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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R.I.P. Joe Albanese

Maybe you heard about the shooting in Seattle yesterday. Apparently Joe Albanese, the original bassist of one of The Hearse's favorite bands, Mighty Sphincter, was among one who was killed. I know this might be a great place to decry senseless violence and state how important it is to look after our fellow man in these troubled times but I just don't have it in me. Fuck this place. Bye Joe.

Wallachia

All apologies for taking so long to return to bloggery. Europe was grand, MDF was brutal, but we have important business to take care of. If you have followed the Hearse since it's inception, or sycophantically poured over past entries in my absence, you may be aware of my theory regarding albums with castles on the cover. Wallachia's debut EP cements this notion with it's hooky mid-tempo Black Metal with some engaging oddball vocals. Despite the band's name and castle, Wallachia hail from Norway, and the bullshit town of Steinkjer. I have a lot of catching up to do, writing, uploading... So I will say no more. Good to be back.

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R.I.P. Adam Yauch

Founding member of the Beastie Boys dead at age 48. R.I.P.

Takin' Off, Ladies

I am headed up to Portland, and then to Europe for a tour where I get to see some favorites like Ulver, Killing Joke, Voivod, etc., so the blog won't be updated until mid April. In the meantime, go back and pick up anything you may have missed that hasn't been taken away by the feds. If we should meet out there somewhere, feel free to give me stuff, just don't be weird about it. I love you all, see you soon.

Something Else

Really one need only consider the inclusion of Miles Davis and Art Blakey to pique an interest in this one, but it is noteworthy to mention that Something Else is widely considered one of the most important Jazz albums of all time. Julian "Cannonball" Adderley was a giant man with a giant tone and an a keen intuition as a player. Like Basra, I can confidently recommend this one to those folks who aren't Jazz aficionados, but maybe are looking for a few landmark releases to keep around should the occasion arise.

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Trippin'

Rock Clef were a hopeful young band of Southern California suburban stoners who chipped in and pressed their own little scorcher of a single in 1983. The A-side is a somewhat generic AOR rocker, but the payoff is the B-side "Trippin'" a somewhat NWOBHM slunkster about getting fucked up. Strange thing about this one is that both songs seem to fade out at awkward places, giving the impression that Rock Clef only wanted to give you a sampling of their rocking prowess. Maybe the only reason to make this was to catch the attention of some shrewd record industry assholes, but needless to say, that didn't pan out.

Trip Out

Life Fucker

These folks may be done by now but Cervix is/was a fantastic young New York band that relives the glory days of Japanese Hardcore with a youthful vigor. Feedback, breakneck speeds, effected vocals, buzzy guitars...you know the drill.

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Seventh Temple

Encoffination are one of the few new bands that genuinely excite me. The logo may lead you to believe that Encoffination are yet another Incantation worship band, and sure, on their first EP the influence was more than obvious, but by their second release, Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh, the band started to expand on the formula and create something of their own. The two members of Encoffination also operate in the Death Metal ressurectionist outfits Father Befouled and Decrepitaph, both of which are excellent, but Encoffination still remains my favorite. Most of the band's catalog is still in print and should be bought immediately, however I haven't seen many copies of this astounding EP titled Seventh Temple of Laodicean Scripture floating around. It is as great an introduction to this special band as any other release. Worship and support Encoffination, they fucking deserve it.

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In The Nightside Eclipse

What can I possibly say about this one that hasn't already been stated before? It is one of the single most important releases in the expansive world of Black Metal. It certainly had a profound impact on me. If by some glitch in the universe or some vast cosmic injustice you haven't experienced this monument, then I urge you to drop what you are doing, and spend the next fifty minutes flying through the snow flurries and untamed wilderness of Norway with some beautifully strange Scandinavian teenagers in the midst of the most creative point in their lives, their own celebrated summer of diabolical holocaust. Absolutely mandatory.

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