that doesn't detract from how epic this 1995 demo (titled The Natural Architect) is. I know that this Majesty was from Finland, and they bring some serious downer doom ala Vitus or Forest of Equilibrium era Cathedral with a very obvious drum machine. The sentiment is right on the money though, this is a fantastic listen. Did they release anything else? Anyone?

Here

Crom

This was requested by one of my favorite people in the world, Anthony aka "Chubby," Hickey's original bassist and all around wonderful dude. Crom are oft associated with the Southern California Power Violence scene but this album is so much more than the herky jerky blasting barky PCP-core you might expect. The Cocaine Years is an amazing pastiche of various badass cultural nostalgia, heavy metal zeitgeist, and snarky in jokes. It is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the grandiosity and pomp of metal, the sort some might find patronizing, but I think it comes from a genuine place of reverence. This record astounded me when I first heard it in 2001 and it is still a fun and funny listen. See if you can figure out all the references this record makes. Thanks, Chubby, for reminding me about this.

Crom is your God.

Congo Vision '76

Here's a great record that was released not by a label, but rather the General Administration of Congolese Cultural Affairs with the intent of promoting national arts. The nation's best and brightest young talents were enlisted to write, arrange, perform and record these fantastic songs singing the praise of the Congo and it's people. Nationalist propaganda never sounded so good or funky. It's like they were running a Quinn Martin country. I don't think a volume two was ever made.

Vision

Black Twilight

Black Twilight is the union of the best and most dedicated Black Metal bands in Southern California. The Worship Black Twilight compilation acts as the group's official sonic mission statement. The bands include Ashdautas, Volahn, Arizmenda, Kallathon and Axeman. It would be hard to name a favorite here (perhaps Kallathon,) this is truly excellent from beginning to end and has me dying to hear more from The Black Twilight hordes.

Worship!

Yeah Right

These tough New Wave of Brit lasses weren't content to push prams or be mere spadgers in some cold, grey slough. These birds were leather-clad femme fatales on a collision course with the Lad-dominated world of 'eavy, and Hit and Run was the pinnacle of their recorded output. Evokes images of fast cars, hot city nights, and leather-pantsed yeast infections. Critical shit.

Get It!

P-Niss

I think their name is Swedish for "The Penises" and they came from a boring town called Falun which is best known for being the hometown of Sweden's most beloved bogeyman, Tommy Quick. Great glue-huffing styled punk rock, no hardcore here. You honestly think you are too good for this kind of shit? Well you aren't.

Here

Hoataamcradiu

Hoataamcradiu was the first demo by the band I have called the Korean Abruptum. Gormantatinus became a reader favorite back when I posted the follow up to Hoataamcradiu, the fiendish and bizarre Sersavina Declan Anden Plaust. Essential.

Here

Terminator X

Time has shown that the coolest member of Public Enemy was by far Terminator X. He never scapegoated jews, debased himself with a disgusting reality show, and he never sued Notorious B.I.G. This isn't so much a proper solo album as it X attempting use his recognition and skills to launch the careers of some young rap hopefuls in 1991. Perhaps not the most successful venture. I mean Andreas 13, Celo, Dubmaster, and Chief Groovy Loo aren't exactly household names, but this is still the best PE offshoot record out there, mainly because Terminator X was so unique in his approach. This might have been better as an instrumental record. Still, it can rock bells.

Bring The Noise

Tools

One of many bits of Carcass ephemera to be released in the interim between Necroticsm and Heartwork, The Tools of the Trade EP. You get the title track which sounds like it could have been on Necroticism, a version of "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" mislabeled as "Incarnate Solvent Abuse," and updated versions of older songs, "Pysosisified" and "Hepatic Tissue Fermentation." Very fucking cool.

Tooling

Wasted

One of the best NYHC EPs of all time (next to Antidote's Thou Shalt Not Kill) but maybe you didn't pay any attention to it because of their generic name or something. Now is your chance to right that wrong.

Here

Handful

Grab yourself a handful of this sleazy biker rock boogie goodness from a band called Betty. Handful was the Los Angeles band's only release and it came out in 1971. Saddle up your sled, put your favorite ol' lady on the cooch pad, and live free, motherfucker, live free.

Hell Yeah!

A Tribute To Euronymous

By now you all know the tragic story of Euronymous, the fallen godfather of Norwegian Black Metal, and eventually a big Hollywood movie will have throngs of muggles in the know as well. But before that happens, allow me to present this excellent primer in early Scandi-Dark, The Necropolis Records Tribute To Euronymous compilation. The idea was to gather the forerunners of the budding Norwegian and Swedish Black Metal scenes in order to showcase this exciting new happening in the north of Europe, however before the comp was finished Varg Vikernes struck that fateful blow (23 times) that forever changed the course of Black Metal and the focus of this record. The end result is a tribute to Euronymous that doesn't include Burzum or Darkthrone. This was my first experience with Thorns, Abruptum, and Mysticum, it came at a time when there were few chances to hear real Black Metal records in America, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find this used at Record Finder in San Francisco. I'm sure some of you have these songs on the band's releases or various bootlegs but this is one of those seminal, genre-defining comps, like Jellybeans was to Punk, and that makes it an interesting document. R.I.P. Euronymous.

Scandinavian Hunger

Rehab

You know how when you see those VH1 specials about some coke metal band from the 80s and there is always some doughy has-been who blames the decline of his shitty band on some flannel-clad slacker from Seattle? I always find that amusing. Anyways, Green River, being one of the earliest grunge bands, still had some of the last vestiges of gritty Sunset Strip glam dickbaggery, but also had a sort of sinister "end of the party" thing going as well. Perhaps Green River were proto-grunge? Anyways, kind of sad to think of these guys very known drug problems, but even sadder that at least one of them ended up in that paragon of collegiate '90s blandness known as Pearl Jam. I guess grunge is due to come back ironically, then the kids in the retro-thrash bands can whine about how nobody cares about real music anymore. Now that would be ironic. Here's Green River's 1988 album, Rehab Doll. Just so you know, the band's version of "Queen Bitch" was left off of this CD reissue due to legal hassles from a certain thin white duke.

Drugs

New York Metal 84

Hey, wossamatta you? You don't want to hear some fuckin' metal from New York in the '80s? And what is more New York or Metal than a dominatrix and a handcuffed dude in a diaper? Here we have another regional compilation of young metal hopefuls. The comp starts off with the track "Whore" by Warhead from Rochester. Warhead sound like a poor man's W.A.S.P. ( I know what you are thinking: W.A.S.P. is a poor man's W.A.S.P.) Cities is up next doing "Still Of The Night." Cities is known to some for having AJ Pero of Twisted Sister on drums, but this doesn't make me like them any less. Takashi are the coke-metal contribution to this comp, sounding like an anemic Poison on their track, "Live To Rock." Perhaps the best known band on the comp (along with Overkill) Virgin Steele get two tracks, the awesomely titled but useless solo wankery of "Guitar War 84," and their epic theme song "Virgin Steele." So this band Teazer has a shitty name but the crappy guitar tone and overall production of their track "Day Zero" a surprise charmer. Blacklace is the token female-fronted bar-metal/hard rock band that seem to appear on almost every regional Metal comp. A very young and plucky Overkill contribute "Feel The Fire." Another female-fronted band, Deathslayer step up with "Journey For Light" which reminds me of some of the cool early Swedish metal bands that have been featured here on the Hearse. The whole NY Metal party comes to end with the best track, "We Rule The Night" by Frigid Bich (their spelling, not mine.) This trashy anthem has so much attitude and balls it almost makes you forget those pussies in Takashi almost ruined the party. Pretty cool.

Yo!

No Rules

The Dead Ups are an all-girl punk band from Japan. At the risk of coming off patronizing, I must say this is one of the cutest punk records ever made. Get it and see for yourself, buddy.

余りにかわいい

R.I.P. Jay Reatard

Jay Reatard (Jimmy Lee Lindsey) was found dead this morning in his Memphis apartment. Sad. I had the chance to meet him once and he was kind and funny. To Valhalla, Jay.

...So I Must Take From The Earth

...And Make It My Own

Kana

J Pop "sensation", Kana, looks like she's made of fucking candy and is perhaps the absolute worst singer ever. Maybe you want this, then again maybe you also want a candy cane jammed in your dickhole.

私が憎むので