DARKEST HOUR - Hidden Hands of A Sadist Nation CD (Victory) This disc starts it all like a kick in the teeth and ends just as menacing. It's a sweet, yet punishing kick, given from a loved one I'm sure. Caresses that bruise or love bites that bleed. Yes... I have issues. Now, I am familiar with the Darkest Hour sound and I'm still thoroughly blown away. "Sadist Nation" & "Pay Phones and Pills" start it all off with Swedish speed picking, hardcore anthems, blasts, doom sludge and sing-a-long choruses. "Oklahoma" has the most intense build up, and then it's off to a vicious breakdown followed by chaoticore madness. Another great build up on "The Misinformation Age", which is an extremely heavy track, but also one of the most melodious on this LP. It's all coming off as if So Sedated, So Secure now has twice as much of everything; speed, intensity, rhythm and melody. "Accessible Losses" would be my standout track for this release, but the Iron Maiden-esque guitar solos and Swede harmonics of the instrumental "Veritas Aequitas" is an amazing twelve minute ride. Guests are plenty on this record as Tomas Lindberg (of At the Gates) and Anders Bjorler (of The Haunted) are but two well known metal gods making an appearance - not to mention all produced by Fredrick Nordstrom (At the Gates, In Flames, Cradle of Filth). I have a new "favorite album" every month, but this one should last me a few at least.

DARSOMBRA - Ecdysis CD (At A Loss) Darsombra is simply (or more fittingly: 'complexly') Brian Daniloski of Baltimore's thunderous Meatjack. Leaving Meatjack's sonic persona behind, Darsombra create not a metal, but an ether. Though at times harsh and bleak, the music is ambient over hardcore - well crafted noise, over well crafted metal. Crushing hums or lullful drones of the guitar provide the backbone, as Brian fiddles with ethereal soundscapes, feedback or field recordings. "The Place Where There Is No Darkness" has a Coil How to Destroy Angels feel, while "Dies Irae" was almost dub illbient (ala Paul D. Miller). "My House" is the closest thing to a metal track on this CD. Its rhythm and beat, along with the only vocals throughout, were all doom, but the sitar helped fit the flow of this release. Not what I expected, but held me well by the ears. The artwork and photo design were done by the wonderfully dark Stephen Kasner to boot. Dark on the ears and eyes makes darkness for the soul. Well, at least Hell has a decent soundtrack and art collection.

DARTZ! - This is My Ship CD (Deep Elm) This trio from Teesside, England bring us forty-five minutes of dance-y, yet emotional punk. Twelve tracks of a postpunk vibe (Gang of Four, APB, The Homosexuals), mixing emocore quikiness (Brandtson, Benton Falls) and a math rock explosion (Don Caballero, Clikitat Ikatowi). Some songs are straight forward and tightly structured, while others are a mix of jangly pop, melodic groove and danceable hooks. My mind floats with comparisons to label mates Free Diamonds, Dischord Record's Q And Not U, and most notably Bloc Party. This album was originally released by the UK's Xtra Mile Recordings, but Deep Elm Records asked kindly and had it added to their limited-basis discs (only 1000 copies, only available online and not in stores). Get that internet fired up, the credit card ready, and wait patiently by your mailbox.

DAUGHTERS - Canada Songs CD EP (Robotic Empire) I call this an EP because while it's 10 songs - and seriously smokes - it is only eleven minutes long. Eh, grindcore... what can you do? Let me begin by complaining (again!) that I don't give a fuck about your marketing ploys! In the late 80s they stopped putting CDs in cardboard wrapping in an 'attempt' to help save the environment. Now just for show labels wrap every new CD in a cardboard sleeve. Not to mention endless pages of insert layouts simply for art's sake. It's not like you are placing essay-sized diatribes about the state of the world (and actual solutions to problems) or anything like that. 10 frames - a little over 400 words - all of them are lyrics and credits. Daughters (ex-As the Sun Sets) are a fucking impressive act. I never heard their one-sided 7", so I can't compare, but it sounds like screamo-grindcore with a bit of experimentalism kicking in. The last track, "The Ghost With the Most", being their most adventurous effort. The band rips, shreds and pleases. The label hurts my feelings. Charlie and ATWA may want to have a talk with you. Just kidding. The humorless may take that as some threat. Creepy crawl, bitch.

DAVID BOWIE - Under Review 1976 - 79: The Berlin Years DVD (Music Video Distributors) I'm not the biggest Bowie fan, but I do like his music. Especially the Berlin years, which consists of the LPs Low, Heroes and (my favorite) Lodger. Presented in a VH1-style documentary on his work, with interviews from journalists, broadcasters and music makers who worked with or followed Bowie. No current interview with the man himself , though one from that period is used, which works, as it documents the time, while also using never-before-seen concert footage from that era. While letting me in on a ton of info I didn't know (such as Bowie was supposed to work with members of Can and Neu!, but his label monkey-wrenched it), they skipped some info too (luckily most of it trivial - such as Joy Division's first incarnation Warsaw, took their name from Low's track "Warsawa"). The DVD extras include a brief feature Bowie After Berlin, which covers his pop career, extended interviews, and an interactive Bowie quiz. This series is turning out to be much better than I thought it would, so I'm looking forward to see who they 'review' next.

DAYMARES - Can't Get Us All CD (Selfmadegod) With the name and the cover art I expected this to be a bit of dark metal or even doom, but I was pleasantly surprised to be completely wrong. Daymares is a hardcore band with a fundamental punk rock fury, and a little ballsy rock-n-roll thrown in. They hold a fast pace, and still keep a mighty groove, while even doing a few guitar solos and hooky riffs throughout. Daymares began just recently in Warsaw, Poland, and upon only the release of a demo were picked up for their debut LP on Polish label Selfmadegod Records. The vocals are almost always doing a gang chant, so you always feel like singing along. I can picture the kids going nuts in a pile of bodies trying to get to the microphone so they can sing with the leads. The music is almost as if they took the dark metallic elements of Tragedy, mixed it with the NYC hardcore power of Cro-Mags, and then fused that with a fast-yet-fun punk rock vibe straight from The Dwarves. "Almost There" gave me goosebumps, as the solo flared. "Falling Down" brought to mind Kingdom of Lost Souls-era Damnation AD. "I Shit You Not" was one big rock routine, with a beatdown breakdown made for the mosh pit. "Cult Leader" was just as good for its lyrical content as it was for its hardcore-punk dynamic. The entire album is over in a little over half an hour, so you - like me - are probably going to hit play over and over again.

DEADBIRD - The Head and the Heart (Codebreaker / Earache) This Arkansas band has their metal down pat - the doom kind, the black kind, the NWOBHM kind, and so on. They mix all those subgenera (and a bunch of alcohol) together to get this southern-fried metal masterpiece. This LP was originally recorded by the band themselves in the fall of 2003, instead of just releasing a demo. After a year of self-releasing the disc on their own, a new label Codebreaker Records (from the ashes of Rage of Achilles Records), plus Earache Records asks to repress The Head and the Heart. This should be on a buyer's list for any fan of The Glasspack, Mastodon, Rwake or even Neurosis. Hard, heavy and hook ladend - time to bang my head.

DEAD BOYS - Live at CBGB 1977 DVD (Music Video Distributors) I can't say I've ever seen the original Dead Boys, though it was fun to see them on their reunion tour in 1987 - all fat, bloated and pretty out of it. As usual, MVD scoops the scene for the best of the best, and most sought-after underground videos every punk-rocker surfs eBay for. Captured in 1977, on beautifully shot film (instead of video) at the now legendary CBGB OMFUG by Rod Swenson (who also created The Plasmatics around the cult personality of Wendy O. Williams). The set is energetic and snotty (literally, a mouthful too), starting off with the classic "Sonic Reducer", and charging through "Revenge", "I Need Lunch" (later covered by Sheer Terror for their first 7"), "Ain't Nothing to Do" and "Search & Destroy". Again, as usual with the folks at MVD, they packed the disc with neat extras. You get a current interview with Dead Boy's Cheetah Chrome, and CBGB's owner Hilly Kristal, an interview with the band in '77, a promo clip, and footage of the band Steel Tips, and an alternate camera angle (held by Johnny Blitz). Gotta say, I love the balogna safety pinned to Stiv's shirt. Punk fashion!

DEAD BOYS - Return of the Living Dead: Halloween Night 1986 DVD (Music Video Distributors) There are a lot of punk bands from back in the day that I wish I had seen live. Good for me, Dead Boys was one band that I did catch. Yeah, it wasn't back in their early days, but during their mid-80s reunion tour. Lucky me, right? Hmm, lucky... or just old. Whatever. For those of you that didn't get around to catching this seminal Ohio outfit you have Dead Boys: Live at CBGB 1977 (also released by Music Video Distributors), and now there's this disc to boot. Captured on Halloween night of 1986 in front of a packed house at NYC's Ritz, the Boys blast through fourteen originals (fifteen of you count that they play their classic"Sonic Reducer" opening the show and closing it out), and two cover tracks, but not before being introduced by Joey Ramone. The show is documented all on one camera, though not stationary, as it pans around, zooming in and out throughout the action. Sad that Stiv Bators is no longer with us, as I'm sure they'd still hold as much aural attitude today as they did during this set. The disc includes an extra of Stiv's appearance on a Youngstown morning talk show, where they air (unedited) a rare music video for "Sonic Reducer". This is a great addition to any fan's collection, but for newbies, try Dead Boys: Live at CBGB 1977 first . I'm sure once you check that out, you'll be running out to get this one soon enough.

DEAD FISH - Afasia CD (Friendly Cow) Dead Fish is a Brazilian band, who mostly sing in Portuguese (it's always a plus when bands sing in their native tongue). The Afasia release is actually from 2001. Self-released by the band in their home country, all 5000 copies were sould-out within a few months of the original release. Germany's FC Records decided that this disc needed to se the light of day again, and I agree. Fourteen tracks of bass-driven fastcore ala skate-rock with a bit of the call-and-response Gainesville sound. The disc ends with the only track in English ("Perfect Party"), and while they pull it off, I don't know... I dig the Portuguese so much. If you're looking for something similar to Hot Water Music, yet still a bit different, this is a good place to start. Agora, é hora de balançar. I hope I wrote that correctly.

DEAD KENNEDYS - In God We Trust, Inc. [The Lost Tapes] DVD (Music Video Distributors) When I got into the shower this morning I sang the entire song "Nazi Punks Fuck Off". I later go to the mailbox and... tada. Nice work synchronicity. If you are a fan of any punk or hardcore, this is a killer addition to your collection. The amazing EP In God We Trust, Inc. was actually recorded twice. What you have come to know and love as that record, is in fact the second version. The first weren't lost, but damaged. The half-inch reel dissolved when shipped to the mixer. They salvaged what they could from the masters and the video feed. So you get to hear - and see - the first session! I admit they pulled off the second recording much better, but this isn't just a small piece of hardcore punk history. You can hear alternate lyrics ("Moral Majority" and "Kepone Factory") and different versions of classics ("We've Got A Bigger Problem Now"). As an added bonus they include every song as a live version too, except for "Hyperactive Child" which they couldn't find any (you get a montage of shows to the song), and "Kepone Factory". But what you get in the later's place is a video from 1979 when the song was called "Kepone Kids", had totally different lyrics and was much slower. Fucking cool! The artwork is, and except the early DK 7"es what release wasn't, done by Winston Smith and his political collage work. Though I'm presently an old metalhead, this is a much loved addition to this still-young-at-heart punk rocker.

DEAD TO FALL - Villainy and Virtue CD (Victory) Everything I loved from Everything I Touch Falls to Pieces, and a hell of a lot more. They pumped up some of the hardcore breakdowns and chugga-chugga guitars, and fine-tuned the death metal licks. They have the guitar sound of the last LP down pat again. Consistency... nice. The vocals are nowhere near as threatening as on the first album, but Jonathan Hunt still does that raspy, throaty growl that made me like DtF a little more than many other American death-metal-wannabes. It's still a vicious blend of Nordic black metal and Swedish death metal, with the thick crunch of U.S. metalcore, but played much better second time around. Maybe it helps that this time they've added Matt Matera of 7 Angels 7 Plagues, not to mention a hint of more melody, and doom, here and there. The gothic feel is a little thicker too, which is good. Gloom fits here. Some of the highlights were the album's opener, "Torn Self", "Stand Your Ground", the title track, the doomy "Cross Section" blowing into "Master Exploder", and the great closer, "Epilogue". The blue / red motif and artwork by Paul Romano was a nice touch.

DEAD RAVEN CHOIR & NEVER PRESENCE FOREVER - Rozrywa Szwy Ciszy CD-R (Somnambulant) This is no split release, as I must admit I previously thought it was going to be. Instead we get an actual five song collaboration between two great musicians (noisicians?), the Polish by way of Texas (or is it the other way around?) Dead Raven Choir (Smolken) and Virginia's Never Presence Forever (Andrew Anti.5). The inspiration for these five songs, as well as the song titles are from Polish poet, Krzysztof Kamil Baczynski, who was killed by a sniper's bullet at the age of 23. Strangely, I have a friend in Oregon who keeps me steeped in Polish poetry. I find it abysmally deep, highly symbolic and sometimes too abstract. Nothing anti-Slavic, it's just that my Spanish ears prefer the sounds of death coming from lost loves, rather than lost wars. Still, this is an excellent collaboration, not to mention release, that did twist my ears. Lush, quiet drones and hums, with some apocalyptic folk cello and violin. Organic, wood and string instruments meet push buttons and hundreds of feet of intertwined wires emitting from the backs of samplers. Good music for meditation if you're summoning Tibet's Great Black Lord. My favorite track was number four, "Wings Torn from Ravens Line the Streets Where the Dead Walk", as it was quiet, but also slightly violent, abrasive and close to pure power electronics. Plus, the strange and warped Polish spoken word helped solidify the bleak feelings these songs can invoke. This Somnambulant Records release comes packaged like an invitation to a dark pagan wedding (large, nicely printed insert card - handmade). Limited to 200 copies, so get a move on! I hear there may even be a part two someday. I'm looking forward to it.

DEAR TONIGHT - We're Not Men CD (Red Leader) Dear Tonight is a Brooklyn gang of five that's out to rock hard, while trying to make you think about needless consumerism, manifest destinies, seemingly endless wars and punk politics. In 2005 they released the These Are Wires CD EP as a split between Slave Union Records and Dark City Records. The band comes off as equal parts Deep Elm Records emotional hardcore (think Brandtson, Lock and Key, or Letterman), and equal parts catchy Gravity Records / San Diego screamo (think Universal Order of Armageddon, Angel Hair, or Heroin). Equal parts harmonious melody, equal parts explosive anger. The vocals are pretty D.C.-esque, with a little Fugazi-ish call-and-response action, but they're filled with much more anger - meaning they're screaming their asses off. There's no one particular track I dig more than another, as like a good Hot Water Music or Small Brown Bike record, it flows from track to track powerfully. Their newest work packs a punch, and by the time you're finding yourself singing along, it's all over. You can do what I did and hit play again, or start to hunt down their tour schedule to see when they're coming to a town near you. Admittedly, I did both.

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR - Count Me In CD (Bridge Nine) This Boston quintet are back to level the place with their metallic hardcore. Starting in early 2005, they were quickly picked up by Boston's Bridge Nine Records for their debut EP, Friends, Family, Forever. So as I write this I shake, and bounce, tap feet. It's all a pretty good sign. The music seems a very old-school hardcore influenced by Cro-Mags or Sick Of It All, with heavy elements of metalcore ala Hatebreed. A lot of what DBD does is sorrow and anger musically personified. It's a lot of speedy beats, gang chants and a few mosh breakdowns - three things that always get a crowd of hardcore kids really going. Chugga-chugga! You know exactly what that means... heavy, downtuned riffs. The title track and "Curl Up and Die" really takes it back to the old school. "Nowhere to Turn", "Fuck it All", "Nothing But Agony" and "Take Me Away" are my favorite tracks here, but every song is about equally as catchy, pretty heavy and totally anthemic. The unlisted track is a cover of Cock Sparrer where the chorus is changed to "Boston belongs to me." This will be big with the bald, wifebeater-wearing crowd, and rightfully so

DEATH METAL: A Documentary DVD (Music Video Distributors) Close to an hour and a half of backstage, after show and at home chats with some of death metal's pioneers, mostly shot on digital video. No narrator, as it's told by those who were and are involved in the scene, most for over 10 years. Interviews with members of Immolation and Malignancy, Bob of Mortician, Johan of Amon Amarth and even Peter Steele (of Type O Negative) reminiscing about his duties in Carnivore. Lots of live footage of each band mentioned, plus clips of about 30 others too, as well as a few music videos (Haemorrage. Deranged and Necrophagia). Even a touch of the female perspective by Tzefa of Rain Fell Within. My biggest gripe and only complaint (especially as a 'zinester) is that they should have gone into - or at least had a brief mention - of death metal fanzines. It does cover well enough a vicious music genre started by a handful. Musically having a huge heyday and a decent payoff, only to meet with 1000 carbon copies and heavy fan disdain, which presently let only the cream of the crop survive with its current resurgence in popularity - even though most of it is in the hardcore scene. This is a history lesson for fans as well as those who need to get 'in the know'.

DECLAN DE BARRA - Song of a Thousand Birds CD (Translation Loss) This definitely isn't what I, nor probably anyone else, expected from metal label Translation Loss, but it's a good change of pace (and a calm one) from much of what's been coming in to the FHF mailbox lately. Declan de Barra was originally a member of the Australian progressive heavy metal outfits Boticelli's Angel and Non-Intentional Lifeform (N.I.L. was on Roadrunner Records), and later began singing for folk / rock quartet Clann Zú (with two albums on G7 Welcoming Committee). With each release it seems de Barra wants to take the volume down a notch - not that it's a bad thing. On his first solo record he does a bit of percussion and guitars, but takes the helm at vocals and composition, and puts forth an LP full of Celtic-tinged neo-folk. "Apple Tree" was a great track that made me think of Nick Cave with a touch of Sigur Rós, as did the track "Slow Dissolve". "Leaves in the Autumn" brought to mind Towards the Within-era Dead Can Dance. "Welcome" and "Three Days from Now" both had an alt-country feel the likes of a more depressing Ryan Adams or Neil Young. A few of the songs have a pop sound, though I don't see the masses making de Barra the next big pop idol (and again - not that it's a bad thing). Other numbers have a gothic, or even apocalyptic folk vibe that made them all the more dark. A decent change of pace from the ear-destroying works I usually get.

DEPRESSED MODE - Ghosts of Devotion CD (Firebox) Depressed Mode began as a solo project of vocalist / synth player Ossy Salonen from Finland, and featured sampled tracks and keyboards. Somewhere along the line Salonen thought it would be better to add guitars, bass and real drums. Guitarist Tomppa Turpeinen, an old band mate, was asked to fill in the needed roles, and cared for the music so much he asked to be a part of the outfit. It's cool to find out that this was recorded at Salonen's home (with vocals being done in a closet), yet still having dooming sound, tight production and a recording studio feel. The music mixes My Dying Bride gothic doom, Dimmu Borgir symphonic synthesizers, lush female vocals, Obituary-esque death metal growls, piano interludes, and a wall of guitars crunching at a funeral's pace. It's a dark and cold sonic landscape from a place on the map that doesn't see a lot of sun and is almost always sunken in snow. Oh, and track eight ("Dunkelheit") is a Burzum cover! It's a miracle more bands from that area don't sound like this.

DEPRIVATION - s/t CD-R DEMO (Deprivation) I think someone snuck in here and switched CDs. I played this the other day and set it off in my 'maybe review' pile which is of course different from the 'definitely review' and 'I'll fucking never review' piles. As I listen again, I ask, "Same band?", "Why did I put this in the 'maybe pile'?" This is pretty ass kickin'. Glad this had caught me on a good day, because on second listen it makes me think of what Dillinger Escape Plan would sound like if they were more accessible. Metalcore in the vein of Candiria, sans the hiphop and double up on the time changes and styled maneuvers. Wish I had more to say but two songs and no cover leave me little on words.

DERDRAKOS - Lust for Chaos CD (DerDrakos) DerDrakos is a father / son two-piece from the Czech Republic, who really know how to work the grooves, as well as the atmosphere. First, let me just say I love repetitious key riffs. I guess it was growing up on Moroder-esque Italo-disco, and O Records Hi-NRG - so yeah, I'm a bit of a dancefloor enthusiast, and I like the beats. DerDrakos' Lust for Chaos LP is their debut, which holds fourteen tracks and a near eighty minutes of dark synths, trippy keyboards and fast beats. Mixing a bit of speedy gabber (similar to Ultraviolence), a touch of industrial (ala A Split Second, or Front Line Assembly) and a little acid house EBM (Lords of Acid style), it all comes off as a pretty unique cyber-punk spinoff. While it is highly synth-based, they do throw in some guitar riffage ("Out of Control" and the title track), hence the Front Line Assembly reference. A few of the numbers have a lyrical base (with some female vocals provided by Suzy M G), but much of it is sample-ladened insanity, and if you think these gents are coming off as misogynist fascists, you're missing the playfulness of song titles like "Dictator Girls Rule", "Joy Thru Fury" and "Her Painful Pleasure". The music is up-tempo and will work great for clubs, but there's a massively dark vibe from beginning to end. It later makes sense when you find the band listed on the Church of Satan's link page (meaning they are members of LaVey's group). I read that their sophomore work is ready to be released any day now, and I'm looking forward to more demons dancing around my room.

DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK - Funeral Car CD (Deep Elm) From the first listen I knew this was a band that would have a big effect on me. When I first put it on I kind of scratched my head - not really knowing what to think. I hit play again with a new mindset. I knew what was coming up and what to expect, so I listened with... a more open mind, I guess. When my girlfriend came home I played the entire record for her (this was now my forth listen). A week later I finally pried the CD from her car stereo. Deep Elm has some of the best independent rock artists this side of emocore. Bands that have balls and power, but don't easily fit into any 'core' category at all. Emotional this is, and 'core' (as in hardcore) it contains, but emocore this is not. Though they have a bass and guitar, the main instruments - or focus - are on piano/organ and percussion. Some songs have a soft singing to them, blended with acoustic guitar, bass and keys, which make them wonderful pop songs ("Drowning Horses", "Second Sickness"). While others have a back and forth between singing and a demonic yell, all along guitar's drone, thundering screeches and the piano plays a pounding, almost furious funerary march ("Drawn and Quartered", "Something About A Ghost"). Still others defy the mold combining both styles ("These Games We Play", "Fields Landing"). American Analog Set meets Thursday? Close. One of the best new records that mixes mournful emotion and bombastic, raw power.

DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK / SETTLEFISH / SOUNDS LIKE VIOLENCE - s/t CD EP (Deep Elm) This is the fourth in Deep Elm's Split Series. Again - three bands, six songs, all of them a mix of independent rock, emotional hardcore and punk spirit. From the icy mountains of Sweden, Sounds Like Violence are up first as they give up another unreleased gem. Starting off slow, almost sounding like The Magic Magicians, the song soon picks up pace and whispers turn to screams. Sadly though, that is the last we hear of SLV on this EP, but good things are still coming up. Now we have two more bands, with five more songs. The rest of the tracks are from Italy's Settlefish (with three tracks) and from Portland, Oregon, Desert City Soundtrack (two tracks). The songs appear mixed one after the other, instead of all the bands songs lumped together. The Settlefish tracks are still in the vein of their Deep Elm EP, Dance A While Upset, ; frantic, melodic and somewhat raw. A later At the Drive-In meets early Police, except for the last track, "Glass Party", which was a very quiet (and depressing) number. Desert City Soundtrack was at first violent and abrasive with "Send Your Soldiers to Do the Killing", but came in soft later with "January's Loss". I liked DCS tracks, but in the songwriting department, it doesn't old a candle to their last LP (it was just that good). Even with that little check mark against 'em, this is still Deep Elm's best Spilt CD in the series yet.

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS - Grow Live Monsters DVD (Music Video Distributors) Grow Live Mosters isn't just another collection of music videos. Grow Live Monsters isn't just another short film collection. It's a wild amalgam of both... and then some. Destroy All Monsters is an art collective from Ann Arbor, Michigan which began in the very early 1970s, as a hodgepodge of Futurist / Dadaist multiplicity, German psychedelic Krautrock, and the film stylings of Kenneth Anger and Jack Smith. Grow Live Monsters was originally released on VHS in 1995 to coincide with the 20th anniversary reunion of DAM, and now it gets the proper DVD treatment of a re-release (meaning it comes with a whole lot of extras!). You get the original collection of fourteen short films found on the tape, which ranged from 1971 to 1976. A no-to-low budget mix of 8mm, super 8 and 16mm films that catch the eye, tickle the rib, challenge the ear and boggle the mind. The disc extras include "Monster's Redux" (five short films from 2005 blending a collage of outtakes, concert footage, band photos and flyers, with soundtrack excerpts from the their 3 disc box set, DAM 1974 - 1976), "Shake A Lizard Tail" aka "Rust Belt Rump" (a 1996 film produced as a backdrop for their Japanese performances featuring latenight TV ads, stage dancers and clips from forgotten monster movies), "Seattle Invasion 2000" (pre-show, show and after-show footage of a three hour performance at Seattle's CoCA galley), and a huge gallery and slideshow of photos entitled "Hometown Horrors". This release also comes with a glossy booklet containing an interview with DAM mastermind Cary Loren from a 2003 issue of Grey Matter (#14), as well as a filmography. You know you missed out on the original tapes, so here's your chance to play catch-up - and you get all those freebies to boot. This DVD is a must for any experimental film freak, a must for lovers of the avant-garde, and a must for most fans of noise music and no wave.

DESTROY ALL RATIONAL THOUGHT DVD (Screen Edge) This is a true documentary. It captures a moment, while filling you in on what lead up to that moment. Basically, it catches on disc the Here To Go Show which took place in Dublin, Ireland in 1992. The show featured art by William Burroughs, Brion Gysin and Hamri, as well as music from the Master Musicians of Joujouka, The Baby Snakes and bass junkie Bill Laswell. Now for a more elaborate explanation of what we have here... While showing much of the art show itself, as well as the musical happenings which coincided, it contains footage of the experimental film Phauss by Michael von Hauswolff and rare footage from the late 60s by Antoni Balch, Burroughs poetry readings and Gyson creating his art, plus interviews with everyone who had a hand in the event. Now, many of you know who William Burroughs is, so I'll skip a bit of that, other than saying this DVD contains one of the last interviews with Burroughs. So few are aware of Brion Gysin's contribution to the Beat scene (except for a handful of members of the Temple of Psychic Youth). Gysin is the inventor of The Dream Machine, a paper cutout designed to go over a lightbulb to induce dream states, as well as inventing the 'Cut-Up Method', which he gave to Burroughs, though William is often credited with inventing it. Even more unknown is Hamri, a Moroccan painter who befriended WB and BG during their stay in Morocco, helping to start the Tangier Beat scene. Your last lesson is learning that the Master Musicians of Joujouka are an ancient inherited musicians from the village of Jojouka, a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation for the past 4000 years. Burroughs called them the world's oldest rock band. The extras on this disc are great as well, featuring a director's commentary, a track by the Islamic Diggers ("William Burroughs Don't Play Guitar"), and a slideshow of pics highlighting (in wonderfully close and bright photography) the paintings of Burroughs and Gysin, not to mention texts by WB, BG, Bill Laswell, Ira Cohen and many more. This release is great on its own, but makes a great companion piece to Commissioner of Sewers.

DESTROYER DESTROYER - Littered With Arrows CD (Goodfellow) In 2004 five Oklahoma City kids got together to make a tumultuous cacophony of metal. They succeeded too. First came the split EP The Spiderbear Tales with Vessels Cast From Crippled Hands (on Cunning Linguist Industrial Technologies), and following it up with their first LP in 2006, The Dead Sleep Like Us For A Reason, on Debello Recordings. DD grind and stomp their way onto your eardrums and into your head with a technical metalcore not that far off of Daughters' grindcore madness, or maybe even Psyopus or Ion Dissonance, but they'd have to be hooked on ice or crank to get the right balance of haste and psychosis that Destroyer Destroyer drip from every pore. The vocals are very J Bannon (Converge) which is my least favorite aspect of DD. How the hell do this freakshow know when one song is ending and another must begin? They can go from from crustcore to melodic metalcore and back again like no one's business. The drums are either in an almost nonstop blast beat, or doing lightning quick fills. This LP pulverized me. DD really push the limits of extreme music, as well as the boundaries of fatigue, as by the end of the 30 minutes of this album I was tired. I wanted sleep. I was bruised and banged-up good. Do I need a break, or need to hear this again? I think I'll go for 'again'.

DEVO - Live 1980 DVD (Music Video Distributors) Ohio's masters of pop DeEvolution are... well, I wouldn't say 'back'. This live show was taped (multi-angled) early in their career, as the title states: 1980, at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma. A good year for them too. You know, just as "Whip It" was making its way onto the radio, but they weren't on Sarah Jessica Parker's TV show Square Pegs just yet. I find this old Target Video release to be better than any other current DEVO live music release, simply due to its date. Early enough to be missing "Peek-A-Boo" and "Beautiful World", yet late enough to contain "Freedom of Choice" as well as their version of Otis Redding's "Satisfaction". Not to mention rarely heard tracks like "It's Not Right", "Pink Pussycat" and "Swelling Itching Brain". Secondly, the DVD flips to become an audio CD playable in your stereo. Another goodie on here are two tracks from DEVO appearing as Dove, the Band of Love - a joke Xtian band - at 1979's M-80 festival in Minneapolis (the first festival featuring all no wave and new wave acts). Much less electronic, but you can hear the DeEvolution beginning. Get your Energy Domes out and do the robot, like, for sure.

DEVO - Live In the Land of the Rising Sun DVD (Music Video Distributors) DEVO and I have a strange history (as do Helmet and I). We're not allowed to see each other. Well, it's mostly just that I'm not supposed to see them. Cars have broken down, I'm outta town when they're around, etc. Well, per usual... MVD is here to the rescue. Recorded the summer of 2003 in Tokyo, Japan, the crowd loves them (many wearing bootlegged Energy Dome hats and singing along). Fun show. Of course, they play some of their more popular songs, like "Girl U Want", "Whip It", "Freedom of Choice" and "Satisfaction" (DEVO's take being my favorite version of that song), but the songs that really grab me are numbers like "Uncontrollable Urge" (sadly, now made popular thanks to a car commercial), "Jocko Homo", "Smart Patrol / Mr. DNA", "Blockhead" and the infamous "Mongoloid". Fifteen songs of live electro-punk, rabid fans and one over-the-top lighting system. This DVD contains a few extras, including backstage footage, interviews and just plain walking the streets and being accosted by fans. Another extra is a never-before-seen out-take of DEVO playing in 1980. Thanks again MVD.

DIAGNOSE: LEBENSGEFAHR - Transformalin CD (Autopsy Kitchen) This is a very interesting release, especially from a black metal label. Though I do see a larger and larger meeting up between the music worlds of dark metal and those of noise / ambient music. When you think about it (or listen to it) some black metal is so distorted that it almost sounds similar to power electronics. Still, this is no simple power electronics project. Diagnose: Lebensgefahr is the side-work of Swedish black metal vocalist Nattramn (of the band Silencer). Self-releasing a limited and hand numbered CD-R demo (of 50 copies) in 2005, it caught the ear of Indiana label Autopsy Kitchen in '06. Transformalin is an eleven track descent into true industrial ala Throbbing Gristle or early Current 93, not to mention a bit of a reformation of said genre. At times it's electro-sizzle drowned in a sea of modulation, with waves of feedback as cracks and hisses pop in and out of audio range ("The Level Beyond Human" or "Mani Vs Apati"). Other times it has a beat and marches to new dawn of pain and suffering, as the vocals reveal a psychotic twist of sadism and masochism entwined (as in the title track and "Situazion: Lebensgefahr"). While others still, make a beautifully haunting wash of soundscapes and ambient lulling drones of calm that wash over the listener into an eerie sadness ("Flaggan På Halv Stång I Drommens Västergård" and "Tillsammans Men Ensam I Stillhetens Kapell"). As much as I thought Silencer was pretty good, I'd rather have that band stay disband and keep this project going, instead of reforming Silencer and seeing this go the way of the wind.

DIMLAIA - s/t CD (Life Is Abuse) This is where Neurosis should have been headed, but all those Death in June and Current 93 records made 'em softies... at least lately. Dimlaia is a Memphis quintet featuring Carl from His Hero Is Gone playing bass and covering some of the vocals (as there are interchanging male / female vocals). I'm actually blown away by this record. On two levels. One because it is completely awesome. Well written. Heavy, yet melodic. Quiet, yet explosive. Seriously, great hardcore and doom mixed with atmospheric compositions (actual violin and cello are used, played by vocalist Kirsten Deets and Jackie PG of Amber Asylum). Secondly, because all I can think of is... well, Neurosis. I don't know if that is a compliment to them, as much a curse. Sound, style, melody, vocals - all down. "Night Covers Massacre" could have been on Through Silver in Blood. Well, a few times My Dying Bride did come to mind. Still, I've been playing it for friends, I am playing the hell out of this record for private listening, and I'm gonna be keeping an eye and ear out on what Dimlaia will do next... so, I guess it's a win / win situation for us all.

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - Dealing With It CD (Beer City) There is so much packed onto this CD, that I have the original vinyl, the repressing on CD on Rotten, and I still said "Wow!" when I opened this. The 25 song LP is here with bonus rough mixes and alternate versions. Songs from the Violent Pacification 7" that were not released, tracks from a lost demo, their tracks off the Texas comp with The Dicks and Butthole Surfers. Put it in your PC and you get footage from a Cali TV show City Beat from 1986, where you get schooled if you don't know who D.R.I. is, but not much else. Still, if I really do have to review this you're an out-of-the-loop, Mtv watching, orangutan-thinking fucker. This is a classic record, and one of the first 10 I ever got when I first was introduced to the wonderful world of hardcore, punk and thrash. I was later put off by shitty attempts at money making like Four of A Kind and Crossover. Not to mention when Timescape Zero opened for them July 4th of '93, and hell was literally raised. The promoter knew not to mention they split with ALL the cash, because the opening bands (TZ and Machine) had crews that would have chased them down. Well, turning into rockstar assholes aside, this is a classic record which I would have hated to give up as part of my adolescent years. It shaped me musically, politically, sarcastically.

DISAPPEARER - s/t CD EP (Trash Art) Three of the quintet known as Boston's There Were Wires decided to go the way of the epic: creating long, poetic song structures in a Neurosis vein, of what I like to call 'ethereal hardcore'. Doomy, heavy riffs meeting waves of shoegazer lulls and atmospheric soundscapes, while never letting up on the punishing explosions of pure guitar fuzz. Three tracks that clock in at bit over an half-hour. Did I happen to mention it's all instrumental? Strangely, when I first hear it I hardly noticed, and that's because I was actually being entertained by the music, as well as involved in it. By the way, you can always tell when a label really respects the band. Example: Is your first EP release laid out with a simple one one-page, Photoshop nightmare... or a thick, see-through, rice paper and wonderfully artsy halftones? It's all there to delight the eyes, and of course, the ears.

DISMEMBER - Where Ironcrosses Grow CD (Candlelight) Over fifteen years ago Sweden's Dismember formed and began attacking the ears of death metal kids all over the map. They've come a long way from 1988, as they've grown. Better musicianship, song structures and they're much more violent. The bio claims that they're "pure Scandinavian death metal", but I hear a touch of doom ("Me-God", "Where Angels Fear to Tread") and hardcore ("Forged with Hate", "Chasing the Serpent") creeping into the band's sound. Trust me, this is great! It separates them from the standard, and sometimes tired death metal sound - though they do throw some of that old school sound at you as well ("Tragedy of the Faithful" - killer solo there, and "Sword of Light"). The vocals aren't in the standard burpy growl either, as there seems to be anger behind Matti Karki's yelling, barking and sandpaper-throat growls (similar to Sepultura, but better and with more urgency). I'm really not going to get specific on choice tracks, because this LP is good from start to finish. Fast, slow, diverse, yet always fucking heavy. Um, okay. "As I Pull the Trigger" is a short track, but truly the way to end a record for sure: brutally. The cover and insert art by Dan Seagrave helps round off this record for sights as well as sound. If they keep this up, doing another fifteen years will be a breeze.

DISAPPEARER - s/t CD EP (Trash Art) Three of the quintet known as Boston's There Were Wires decided to go the way of the epic: creating long, poetic song structures in a Neurosis vein, of what I like to call 'ethereal hardcore'. Doomy, heavy riffs meeting waves of shoegazer lulls and atmospheric soundscapes, while never letting up on the punishing explosions of pure guitar fuzz. Three tracks that clock in at bit over an half-hour. Did I happen to mention it's all instrumental? Strangely, when I first hear it I hardly noticed, and that's because I was actually being entertained by the music, as well as involved in it. By the way, you can always tell when a label really respects the band. Example: Is your first EP release laid out with a simple one one-page, Photoshop nightmare... or a thick, see-through, rice paper and wonderfully artsy halftones? It's all there to delight the eyes, and of course, the ears.

DISCORDANCE AXIS - Jouhou CD (Hydra Head) Jouhou was originally released in 1997 on Devour Records, and now re-released in a DVD case, along with a few extra songs. Hydra Head released Discordance Axis' last reissue (The Inalienable Dreamless, also in a DVD case) and must have seen that they still have many fans - or people are trying to capture something they missed out on. The extra tracks are from DA's songs off a few of their split 7"es with Japan's Melt Banana and Plutocracy (1995, HG Flat and Slap A Ham, respectively, which I actually care for more than the tracks on the Jouhou LP), and some live songs recorded during their last tour in Tokyo. Either way, this is an excellent release... for intense music, and also for packaging and style. The music (if you are unfamiliar with DA) is collected entropy. Huh? That means it's chaotic, man. Vicious power violence and in-your-face grindcore, bitch. So good, so heavy, so loud. This is one hour you won't ask for back. The packaging, as mentioned earlier, is in a DVD case with an almost-all black, minimal layout, but inside you'll find a booklet with tons of information: a continued (from the first reissue) history of the band, song lyrics and explanations the of the lyrics. Yet, sadly very little photos (a few artistic ones, one of the band hanging with Melt Banana, and hardly any from live shows [three very small ones]). It would have been interesting to hear what the DA / Merzbow collaboration would have sounded like. There would have been too many people with blood in their stool, so I guess it wasn't meant to be.

THE DISTANCE - Your Closest Enemies CD EP (Bridge Nine ) In 2002 these fellows released their demo and within no time had California's Takeover Records release it on vinyl (shows their strengths seeing as they're from Connecticut). Well, Bridge Nine knows good hardcore - especially good, old school hardcore. Imagine 7" era Turning Point mixed with a touch of Wide Awake metal and No For An Answer's straight forward drive. Did fans of late 80s hardcore all just wet themselves? "And I Begin My Longest Year" opens this six song EP into it's standard pace... I'd say about 400 beats per minute. "Dig Yourself Out" and "Those Black and Blues Look Good On You" made me envision lots of stage diving, fingers pointing in the air and people screaming the lyrics along. "Get Fucked" was 20 seconds of hardcore-punk fury. Damn, I must be a spoiled brat, as B9 always gives us little treats and I expected them to pack a little more onto this. Though The Distance work fine with just their music. Wait, I just put this CD in my E drive and I got a video for "And If". Very nice. Though I knew Bridge 9 would deliver, the extras weren't necessary, just appreciated.

DIVINE EMPIRE - Method of Execution CD (Crash Music) Remember back in the day when Florida was the death metal capitol of the world? Well, it was... early 90s, my dark friends. I lived it, and those were good times for heavy music. The folks in Divine Empire sure remember. Hell, with ex-members of Malevolent Creation (J Blachowicz and JP Soars) they helped shape the state of extreme metal. In the new millennium they've moved forward and are now on their fourth LP with Divine Empire, and my, how the fellas have grown. Not your standard death metal, as Florida's D.E. incorporate a touch of doom, a bit of black metal, as well as melodies and southern-fried guitar solos. Seemingly not a way's off from what MalCreation was doing, but stylistically different to a metalhead's ear. It's good to see local boys spread their wings... without turning into doves.

DNME - Last of A Dying Breed CD (No Dice / New Art School) Where do I start on this record? They're locals! Miami - 305 style. It's an old school hardcore jam the likes of Sheer Terror meeting up with Killing Time and taking out Slapshot for an ass whoopin' in a a back alley somewhere. DNME features exmembers of local hardcore stalwarts Distric 9, Mindframe and Out of Spite, plus current players in Viet-Nom. The CD's title track has a guest appearance by John Joseph (of Cro-Mags fame, currently in Bloodclot and and old vocal-hero of mine). They do a Gut Instinct cover. And yes, track eight ("No Control") is yelled in your fuckin' ear by me. So I'll have to cut it short, because you'll just call me a bias bastard from here on out. Get this, before you're blind in one eye.

D.O.A. - Greatest Shits [1978 - 1998] DVD (Sudden Death / Music Video Distributors) 20 years of punk, trouble-making, rock and political activism. An hour of D.O.A. from their earliest inception of punk fury in 1978 to their rock-n-roll approach in the mid 80s and early 90s, back to their punk roots in the late 90s. Live footage of some of their classics like "Disco Sucks" (playing outdoors during Anti-Canada Day, sponsored by Canadian anarchists), "Get Out of My Life" (from the now famous Hardcore Tour '81 with Black Flag and others) and "The Prisoner". Outnumbering the live footage is studio videos for their more rock numbers ("Dance O'Death", "Hole In the Sky" and "It's Not Usual"), and a video for a cover of BTO's "Taking Care of Business" punk-rock style. Plus a clip of Joey Shithead preaching a few words of wisdom, sadly to the already converted I'm sure. Many of these messages often fall on ears who have heard it already and agree or disagree. There needs to be a forum where dumbasses, assholes and pricks can be educated as well. Also included are scenes from an upcoming political documentary on D.O.A. and their message of public apathy (Talk - Action = Zero). The scenes themselves run like their own mini-documentary and have guests like Henry rollins, Jello Biafra and John Doe of X. A nice piece documenting one of punks forgotten early bands.

D. O. A. - Smash the State: The Raw Original D.O.A. 1978-81 DVD (Sudden Death / Music Video Distributors) D.O.A.'s Greatest Shits [1978 - 1998] DVD was good, but it was short, and high on their later more rock material. These guys are Canadian, as well as punk, legends and deserve a lengthier video release. Is that what this is? Well, it's about time. This newest DVD disc is pure punk rock - hardcore '81 (and before)! There are live shows on here filmed in San Francisco from 1980 and two from 1981, an unknown Bay Area show from 1981, and the entire infamous Anarchist Anti-Canada Day outdoor show from 1978 (as seen in pieces on Greatest Shits). There's also a TV appearance from 1980 with the band performing "The Enemy", another TV appearance with a studio version of "World War 3" from 1979, a '79 Canadian news report on punk and D.O.A.. Seventy minutes of three-chord rock fury, snotty attitude, trouble-making, and political activism. Watch, and see if you can spot Circle Jerk's Keith Morris. While I did like Greatest Shits, this is a million times better. Buy this and catch an old favorite of the Kennedy clan (that's Dead Kennedys, Jack), and they'll probably be an old school fave for you too.

DRAG KING - All Hat... and No Steer CD (Drag King) This is a sweet little self-released CD, and it's everything the bio claims it to be ("from death metal to indie rock to avant-garde jazz") - with a few surprises. A half hour of ten songs recorded live in 13 hours. I definitely hear a lot of the indie-rock influences. In many ways it sounds similar to a vocaless Mr. Bungle (that's good seeing that Mike Patton is a terrible singer), or maybe a vocaless Primus. But, the entire sound comes off with a big punk edge to it, and this furious, herky-jerky funk. Like a live jam, except it isn't spontaneous. "On Three" contains a bit of death metal blasts, but lacks that crunch to equal death metal's threating sound - though loud, chaotic and frantic it still is. "Fly Off the Handle" was another that blends indie sensibilites seperated by blast beats and mass confusion. Cool shit. It's a shame the bassist left (and they've decided to stay a two piece), as the bass is a big part of Drag King's signature sound. Without vocals, they are interesting enough to keep your attention, but without bass, they may fall just short. It's amazing to think what these guys may be able to do with a small record label, better recording funds, more recording time - and a new bassist, I hope.

DRAW BLOOD - The Calm Before the Storm CD EP (Trash Art) This is tight! Draw Blood are a Boston outfit that play a mix of early hardcore, punk rock and street punk. Every song on The Calm Before the Storm is a winner, but the songs actually get better as this disc progresses. My standout tracks are the last four: "A Terror In the Kingdom of Heaven", "Buried Dreams", "Lights Out" and the CD's final track, "Dearest". These were the tracks that had me hooked, with one hand typing, as the other pointed in the air while I sang along. Seven songs, clocking in at under ten minutes of powerful, fast and catchy hardcore-punk. The layout kinda leaves me scratching my head, as though it is wonderfully done (with it's oceanic theme and calm, green color scheme), it doesn't really fit the style of the music. I actually expected this to be emo, but, happily, it tore me a new one.

DREAM SYSTEM - Traveling After Midnight CD (Foreshadow) Dream System was once a progressive metal outfit NeWBReeD, until Thom and Stan found they liked to tinker with electronics almost as much as guitars. Okay now... some discs I play and review as I write. Others, I listen to the whole thing and write during my second listen. Yet a few I have to listen to several times before my fingers start typing. Dream System was in the later category. This CD goes from trip-hop to electro-metal to ambient and on and on. Track five ("/.../") was a R&B soul number - no joke, but I dug it like I dig D'Angelo. Word, bitch. You'll also find hints of drum-n-bass, world music and noise. Eight tracks in near an hour of genre jumping that blends quite well.

DRUGS OF FAITH - s/t CD EP (Self Made God) Drugs of Faith is a pretty unique trio in the grindcore school. Mixing hard rock elements (ala Melvins), San Diego screamo in the vein of Gravity Records material, with grindcore bursts of Infest and Spazz, and clean hardcore vocals seemingly from the late 80s (think Insted, Gorilla Biscuits or Chain of Strength). All of it wrapped up sounds like Everything Falls Apart Hüsker Dü, on steroids, coffee and crank - and maybe a touch more metallic. This is the first actual release for this Northern Virginia band, as previous efforts at 7"es lead to nothing more than compilation spots. But that was well enough, as it gained them the attention they needed to get noticed down the road. Now, I do have to ask: At six tracks in fifteen minutes, shouldn't their 2003 demo have found it's way on here?

DWARVES - Fuck It Up and Get Live DVD (Music Video Distributors) Alright, a Dwarves show (filmed in NYC, October of 2004 - now that's fast service), and they've never had the bad luck of having me in their audience, so it'll be nice to finally see them live - in a sense. It's a brief intro and then they almost shot their wad too early by opening up with "Dominator", but from here it's seventeen more live tracks of a punk rock and roll nightmare. Yeah, it's got hooks, and it's catchy, but it'll try to pour beer on you and snatch your girlfriend. Asshole bastards. They do the tracks that get me to sing, like "Everybody's Girl", "Over You", "Back Seat of My Car" and "Must Have Blood", but I still give 'em the bird. As usual with the folks at MVD they throw in some extras, as this disc comes with an extra camera angle of the show, plus music videos of "Over You", "We Must Have Blood", "Bleed On", "Pimp" and "Way Out". Great with me, because I've never seen most if these... Hell, what channel am I going to catch the Dwarves on? Hey guys, don't think I've forgotten your MRR prank of the early 90s. Um, actually - I thought it was great. Anything for publicity, right?

THE DWARVES - FEFU DVD (Music Video Distributors) There is a lot more here than it sounds, so follow me on this. Mainly, it's the video for a (possibly my favorite) Dwarves' track, "FEFU" (off of the Epitaph Dwarves Must Die album). You get both the music channel version and the uncut version, where titties abound (thanks Suicide Girls!), as well as a 'making of' the video short. Then the extras kick in and we get the "I'm A Living Sickness" from way back in the day, a handful of interviews, and an hour of live material shot from LA to NYC and ranging from 1985 through 2005. Also on the disc are Dwarves' movie trailers and a short film by Long Island writer-gone-break-dancer Cassie J. Sneider. As I watch her shake it on the dance floor, I realize that she should really stick to writing. Oh, the movie was a trip, CJ just needs to take lessons from a master. Yep, all fingers point to me - as usual. Figures I'd steer this review toward moi. One last word to HWCBN, Blag and crew... in Florida, if you hit someone, for any reason at all, they have the legal right to shoot you (H-0249 C1 & C2: The Hold Your Ground Law). So the next MRR mentioning the death of a Dwarves member won't be no prank.

DŸSE - s/t CD (Exile On Mainstream) Hard to imagine this is a duo, but it is. Formed in 2003 in the land of green and red - that's green as in herb, and red as in red light district - Amsterdam, Netherlands. The name Dÿse comes from a motel the duo first met in front of (Dÿsecatmotel). Dÿse feature ex-members of Rodeo Queen and Volt, and though I've never heard of either, I'm glad Dÿse came my way. The music is a stop-start metal madness, not far off of a heavy postpunk, or maybe a very early System Of A Down (hey, they weren't bad when they began). There's a bit of Helmet-ish repetition, so there's a good Amphetamine Reptile school of noise rock going on throughout. In all seriousness, I really can't put my finger on any one band they sound most like. Believe me, that's a good thing. There seems to be a serious vibe running through their self-titled debut, but I can hear that these two fellows have a sense of humor. Eight tracks in forty minutes that just may make you rethink the parameters of metal music.

EDEN MAINE - The Treachery Fact CD EP (Ignition) Ignition Records flew Kurt Ballou (of Converge) overseas to produce this, and I can see why. They are not a big rip-off, but the similarities to Converge are immense. For a listener's example, I would say "Ephemera" would prove me correct. The music is Class A, good shit. Eerie, soft-guitar driven parts meeting up with a pummeling sound, full of double-bass drums, thrash guitars and know-how breakdowns. I have two grievances with this release though. First is that someone can't really sing (I say someone because 3 take credit for vocals, but it's not listed who sang on the earlier part of "The Black"). Oh, the main vocalist, Adam Symond's screams are fine - with sandpapery vocals and all. He can scream his ass off, like good metalcore should have. In all respects, the sung vocals were minimal enough that I do enjoy listening to this CD, but, please... practice those vocal chords! Secondly, the final mixdown and production mastering blow. The drums sound weak, and blended poorly with the rest of the music. The drums can be heard well, but I think this music needs them to be felt, not just heard. If it wasn't for the fact that the song writing is fierce, played with lots of heart (especially the guitars), and track 5 ("Scene One"), I would have said to wait for their full album to see where they take this.

EDU FALASCHI - Almah CD (A-M-F) Lots of power metal being dropped into my mailbox lately. I'm really happy about it too, as it speaks to the little metalhead child inside me - the one I used to be before my teen years, when I turned into a jaded hardcore punk. Edu Falaschi is originally the Brazilian vocalist of São Paulo outfit Angra (as well as working with his brother's band Symbols, and later Venus), and Almah (which means "soul") is his debut as a solo artist. While featuring Falaschi's work as a lyricist, songwriter, and producer, he also brought in a few masters of the craft to help add to the overall sound on this LP. Nightwish guitarist Emppu Vuorinen lends his skill on the six string, as is a guest spot by Mike Stone of Queensrÿche, Lauri Porra of Stratovarius is on bass, and Kamelot's Casey Grillo is beating the skins. The music is a mix of classic heavy metal and power metal the likes of Gamma Ray, Kamelot, Blind Guardian or Masterplan. Admittedly, there are a few ballads I don't care for (I never do), but the moments of metal far outweigh them. Edu's vocal delivery is superb and is right up there with Ronnie James Dio (Black Sabbath), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Biff Byford (Saxon) or Rob Halford (Judas Priest). I also find it rather humorous that his mastery and pronunciation of the English language is far better than some Americans. For those that don't want to pay overseas prices, look out for Candlelight Record's domestic version.

EGYPT - s/t CD-R DEMO (Egypt) From Fargo, North Dakota hails a three-piece stoner / southern-jam set that knows how to write tunes. The strong points to Egypt's tracks are that Aaron Esterby can sing and Ryan Grahn can solo. Chad Heille on drums and Aaron also on bass fill up time with great plundering rhythms, but you knows it's vocals and solos that pull bands out of the 1, 2, Doom rut. Four songs and not a one is under seven minutes (for a 30 minute demo!) - wait, there's an unlisted live track that's under five, but all I know is that 'This is our new song, goddammit!'. You fellas are surely on the right path. A must for fans of Sleep, Electric Wizard, Sons of Otis or even Church of Doom.

EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN - Palast Der Republik DVD (Music Video Distributors) This is something very special for me, and I'll explain that towards the end. I have seriously loved this band since I got my hands on their only vinyl available in the United States back in 1986. The slices of wax were the "Yu Gung" 12" and the first Strategies Against Architecture album, and I got them on the word of - of all people - Henry Rollins. Earlier that year he did a spoken word show on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach (Wet Paint Cafe). I had always noticed his EN tattoo, but didn't know its significance. After his performance he walked the club and talked to folks, so I approached a group he was chatting with. As the group waned out, I asked him about the tattoo, and besides haranguing me about being so young and having a beer in my hand (his friend D. Boon of Minutemen had just died in an auto accident where drinking was possibly involved) he let me in on one of his favorite bands that Nick Cave turned him on to: Einstürzende Neubauten. That is my history of being turned on to them, so let me try to turn you on. Einstürzende Neubauten (meaning 'collapsing new buildings') almost single-handedly coined the phrase 'industrial music', as their tunes were an amalgam of bass and guitar mixed with power tools and scrap metal. They began in 1980 Berlin (Germany), as a simple noise band, and with a few original members leaving (both female) they absorbed new blood from the German punk band Abwärts - a lineup which they stuck with for a near two decades. For this show, filmed in November of 2004, singer Blixa Bargeld and percussionist N.U. Unruh are the only two of the originals left, but their flames of passion, flair for improvisation, and sparks of ingenuity have yet to fade out. The concert took place in the skeletal remains of East Germany's former DDR Parliament building, hence the title. I really wish they had played a few of their older tracks ("Tanz Debil", "Seele Brent", "Kalte Sterne", and the aforementioned "Yu Gung"), but I guess after twenty years of already playing these they're quite sick of the old stuff. Still, they do play a lot of new material that I really like ("Youme & Meyou", "Perpetuum Mobile", "Was Ist Ist", "Alles" and the beautiful "Sabrina" - though sadly, "The Garden" is absent). Just to see how half of these tracks are done live was exhilarating, and makes me want to bang on sheets of metal, PVC tubes, chains, plastic cups and copper pipes. It was also great that the concert was captured on multi-cameras, as some band members didn't just stay on the stage, but climbed rafters (to use as instruments) and ran around the audience (with instruments in tow). This concert DVD contains a few extras such as a commentary by Blixa in both English and German, plus an encore of two songs which are in addition to the hour-and-a-half concert. The reason this disc is so special to me is that as long as I've been a fan of the band, I have yet seen them live in person, so I collect and view as much as I can - from official releases to shitty bootlegs (anyone got any I haven't seen?). Oh, and for fans and newbies alike... don't forget to visit - and support - the band through their Internet project at neubauten.org.

EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN - Halber Mensch DVD (Cherry Red Films) In the first year of Mtv's 120 Minutes, during the intro, they would open up the show with a clip of Blixa Bargeld doing one of his now classic, high pitched screams. I never stopped wondering, if they had some Neubauten... why wouldn't they fuckin' play some? I also wondered what video they got that segment from. Well, I have to wonder no more. In 1986 EN taped an album-long promotional video for the Halber Mensch album, and this is it. Finally available to the public via the good folks at Cherry Red Films. There isn't much to say, but: this is a must for any Neubauten fan! A live performance, recorded against the LP tracks, with a bit of weaving in and out of actual music video concepts - all filmed by underground Japanese director Sohgo Ishii. This is going to be a short review because I'll just keep gushing and gushing. If you don't know who Einstürzende Neubauten is, this is probably the best way to make them your favorite new band.

ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN - Live at Camden Underworld DVD (Punkervision / Music Video Distributors) Before the hype, before [I]NC or The Hives, Electric Frankenstein played straight-up rock-n-roll and garage rock with the heaviest of guitars. In the 90s, they had the power chords, 300 bpm beats and sing-a-long chanting choruses long before most of these Spin Magazine darlings even had a practice space. Recorded in December of 2002 at the Camden Underworld in London, just before Steve took over as 2nd guitarist - making this still a 5 piece. They captured a nice long set (17 songs), as they did about one song per album, and many songs from their out-of-print EPs and singles. "Right on Target" and "Demolition Joyride" (off The Time Is Now), "Friction" (off How to Make a Monster), "Get Off My Back" (from Conquers the World), "Hate Machine" (from Don't Touch Me I'm Electric), "Action High" - album of the same title, and "Devil Dust" (Spare Parts). They close out with "Its All Moving Faster", of which I had the 7" - 1st pressing on green vinyl! - but sold my singles collection years ago, so I hadn't heard that track in some time. Good way to end it. The 2 minute interview as an extra for the DVD is no big deal. So VHS or DVD - you get the same thing... a good show.

ELECTRIC WIZARD - Let Us Prey CD (The Music Cartel) Six songs usually means an EP, not an LP. 44 minutes is about the length of an LP, not an EP. So is this an album, or an extended play record? Does it matter? Like most doom bands, Electric Wizard is a three piece. Unlike most doom bands, they pick up the pace (and the interest) through out their songs. The lyrics are unintelligible, and for doom I would suppose they are about the mighty Indica or Sativa plants, but the layout states lyrical inspiration from the likes of HP Lovecraft and other horror writers. Now on many levels, sonically, they are attuned to what most doom and some of the heavier stoner bands are doing, but they do it so much better. Slow to mid-paced hammered out sludge, sometimes with an early-punk flavor, as on the track "Master of Alchemy". All the guitar solos are excellent ! Also, they are burried deep in the mix, which always compliments a song rather than sticking out oddly. Another item that helped EW stand out from many of the rest is the fact that these 8 minutes are of pure "jamming out" - very little vocals, lots of solos, much fuzz and wha-wha peddals. Oh, and the sample tracks of feedback, static and all-around weird sounds in the background - nice touch. "I know always I am an outsider, a stranger in this century and among those who are still men..." I could not have said it better.

ELECTRIC WIZARD - Witchcult Today CD (Candlelight) This three-piece doom legend from the UK began in 1993 after ex-members of Thy Grief Eternal wanted to do something a little different. In 1995 the band released their self-titled debut album (on Rise Above Records). The music was traditional-styled doom, but the follow-up, Come My Fanatics... (on The Music Cartel in 1997) was seen as a landmark record for its psychedelic, downtuned fuzz and bass heavy rhythm. Though recording two EPs, it wasn't until 2000 when they came back with another LP (Dopethrone and later 2002's Let Us Prey - both on Rise Above Records, as well as The Music Cartel) due to members Oborn suffering a collapsed eardrum (damn, they must be loud!), and Greening breaking his collarbone in a motorcycle accident. In 2005 under a new lineup EW released the less psychedelic, We Live (now repressed - as all old EW releases are - on Candlelight Records). Damn, I've been sober for almost a year now (well, at least from the green monster) and this new record makes me want to lay around in a haze, jamming to this CD. Not because it may enhance the experience, but because I just may need it medically due to the punishing riffs and wall of crushing ampage. Electric Wizard are back and better than ever, with eight nuggets and an hour's worth sweet chiba-inspired doom damage. If you are into stoner doom, I'm sure you already have this tucked away into your player, but if you're interested in checking some of this stuff out... by all means, you can start here. Don't blame me if you get hooked.

ELLIOTT - Song In the Air CD (Revelation) Who would have known this disc could win me over like it did. Though I'm not a fan of bands like Radiohead, Coldplay or Sigur Rós, as it highly borrows from that school of music. Now, I do think they are cheating by using cello, viola & violin. And that's simply because I doubt they'll pull it off live, but please prove me wrong - but damn it if it doesn't make for good music in the here-and-now. The title track is the best example of this. The Song In The Air LP - for the most part - was recorded and mixed in a home studio. It was to be an EP but the guys in Elliott said the ideas kept coming and songs kept growing. The production is perfect. Nothing is mixed too loud or too low. The opening few tracks don't deviate much from one another, and bring to mind much of the aforementioned genre, while still invoking their own distinct and powerful sound. Maybe it's their emocore roots? Though nothing here is even close to "heavy" per say, I can see this winning over many in the hardcore scene. In the middle of the album they pick up the pace with a track that sounds more like their older material ("Drag Like Pull"). "Blue Storm" reminded me a bit of late 80s The Cure, as did a few other moments on this release. It's also the only other song where you can hear much of the sound of early Elliot. My biggest complaint is that - while I really like this record a lot - this is the type of sound that makes the majors come sniffin'.

THE EMERGENCY FOUR - This Is Emergency CD-R DEMO (The Emergency Four) This five song demo from Philly really hit the spot. Lots of black metal and noise this month, and not that I mind, but sometimes I just want to jump around the room, pointing my finger in the air, while I yell along with the singer. The Emergency Four is a four-piece from Pennsylvania, which includes ex-members of Example 24, Kill Verona and Little League. These five tracks start and end with powerful hardcore rhythms, call and response vocals, and just a touch of the emo vibe, creating a style that isn't that far off of the Gainesville sound (i.e. - Hot Water Music), but they also stick in a touch of metal (especially in the vocals) here and there, so that does help keep separate from the pack, and the sound a bit fresh, as if Small Brown Bike sounded less like HWM and more like Quicksand. A seriously good freshman effort.

END OF LEVEL BOSS - Inside the Difference Engine CD (Exile On Mainstream) I'm actually grateful this record was dropped in my box, as lately I've been pulling out the older EoLB record (Prologue, also on Exile On Mainstream Records), not to mention copies of Soundgarden's Ultramega OK and Louder Than Love. I was getting a little tired of repeating that Seattle band's "Big Dumb Sex" over and over again. A newer band with a stranger name is who fans of SST Records-era Soundgarden should now look out for. End of Level Boss is the brainchild of Hangnail guitarist and vocalist Heck Armstrong - lyrics, music and all. EoLB play stoner rock-metal the likes of Kyuss, Atomic Bitchwax or Lowrider, and mix it with an early 90's Seattle style. Sometimes the music is steamrollin' rock-n-roll, while there are also dreamy or lush moments of guitar psychedelic and trippy riff wizardry. Damn it all if Heck doesn't sound like Chris Cornell too. Don't let the popularity of Grunge at the end of the last millennium scare you away from this record: it rocks. You might dig this, but your mom may love it!

ENGORGED - s/t CD (Death Vomit) Let me begin by saying I like horror movies, but simply in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 sort-of-way. I like to point out their plot holes, flaws, bad acting and total gore. They're great that way. Engorged uses much of the horror movie imagery that's normally in death metal and grindcore, but I won't hold that against them, because they shred... and by the looks, samples and lyrics I can see that it's all tounge-in-cheek to begin with - but I digress from the record's overall strengths. The guitar work. The song structures. A pounding blend of hardcore, thrash, grind, death and black metal. Serious! Track four, "Cobra Rage", has a breakdown that Hatebreed would shank someone for. The opening sample of the same track made me laugh. Know why? Well, knowing is half the battle (made the connection yet?). The music could be lumped in the "death metal" genre by those who don't have an ear for extreme music - as grindcore and death metal are seemingly the biggest influence here, but there really is so much more - as "White Line Nightmare" fades out with balls out punk sounding riffs, while "Dawn of the Dead" contain old-school New York hardcore choruses. Some of the metalcore and chaoticore bands out there might want to check out Engorged's guitar solos and down-picking madness for some pointers. Some comparisons are made to Anthrax, and truth be, I would agree only if Anthrax butched-up by about 90%.

ENSIFERUM - Victory Songs CD (Spinefarm) Ensiferum (being Latin for 'sword bearing') is a neo-folk Viking metal band hailing from Helsinki, Finland. Founded in 1995 and calling their style 'heroic folk metal', as their lyrics are inspired by literature and poetry, such as the Finnish epic Kalevala. They released a demo in 1997 and two more in '99, which got them noticed by Spinefarm Records, who released Ensiferum's self titled album in 2001, their sophomore Iron (in 2004) and a 2006 EP (Dragonheads). Their newest work doesn't stray far for the formula that got them the notice they deserved. While it brings to mind bands like Amon Amarth and Windir, it also makes me think of power metal bands like Dragonforce and Symphony X. Metallic gallop, excellent guitar solos and riffage thrust ahead, while backed up by keyboards, and traditional folk instruments like flutes and bagpipes. The vocals (former Norhter member Petri Toivonen) range from tough growling to cleaning singing, and are often backed by spirited folky chants and beer pub choruses. Though I am familiar with Viking metal, power metal and thrash metal, I can't say I've ever heard a band like Ensiferum. This is a rather unique take on genres that have been around some time, but have never before been blended together like this. Oh, and for North American audiences who don't want to pay an import price, Candlelight Records is releasing it for you domestically.

ENSOPH - Opus Dementiae CD (Cruz Del Sur) This is one of the most intriguing records I have heard in some time. Upon first listen I could not stand it, but something... I don't know, something told me to put it aside a give it repeated listens. I'm hooked. Doom and gothic inspired metal meets no wave, cold wave, dark wave and new wave. Heavy riffs, thick bass, double bass drums and blasts, keyboards, flute, Congo drums, dance beats - all with a thick Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavor. Think: Cradle of Filth, Sisters of Mercy, Ministry (both older and newer material), Chimeria, Soft Cell and Muslimgauze. It's operatic, too - one big, strange opus. It's starts off with the harder edged tracks, but you really have to hear the blast beats mixed with the insane keyboards of "In the Flesh". "Salmo a Nessuno" (track five) is a complete industrial song, almost falling into breakbeat / trance at the very end. From there to "Lies of the Mirror Which Lies Not" the record chills out for a bit, doing more of the electronic thing, kicking in organic metal sparsely."Sun of the Liar", even with it's heavier moments, could pass off for new wave. "Proudly Divine" has the heavy come in kicking, and it's back to breakdowns and riffs, until the last rack, a remix of track three, "Sophia's Fall" (by Sophies Welt) could have been mistaken for a Divine song, or any other Bobby O produced song. Seriously it has this great late 80s 'high NRG' groove. Very danceable, and could be a big Goth club hit. The vocals go from shouting and yells to singing and melody, and even death metal growls and high-pitched black metal screeches. And don't go thinking that it's always the faster, heavier songs have the crazy vocals and the electro stuff is all melodic, as Ensoph will often places an opposite vocal stilling over what you would normally expect. The entire disc is very different from the norm, and fully challenged my listening.

EPHEL DUATH - Pain Necessary to Know CD (Earache) This is - by far - Earache's best release since... I don't know what. Well, I did like the Dead Bird record. Okay, this album smokes! Psychedelic jazz-rock metal insanity pouring from a trio out of Italy. Incepted in '98, their first album was released in 2000 (Phormula on Code666) and soon caught the ear of we Americans via mp3.com. Five years later we get their newest slab of mania and psychosis set to music via Pain Necessary to Know. - a musical thrill-ride if there ever was one. There are parts were Neurosis come to mind, but they are thrown around and bashed-up cold by Zorn-like explosions of freeform jazz. A less annoying, and better rockin' Mr. Bungle (or replace said band name with: Primus) comes to mind when I hear most of Ephel Duath. I can't tell when a single track starts and when one ends, yet I love it because I just let the record play... and play over again... and play over again.

EVERY TIME I DIE - Hot Damn! CD (Ferret) Having slightly changed their sound by adding a little more of the hard rock (ala stoner and doom) ETID still evoke madness and chaos in their - not to repeat myself - maddening chaoticore. They increase the groove and the sing-a-long factor on this record. I think it's really cool that even with the changes, if you put on the last LP (Last Night In Town) and compare it, you can still hear the same band. Well, actually the guitars have matured so very gracefully. Their almost solo-like thrashing in "I Been Gone A Long Time" mixes with whiskey-drenched southern fried rock riffs. At times the guitar sound and drone riffing brought to mind much of Cable's Northern Failures. They still retain much of their sense of humor as well, with titles like the opener "Romeo A Go Go", "In the Event that Everything Should Go Terribly Wrong", "Floater" and "Ebolarama", which is what made me like them so much to begin with. A serious band, who doesn't take themselves too seriously. With it's blend of crazy hardcore, metal, emocore and rock-n-roll this is my new favorite for the next month to come, I'm sure. Though too close to 'the big time', it was pretty cool to see a full page color ad for a metalcore band in AP.

EXENE CERVENKA AND THE ORIGINAL SINNERS - Sev7en CD (Nitro) This is X's Exene Cervenka and guitarist Jason Edge along with the California trio The 7 Shot Screamers, coming together to give you the second installment of The Original Sinners (first was 2002's self-titled LP). Though similar to X in the punk-meets-country flavor, the beats are sometimes faster and the guitars saw with a little more crunch. Exene's been busy with the art scene (film and video) and poetry world (with five published volumes), but music is in her blood, as she still performs with X. Well, even X wasn't enough for her, and it's all well and good because her vocals fit the jerky twang of the garage-tinged and punk injected tracks put out by Edge and crew. There are slower alt-country rock numbers peppered about, but the beat stays strong all around. It's 'bout time Nitro came out with something decent besides street punk and pseudo-emocore.

EXCESSUM - Death Redemption CD (Deathstrike) I give credit to the one-man black metal bands, but when you come right down to it... they're all guitarists at heart, so the drums suffer a bit, or are even sometimes played poorly. Fighting aside, here's another instance where two can be better than one - one to fiddle with the strings, the other to bash and blast-beat like you mean it. Now, this black metal duo from Sweden got picked up by Deathstrike on just a rehearsal demo, and you can hear why on their debut album, Death Redemption. A classic black metal sound, with buzzsaw guitars, blast beats, noisy, yet melodic interludes with killer guitar solos. Admittedly, the recording and sound are very polished and well recorded here. Sometimes, I really dig the shitty recordings, but when a disc like this drops by, I wonder how it almost became tradition. Another admission: as blasphemous as I can be, the 'fuck Christ with a bloody condom'-type of lyrics are starting to get stale.

EXITIUM - Outsourcing Morality CD (Deep Send) I'm surprised they found five people in Oklahoma, not only into death metal and grind, but talented enough to all play well enough in an extreme metal band. Now you know how many members and where they're from, but the sound may have already been familiar to you. Twelve tracks of dual vocal grindcore with hints of Swedish speed picking and early UK death metal. In the end, it stands on its own, but does bring to mind Rotten Sound, as well as a bit of Nasum, with the lyrics being way more political than either. Well, Murderworks wasn't even close to political, was it? Anyhow, "Enshrined" is a sure highlight for its punishing crunch, but the opening scream on "Species of Compulsion" kicks that track right up there. Finally, another musical word-reference to the state of Oklahoma, besides a show tune!

F - @#$! CD (F) I like their earlier stuff much better, "Such Men Are Dangerous", the Killed By Florida compilation - all that stuff, but still... what a fun record. Punk fucking rock! F has been a part of the south Florida punk scene since the very early 80s. I cannot count the times I have seen them, mostly because I haven't seen them since the late 80s, and I don't remember much from back then. Either way, like I said, a fun record. F, Diaco and the boys give us ten tracks of that '77 sound drenched in The Stooges, NY Dolls and MC5. I'm a little sad "Violence" doesn't have the 'ah-ah-ah' whisper vocals it does when they play it live, but it still jammed. "Stabback" is a blues inspired track that kicks into a little early 80s metal in the choruses. "My Little Hell" is pure power rock heaven, and "We Are the Hate" is a six minute track that made me think of Blue Oyster Cult more than Blue Cheer. F's vocals are better than ever, and I often wonder how he hits some of those falsettos. Very metal ala Rob Halford. They end the record with a cover of "Smash It", a song by a character called Deacon Dark (played by Sonny Bono [of all people] and also sang the song, "Step, Step, Step on a Toad") which appeared on The Love Boat tv show. You have to love a sense of humor like that! The killer music helps too.

FAILURE FACE - Complete Failure CD (Burrito) There was a Florida compilation in 1992 - It's A Florida Thing, You Wouldn't Understand - that gave the HC scene songs from some of the best Florida bands (yeah, mine included). They were the best bands for that time, and one of which was Failure Face. Their track "Broken Man" was power-violence and grindcore mayhem. When their self-titled 7" came out, it was on many of MRR's Top 10 lists. FHF's too. In 1994 Kent McClard's Ebullition released their next 7" - All Pain No Gain - and they made that many more fans. Admittedly by 1995 I was lost in the world of alcohol, materialism and sex (ie - marriage)... so yeah, I lost track of them - and a hundred other great bands. Now this is proof you can't keep good records down, or at least out-of-print, Burrito Records (vocalist Bob Suren's label) re-releases both 7"es on one CD, plus all the FF songs off the FF/Ulcer and FF/EBS split 7"es, plus one compilation track (from an Ebullition comp) and a live set recorded at their reunion show in 2003. I only wish I was there! Man, this record is packed. 40 songs, almost an hour of music. If you are (or were) a fan of Drop Dead, Infest or the whole Slap-A-Ham and Ebullition sounds, you will simply love this disc.

FALL OF THE LEAFE - Aerolithe CD (Firebox) Fall of the Leafe began in the small Finnish town of Uusikaupunki in 1996, as a melodic death metal band. They released a tape demo (Storm of the Autumnfall) and were quickly picked up by Defiled Records, who released the band's debut album in 1998 (Evanescent, Everfading). Though Defiled went under, that very same year FOTL was then swooped up by Argentinean label Icarus Music (releasing August Wernicke in 2000 and Fermina in 2002). In 2005 Finland's Firebox signed them for the next few releases (2005's Volvere, and Vantage LPs). Well, it's 2007 and on Aerolithe are gone any of the remaining black metal elements. What Fall of the Leafe now seem to be are a Tool-esque, keyboard-heavy, almost power metal outfit. With that said, I don't want you to think this is a change for the worse - it isn't bad at all. In fact I really, really enjoy this record. Tuomas Tuominen's vocals are very similar to Maynard James Keenan, meaning he can actually sing, though at times he does bring about a throaty growl. The music is basically power metal, but keeps a lot of the heavier aspects of bands like Katatonia and Anathema, yet also have a poppy keyboard tinkling throughout most tracks. Upon first listen, this really threw me for a loop, but something told me to give it repeated listens. I actually started to fall for this on only the second time around. I guess I just needed to get the first one out of the way to remove a bit of the shock and confusion. I can hear this being big with those into Symphony X, Dragonforce or Edguy, but strangely as well as those into Pearl Jam or later Soundgarden. My biggest complaint is that I can also see this being swallowed up by fans of Linkin Park, Nickleback and Alice in Chains.

FALL SILENT - Drunken Violence CD (Revelation) Many have picked this off my stack and exclaimed the artwork as "carzy" and "insane". Artwork care of Rob Roy Heistand. I think it's all rather cute. Drawings of bloody cherubs drinking, pissing and duking it out, being run down by a Roman centurion. Just what this site's all about, one would guess. But alas, I write this to translate the sound I hear into words that will stick out in your mind as you thumb through a CD bin and not to spout off about how they get a wink for the implied blasphemy. True, true. So as I write this I shake, and bounce, tap feet. It's all a pretty good sign. The music seems a very old-school hardcore influenced - ala Minor Threat and especially D.R.I. - inspired metalcore. The third track "Seven Plies" made me chuckle right off the bat just from the sample, even more when I make the title connection which refers to the blessed and almighty skateboard. They have all the flair and skills it takes to blaze through a whole mess of almost-guitar-solo-like verses, but suddenly they're offset by sometimes simplistic choruses - as in "8 Jade Horses". Very nice! I could have done without the cover of "Barracuda" (originally by 80s chick-fronted metal outfit Heart), but he hits most of the notes, so points there, it just seems so out of place on the record. Maybe for an EP, but too late eh? It in no way, takes from this LP, as they come back with more thrash insanity via "War Poetry" - lyrically written in part by a Vietnam veteran, a relative of some band members. I would advise a listen to this album, they can definitely take it from there.

FEAR MY THOUGHTS - The Great Collapse CD (Lifeforce) Hailing from Freiburg, Germany - that's in Europe smarty - these five gents have been slugging it out in the hardcore / metal scene since 1998. Previously releasing their first EP in 2000, and a few LPs for Let It Burn Records (23, 2001 and Vitriol, 2002), it really took until 2004 for FMT to really find themselves. "Rituals" brought to mind the latest Darkest Hour works. The keyboards that opened this made me think Lifeforce was taking a new route through the land of nümetal. Metal it may be, but thankfully they're not singing melodies or making lame attempts at hooky head-bopping chords. "Sirens Singing" was all rock riffs (and metal solos) placed to mosh grooves. "Challenge" has much of that Scandinavian guitar work found in many metalcore bands, though, at least Fear My Thoughts do it right... metal as fuck. "Norm AD" is the shortest song here, but it's a real dance-hard-or-die doom number that soon meets the last song, "Reign", the longest and most viscous track that threw in some near-blast beats and thrashy buzzsaw guitars. The vocals juggle back and forth between higher pitched screams that sound like a rabid animal and a low, hardcore growl. Hardly a single song under 5 minutes. Actually one at five, three barely under five, and four over six minutes, not counting the intros and interludes. Ten songs at 45 minutes? That's pretty epic to the hardcore world. Doesn't matter. They won't suffer a single second - unless they get in the pit.

FEW AND THE PROUD - Stampede CD (Organized Crime) As much as I wrote about maturing musically in O-Crime's earlier review, I know it's fun as hell to go back to one's youth... so here we go. Remember early Bold? Early Rest In Pieces? Wide Awake, Slapshot, Turning Point, Judge and Gorilla Biscuits? The Chicago outfit Few And The Proud sure do, and featuring ex and current members of such bands as Plan of Attack, Double Crossed, Expired Youth and Harms Way they have enough years in the scene and road miles between then to compete with the best of the ol' straight edge legends. Stampede is eleven tracks of fun, point your finger in the air and sing along kinda fun. With lyrics about friendships good and bad, the evils of drugs, and staying positive... this'll all be able to take many back to the days of shaved heads, gang choruses and X Swatch watches.

FIFTY CALIBER KISS - Armor Class Invincible CD (Universal Warning) This Reading, Pennsylvania quintet are going to set the hardcore-metal world aflame. Seriously, with the record hardly out yet, they've already had their music featured on The Discovery Channel's Great Biker Build-Off, as well as producing a very sexy, yet awesomely morbid music video for their album track, "Hide the Razor" (featuring God's Girls, a racier version of Suicide Girls). With ex-members of Mushmouth, Out to Win (on guitars), and Wolfpac (on bass) this new outfit is musically and vocally comparable to Every Time I Die, Poison the Well and Evergreen Terrace, putting forth a mad hardcore energy with a great metal thrust, and a hidden rock groove underneath it all, fronted by throaty yells, as well as a bit of melodic backing vocals. They even do guitar solos that scorch - something which is rarely found in metalcore acts. Highlights of this disc include "Hide the Razor", "Epicness of Saganess" and my favorite from these guys, "High Is the New Low". If You Tube ever crashes and you need to see the fine ladies in FCK's well-worth watching video, you can always pop this disc into your computer and replay the enhanced video over and over again (especially that blue-haired beauty in the bathroom scene). An excellent debut, that makes me interested in seeing where they take their sophomore already. I gotta be patient. Hell, I'll just watch the video a few more hundred times.

FIGHT AMP - Hungry for Nothing CD (Translation Loss) This quartet raise their ugly heads out from New Jersey, to riff and stomp their way through dark clubs and concert halls of this nation (and soon enough abroad). Starting somewhere around 2004 and originally called Fight Amputation, these four guys bring you up against a wall of riff were you have no choice but to worship at the altar of volume. They released a few split records on Reptilian Records (with Günna Vahm), Kordova Milk Bar Records (with Exodus), and others, plus a few self-released ditties under the Knifehits Records banner (Ugly Kids Doing Ugly Things 7", etc). Mixing an Amphetamine Reptile Records dirty dirge with the guitar work and wild beats of Mastodon, they inflict a pleasurable pain on your audition. If this sounds good to your ears, pick it up, and if you can't get enough check out the new 7", Jerseys Best Cancer, a split record with fellow NJ band Cash In, on Assassinated Records.

FIRE DIVINE - It's All A Blur CD EP (Deep Elm) Tease. An index finger i s pointed at you guys, while the other glides over the the first. Shame on you. Four songs? Whose idea was this, the band's or label's? I'm gonna say label, this way they'll make it up to me with stacks of freebies. In all seriousness, this is a really good EP. I'm just a little stirred because I get really into the record, only to have it end in fifteen minutes. Unless this is the demo re-recorded, their demo should have been added on here. Oh well, I just wish I could hear more is all. This New Jersey five piece blend a few styles together, all of which undeservingly get the generic tag 'emo' slapped on them. They mix some indie-rock riffs and catchy hooks (similar to Slowride) with a few emotional verses here and choruses there (like Bob Mould or Sugar), then suddenly blow up in some screaming hardcore (vocally similar to Thursday) and lightly marked with nerdrock (read: Weezeresque chords). "Reputation Outlives Application" is a powerful mash of rock-n-roll and heavy punk rock. "We Ride on Sunbeams" was Hüsker Dü meets The Beatles. The EPs last track, "Smoke and Mirrors" went from emotional hardcore to arena rock. One hell of a powerful song. Fire Divine is all over the emocore map, yet they blend it well enough to keep the sound consistent, while coming off as pretty unique in an all-too-Mtv inspired genre.

FIRE IN THE HEAD - Meditate / Mutilate CD (Eibon) Fire In The Head is one Michael Page from Massachusetts, and he's one proficient dude with the harsh noise and power electronics. Michael electronically abuses his vocals, keyboards and contact mic to produce structured mayhem. Feedback, droning noises, walls of low-end rumble all blend into a cohesive mass of boom and scratch. Unlike Merzbow and Masonna, where each noise may be a piece unto itself, FITH's tracks weave into elements of each creating a structure of form-music (verse / chorus / verse, for instance, as most songs wax at a lull, pick up into crescendo and then wane). Sometimes quiet and atmospheric, but mostly needle-in-the-red power-electronoise that sometimes comes off as a more hardcore freeform jazz. I like the minimalism of the layout, and while the black cover showing fire and a rune-like symbol hint at the genre, the flaming 45 on the reverse screams hip-hop.

FIRE IN THE HEAD - The Remedy Has Become the Affliction CD (NCC) Sometimes it's hard to fathom that a band like Sky Burial is related in full to Fire In The Head without multiple personality disorder or schizotypal personas coming to mind. They are both the projects of solo noisician and Massachusetts native Michael Page, but while Sky Burial is something you can calmly fall asleep to while reading a book, FITH is something that will make you want to don face paint, hide in a neighbors hedge and throw molotov cocktails at passing police cars. Though less abrasive than a band like Whitehouse, it's still very similar in the sense of an assault on the ears. Page tinkers with his vocals, some samples and lots of electronics, possibly running them all through and through modulators until he's left with a roaring wall of feedback and brain-melting static. Not so much noise, as actual noise music, complete with song structures and elements of composition, over just turning a knob and letting it all go to hell and back. Differing from his last CD release (Meditate / Mutilate on Eibon Records), there isn't much quiet or ambient moments here, adding up to ten tracks of Masonna-esque insanity. Interestingly enough, track five is Page's interpretation of "Wash" by D.C. postcore band Swiz, while nine and ten are reworks of FITH tracks by Guilty Connector and Hum Of The Druid. The digipack cover work is by anarcho-pacifist and feminist artist Gee Vaucher (known for her work with Crass albums), and is limited, as most noise releases are, to a mere 300 copies - so happy hunting to the soon-to-be deaf.

FIRESUITE - Forever December CD (Firesuite) This is not a band I'd normally expected to come my way, but I am so very happy that they did. This UK outfit formed in 2001, and though they are a four-piece outfit, the sound is so lush and full of textures that I thought there were a lot more players involved. Musically, imagine My Bloody Valentine and a bit of Explosions In the Sky meeting up for some drinks and a jam session with early Radiohead and some Sigur Rós. Better yet, And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead crashing their instruments along to a Cocteau Twins song. The vocals are very well sung by guitarist Chris Anderson, and every once in a while they are backed up by piano player Jemima Grace's haunting melodies. The bass guitar (Chris Minor) does a whole lot more here than just keep a steady rhythm, and drummer, Richard Storer, really knows how to work the skins, because there is rarely a simple, steady beat. "When You Were Withered" was half touchingly heartfelt pop / half explosive rock fury. "Crashed" equally brought to mind Interpol, as it did the Deep Elm school of emotional hardcore. The closer, "Blue Wounds" started soft and slow, and built up to a crescendo, which crashes me into the sad reality that the record is over - when I want more. So much more. I can't say this enough, nor anymore seriously, I am shocked this is a self-released EP. If Firesuite has been playing music like this since their inception, they should have been picked up by a label way long ago. There are a whole slew of record labels that are really missing out on something here. Pick up this disc, so you can get in on name dropping, before they're already well known.

THE FIRE THE FLOOD - Truth Seekers CD (No Sleep) Hailing from Charlotte, NC this quartet formed a just few years ago (2005), the following year they self-released a demo and began a constant tour schedule. The hard work paid off as No Sleep Records noticed and they picked up TFTF for a full LP. I'm surprised to like this, as I thought it would be standard (read: dull) metalcore, but it's a whopper of a record, and musically the band bites down and holds on for life and the love of blood. I know these dudes want to be seen as a hardcore band, and it's heavy and hard to the core, but while I do hear moments of Norma Jean and Botch, I hear a hell of a lot more Cable, Every Time I Die and A Life Once Lost - bands that have hardcore roots, but play more of a southern-tinged hard rock. The weakest aspect are the vocals, which aren't bad, but they never change throughout. The music goes from metal to hardcore, hard rock to thrash, grind to technical, yet the vocals remain in a throaty, raspy growl. Mind you, they are in no way bad, just monotone. Oh yeah, I could also do without the religious agenda, but I'll forgive them - something a Xtian themselves will rarely do.

FLESHIES - Gung Ho! CD (Life Is Abuse) I kicked myself for months when I missed them play at Churchill's Pub last year (more so when I found out Aaron Cometbus was their roadie). Only around for five years and they've already released a slew of material (some on Alternative Tentacles and Adeline Records), and taken a few trips all over the world to play countless gigs. Gung Ho! is a collection of split releases and singles that starts things off with a Phantom Limbs cover off the split 7" they did with The Phantom Limbs themselves (track four "It's Alright" is another from that split). This CD may be worth it just for "I Just Took the Most Punk Rock Shit of My Life", the gem that appeared on their split 7" with Federation X. Next up are the catchy "I Can't Hear You" and the vicious "1000 Ways", which were recorded in some studio after hours and appeared on their self-released tape Arbgabdo, Baby! and a split 7" with The Jocks, respectively. The sound quality of course varies from recording to recording, but the music's power, rhythm, fury and hooks just make you forget the cutting-corners sessions and living room recordings. "The Long Road" (an unreleased track) and "Gonna Have to Pass" (from their Victims family split) show a much more rock-n-roll, yet pissed off, sound. "Satellites" is a Stranger Steals cover that was recorded - along with "No The, Just Fleshies" and "Tinklin' Man" (possibly their most poppy material) during their most experimental session. A few unreleased live tracks recorded in 2003 ("Sexiest Man Alive" and "No One"). Closing things out we get "My Buddy" (off their Toys That Kill split, and recorded by Fudge Tunnel's Alex Newport) and "Arbgabdo, Baby!" another unreleased track that thankfully sees the light of day. Does the length of this review not say something itself? Yes... this record rocks! Punk fuckin' rocks! For those of you that missed out on the vinyl versions - here you go. For those of you who don't know who these Oakland felons are - start here. For those of you not interested - get interested... before they come for you.

FLIPPER - Target Video 77: 1980 - 81 DVD (Target / Music Video Distributors) Some time in the late '70s artist Joe Rees had seen that there was a future in using video with music. In 1977 Rees founded Target Video. While collaborating with others he captured events, rallies and performance art, but Target mostly filmed punk, hardcore and new wave bands, and video taped some of the largest names in those scenes (Cramps, Screamers, Talking Heads, Black Flag, Iggy Pop, Circle Jerks and hundreds more). For a while there, Target was almost a forgotten name. I had a few bootleg copies on VHS of a few of the live sets they documented. Thanks to the folks at MVD, though nowhere near all, a whole lot of Target stuff has resurfaced. This time around it's Bruce Loose, Will Shatter and crew; the monster known as Flipper. To me Flipper was true punk. Not the standard three chord stuff a thousand Sex Pistols clones produced, but wild art-damaged rock noise that truly said, 'punk is attitude, not music'. I used to walk around my high school singing "Ha, Ha, Ha" all the time - it annoyed many, both the straight-laced and the punks. This DVD contains two shows, one in Berkley from 1981 and another opening for Throbbing Gristle's last US show in 1981 at San Francisco. It also has a TV segment where the guys jam on "Sex Bomb" in 1983. Seventy minutes of live noise-punk dronecore, featuring most of their better known tracks ("Love Canal", "Low Rider", "One By One" and the aforementioned track I always sung), as well as a few that may stump those in the know. These guys influenced rockers from the Amphetamine Reptile school, the Seattle Sub Pop sound and even a few doom metal acts, pick up this disc and see why.

FLOOR - s/t CD (No Idea) It's been 6 or 7 years since Floor has put out any material, and about 8 (or even 9) since I heard them last. Very little has changed, but there are changes. First, the speed. Their playing has sped up just a hair. Their still pretty sludgy, but they pick up the pace for the most part. Next is that they still love the power chord, and praise at the altar of riffs, but they've grown up and added much experience and incorporated more intricate song writing. Lastly was Steve's vocals. He can sing - pretty good too. But I do so love the vocals I was accustomed to from their early releases. I prefer growls and screams anyhow. It wasn't until "Ein" (track 10) where I hear the Steve I am so familiar with. With all that said, let me clarify that this is a praise-worthy album. Just because things change, doesn't mean they change for the worse. While still reminding me a bit of bands like Sleep and Grief, Floor are also bringing to mind Isis' Oceanic, or Shallow's 16 Sunsets in 24 Hours. The only beef I have with this disc is the song, "Twink", the intro falls dangerously close to pop-punk territory. No offense guys.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - Live in Japan DVD (Crash Music) Seriously, I had no idea these fellas were still around, let alone made it out of the early 90s. Last I had heard original bassist Jason Newsted was plucked for Metallica, and though I had heard their following album, don't remember much about them. Anyhow, I was schooled straight by this DVD, that not only are they still around, but their kicking ass. As one of the early thrash bands of the mid-eighties Flotsam and Jetsam was picked up by Metal Blade when that label was almost at its peak, later switching to Elektra for a sophomore, then MCA for another three in the early 90s and back to Metal Blade for three more. Turns out - whether I knew it or not - busy guys! Now on Crash Music they're still kicking out LPs - and now DVDs, as this set features nine songs recorded in front of a soldout audience in Tokyo, Japan. Going through old classics ("No Place for Disgrace") as well as newer material "Straight to Hell". After the live thrashing enjoy a music video for "Straight to Hell". Nice to have been sat down and taught an old lesson.

FREE DIAMONDS - There Should Be More Dancing CD (Deep Elm) Something hit me about this record. I didn't care for it right off the bat, but "Blind Boys" (which is also found on Deep Elm's This Is Indie Rock Volume 3) played off this British post-punk fix I've been craving lately - you know, Gang of Four, APB, Medium Medium. The reason I was originally turned off was the similarities between The Blood Brothers. Upon closer listen it's like The Homosexuals or Medium Medium had a practice session with The Blood Brothers. Sorry, but it's true. Now, what else is true is that this record smokes. Highly driven by the bass and drums, the guitar and dual vocals are secondary. Some songs carry soulful R&B, garage rhythms the likes of MC5, while others are backed by a jerky, jangly proto-punk ala Minutemen. Anyhow, it's always great for the dancefloor (using 'dancefloor' in the 'boogie' not 'mosh' sense). Catchy, hook-filled power-pop meets post-punk with a dual vocal, pseudo-rap attack. I don't know why, but it figures to me that they're British, as well as a three-piece. I guess, sometimes sonically, you can tell.

FREE DIAMONDS - By the Sword CD (Deep Elm) When I received the first LP (There Should Be More Dancing, also on Deep Elm Records) by these three British lads, I was originally put off, but upon further listen, I actually became a fan. I would even put their song "Blind Boys" on compilations so friends could have a listen. When I saw this new album had arrived in my mailbox I was seriously looking forward to checking it out. Boy, I was not let down. Their sound has matured, and they've changed just a little, but it's still Free Diamonds, that's for sure. FD seem to have added more musical styles (rumba, calypso, country) to their already eclectic mix (R&B, garage, punk), of which they can surely call their own. Herky-jerky, start-stop, jangly postpunk meets fast-paced power-pop... think The Vapors having a jam session with The Homosexuals. Haircut 100 or Medium Medium getting beat up by The Blood Brothers or Avenging Disco Godfather. APB remixing Minutemen songs after listening to nothing but The Meat Puppets for days on end. Their newest five inch disc is over an half-hour of catchy, hook-filled tunes with a dual vocal, pseudo-rap attack with pop sensibilities and a new wave flair. This will make it big with the music-nerd crowd, the postpunk aficionados and maybe even the dancefloor whores.

FORDIRELIFESAKE / DELUGE - s/t SPLIT CD EP (Thorp) Fordirelifesake are a metalcore outfit from Detroit that produced three tracks, all blended together in a barrage of back-room hardcore, melodic metal and pop-like emocore... close to the likes of Poison the Well and Thursday colliding. Throaty vocals, crushing chords and cymbals smashing meet melodious guitars, emotional singing and rounded out with rock sensibility. "We Burn In Our Own Comfort" blazes a trail from the start, and "These Nights Will Define Me" brings things to a slower pace, but still amazingly heavy throughout. "Insecurities Securing Tragedy" is their standout track on this release, as it blends it all together best. Deluge is (also) a five-piece, but from the Netherlands (Holland). They waste no time by not giving their intro a name (as if it was a different song - though they make that mistake with "I Had A Friend"). Thrash guitars, relentless speed picking, sandpaper vocals for two songs of screamo beatdown. "Strikes the Heart" is furious, but at times shows us there may be more to this than just "heavy". Two songs? No complaint, but I do want to hear more. Well, they could have put a real song in "I Had A Friend"'s place.

FOUR DAYS TO BURN - s/t 7" SINGLE (Dada Drumming) Both thumbs are pointing way up, like some stoned out Fonz. Giggling, banging my head back and forth to the rock-n-roll groove. The headphone chord swings to my movement, as I check out the release's cover jacket. A sight for the eyes too. Killer, dude! Zone out to a trippy pink and black layout, while diggin' some sludgy, southern-fried doom-rock the likes of Eyehategod, or even Orange Goblin. Only two tracks, but with the length of a 7", you can't fit much of this type of music on a 45 slab. With exmembers of Garuda, Dumpster and Dirt Merchant, I should've known that much riffage would spew forth, often pouring out as slow as molasses. Man, out of this haze, I remember a few more things... limited to 1000, with half on pink and black splatter vinyl... A full LP also on Dada Drumming in '07... woah... cool!

FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW - Not One Word Has Been Omitted CD EP (Black Market Activities) First off, it's a five song EP that's longer (just over a half hour) than many metalcore albums, so hats off there. But, the music... holy crap, the music! FASSW's musical style brings to mind (newer) A Life Once Lost and Between the Buried and Me, but seeming a little more urgent, chaotic and frantic. Kind of like ten grindcore songs jammed into one epic piece (or should I say, 50 jammed into five epic pieces). The vocals are intense, and go from a high pitched screech (ala Converge's Bannon) to a deep growl (similar to On Broken Wings), and even some pitches in between. "The Challenge of Caring" explodes it all open with a techcore grind, mixed with breakdowns and black metal speed picking here and there. "I Tried Voodoo Once" was one of the slower tracks, but still had moments of 400+ bpms (that's 'beats per minute' fool). It even threw in a touch of emotional guitar playing towards the three minute mark, and then it goes off into a little acoustic interlude, only to build right back up to kick you in the ass. The stop/start, slow/grind jam of "How London Got Its Fog" left me in a haze. "Vespers" ends the record with an eight minute, black-metal-meets-screamo vibe that just made me hit play again for a little more punishment. I hear mad things about their live shows. Hopefully they'll prove it to me in person.

THE FUCKING WRATH - Season of Evil CD (Goodfellow) Supposedly this Montalvo, CA trio went into the studio on the weekend of 06/06/06 to record Season of Evil. If so, thumbs up for that alone. It's always nice for any record - especially a heavy record - to have as much evil jammed into it as (in)humanly possible... and not just in the album title. Also, try selling yourself, and a few records, when you have the word 'fucking' in your band name. Best of luck with that, evil ones! Anyhow, this LP is the debut end-product of three dope-smoking, record store employees that are way into Black Sabbath, Tragedy and very early Metallica. I can hear those three influences the most here, but I also catch moments of Radio Birdman, Infest, Pentagram and Slayer. In other words: it's a lot of grinding thrash with moments of southern-fried apocalyptic riffs. Big guitars in front of mountains of amps, booming, bombastic drumming, often at breakneck speeds, and growling vocals where you know the singer's tasting blood. My biggest issue is that when the eleven songs are over with, which clock in at under an half hour, I'm only half way done trashing the place. I need more time and songs to finish the wrecking I've started, so I know it's a bit early to ask, but could you guys hurry up with new album already? Oh well, I'll just have to start this record over (and over) again.

GBH - Ha Ha CD (Go Kart) What a month for Go-Kart! Good bands, good sounds. Now, I know my GBH - as I knew of them when they were Charged GBH. When I was a kid, I played City Baby Attacked by Rats constantly - by 1986 I had all their records, and "Generals" (via The Clay Years) was one of my favorite songs for several months. They played the Cameo Theater in 1987, and vocalist Collin got into it with the bouncers as all hell broke loose... great show! The lyrics are as good as ever (I'm sometimes amazed he can remember all the words to all his songs), with Collin's voice sounding exactly as I remember it. The music and song structures drift from their earlier punk and Oi! roots to their thrash-and-bash phase. It's all on here, their fast and punk inspired three-chord strumming to their more early-hardcore anthems, as "Crush 'em" is an almost power-pop number and "Sado Methodist" reminds me of their later, thrash-ier stuff. The Oi! really comes out on track 8, "Belgrade". Classic moments, in which you really wonder if you're listening to new material or one of their older recordings, are all over the record. The final few of the 17 tracks on this CD prove to be just as powerful and catchy as the first 10 tracks - all punk and passion, with no filler, as "Punk Rock Ambulance" ends the record with balls-out chants. I just hope to see them live sometime soon. This should hold me over for a bit, as waves of nostalgia wash over me for about the third time today. My only complaint is the cover artwork and layout, it could have used much more work, as I know there are a lot of starving artists, plus graphic and layout designers out there who would do work for free just to get some street credibility, but luckily, it takes nothing away from the music.

GENOCIDE - Apocalypse Visions CD (Ván) Now, there are two other bands named 'Genocide' from Germany, not to mention nineteen others around the globe, so this may get a little confusing if you're going to go to track this down. Best of luck to you, not to mention Ván Records and the band themselves. This German trio (ex-members of Eternal Frost, Elohim, and Vergeltung) started in 2005 and self-released their first demo In Abhorrence Of Mankind soon after. Three of those songs later appeared on 2007's Blasphemic Terrorism EP (on Burning Churches Records). Whether there is just one Genocide or hundreds of 'em, these guys are definitely a band you should check out. Old school black metal in the vein of Gorgoroth, Marduk, early Darkthrone, or a beefed up Hellhammer - brutality, speed and bleak anger, packed with blastbeats, buzzsaw guitars, tortured vocals and seriously blasphemed lyrics throughout. 'We must secure the total extermination of all races and a future for nonentity.' Hell yes! For vinyl freaks there should be a 12" version available from Burning Churches by now, so let the hunt begin.

GEOGRAPHY - Life In Binary (Universal Warning) Intense is a good word to describe this record. It explodes, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with some history: Geography (other than being a class that is no longer taught in any high school) is a four-piece outfit from Pennsylvania. Geography mix current schools of screamo with older Gravity Record-era sceamo - believe it or not two totally different sounds. One is more furiously emotional and metallic, the other more hardcore, based on DC emocore. Still, they make good use of dark, emotive choruses, with their Fugazi-ish call and response hooks - crashing them up against vicious breakdowns or 300 beats-per-minute spazzcore. A must for fans of Angel Hair, Antioch Arrow, or even the more modern Thursday or Neil Perry.

GET BACK UP - Weathering the Storm CD (Organized Crime) Nine songs, seventeen minutes! Oh, and it's on Organized Crime Records. What does that all equal. Fucking hardcore, you fools! Metallic hardcore too. While it's very old-school influenced, similar in style to Gorilla Biscuits and Wide Awake, this disc also has a heavy metal edge, packed with riffs and a heavy stomp the likes of Terror, Hatebreed or Earth Crisis. These five chaps have been slugging this hardcore brutality out since 2005 when they formed in Buffalo, NY. They've been busy since, as they've been up and down the East Coast, not to mention Midwest, making kids jump all over one another in a live setting. If you're into any of the Bridge Nine school, or earlier Organized Crime slabs, you won't be disappointed by this. They also have a 7" due out anytime now (called Symptoms of Failure), so if these songs went by too quickly, pick it up. Until then... I'm hitting the repeat button on my CD player.

GG ALLIN & THE MURDER JUNKIES - Savage South: The Best of 1992 Tour DVD (Music Video Distributors) The Orlando show of this tour lasted all but three songs when a chair goes out into the audience and all hell breaks loose. So, you know I couldn't wait to get my hands on this disc. Relive the energy, the rage - the piss, shit and blood. MVD give us three shows from that tour, Wreck Room in Atlanta, GA, San Antonio, TX at DMZ and Cavity Club over in Austin, TX. Friends and I are so used to his antics, we watch this and all we can notice is, "GG's got a weird voice." No comments on the violence, the viciousness... it's all so commonplace at a GG Allin show, I guess. Hardly a wince as he eats a bible and headbutts a framed Jesus in Georgia. We chuckle as in San Antonio a guy punches GG in the face during the first song, a melee breaks out in the fourth and by the sixth (and last) song the place is a giant pile-up on a naked Allin. In the last show a female twiddles GG's cock even before the first song starts. As normal as this may have become for my friends and I, it's only normal for a GG show, all other rock shows are a drag compared to this spectacle. Rock-n-Roll needs a bastard like him again. Damn I miss you GG.

G.G. ELVIS AND THE T.C.P. BAND - Back from the Dead CD (Mental) This is a pretty funny release. I can't say that's it's 100% original, but it ranks as one of the better punk takes on Elvis. Actually, does Danzig-era Misfits count? Anyhow, this project features members of NOFX, Jughead's Revenge, Aggression, Dr. Know, Ill Repute and other hardcore stalwarts, and began under the name Punk Rawk Elvis. The music is a mix of classic punk tracks and Elvis Presley songs. Vocally, Eric Lara, who's playing GG Elvis here, sounds a lot like Choke of Slapshot, so imagine early Slapshot playing humorously punked-out Elvis covers, and you're close. "Blue Suede Shoes" goes back and forth between the Elvis original and TSOL's "Code Blue". "Viva Las Vegas" is Black Flag's "Six Pack" with the King's lyrics attached, as "A Little Less Conversation" is BF's "Nervous Breakdown". "Suspicious Minds" is Descendants. You get the idea... well, some are done like the originals - kinda. See if you can pick out what's what. Fun for the whole punk rock family. As an extra, Back from the Dead comes with a DVD disc, which holds a skit done as a talk show, interviews and tons of band photos. A blast to listen to, as well as watch.

GIDGET GEIN - The Law of Diminishing returns CD / GIDGET GEIN - Suspension of Disbelief CD (Gidget Gein) For those unfamiliar with Gidget Gein's work, he was originally a member of Florida band The Spooky Kids (Marilyn Manson's original outfit), and later moving to NYC to form Dali Gaggers. Upon return to Florida he threw himself into artwork becoming a part of the Unpop Art Movement, but music was still is his veins, and here we have the proof. This is a review of two separate releases, so first I'll cover The Law of Diminishing Returns CD release, which is a forty-five minute work of ambient structures and avant-garde cut-up music, with guest vocals from LA drag queen Squeaky Blonde. This disc is a accompaniment to a G. Gein art piece by the name 'Incase of Emergency Break Heart', of which a small photo is contained in the layout, and the musical work is a very trippy and spacey, yet haunting and eerie excursion into ambient music, tape loops, psychedelic guitar-play and swirling synths. Gein supplies the track's rhythmic lullful fuzz bass, as well as accordion, and jews harp, while guitar and coproduction were courtesy of Brian Butler. I'm looking forward to the books that are supposed to shed more light on this work (Rigs, Gimmicks and Other Sets of Works, Gollywood Babylon and Euphoric Recall). The CD release is Unpop artist's Suspension of Disbelief and is a (de)composition of the sounds Gein heard while creating his 'UnPoP Can' painting (which is his take on Andy Warhol's 'Soup Cans' prints). This recording is way more bizarre than the previously reviewed piece, though delightfully so. It's structure and sound is highly inspired by the Parisian Dadaists of the early 1900s, with its sample-heavy looping of animal noises (feral and domestic), unintelligible speeches, laughing children, and a Sousa-like symphony march that at times is separated and at times crashes and collides. Unlike The Law of Diminishing Returns, no instruments were used besides antique toys, a gramophone and a Mac computer. Again, more info will be released via the aforementioned books, but until then you can listen and make up your own story to what's behind these creepy and crazy cacophonies.

GIVING CHASE - A Cheap Print of A Masterpiece CD (Jump Start) Giving Chase are five guys from the streets of Philadelphia, PA and they sound pissed, but luckily, while being angry enough to put out a hardcore sound, they didn't go the route of the tough-guy chugga-chugga school (ie: Hatebreed). Mixing equal parts California punk rock, old schools hardcore ala New York City, the call-and-response Gainesville sound, and the early emocore sound of D.C. I can hear it all in these twelve tracks: crowds going completely wild, while pissed off dudes are bashing in their own instruments, as the lead vocalist points his finger high in the air and the veins in his neck attempt to break free of his body. I'm trying to think of a band that these guys sound like and I can't put my finger on it. No one in specific, but more like everything Bridge 9 Records put out with a little Hot Water Music. The vocals are mostly screamed in a heavy bark by Mike Woliasnky, with two others backing him up - another growler and another who actually sings in the background (or often in the choruses). The packaging is a nice added touch to please the eyes, as the band pleases the ears. If you can't get enough after your CD player has worn out your copy, you can contact Jump Start Records because they also carry an EP (2003's Nothing Ever Changes). Seriously though, where the hell did these guys get the sample at the end of "Acceleration Couch" - this LP could be worth it for that alone!

GIVE UP THE GHOST - Year One CD (Bridge 9) Even after suffering a few name changes, Give Up the Ghost is still able to hold on to fans. Even in these Attention Deficit Disordered times. How? Same way the label Bridge 9 does it... good hardcore. No matter how many times you change your name, the kids can't forget about your music if it's powerful and evokes raw emotion. Well after two full albums on Equal Vision (Background Music and We're Down Till We're Underground) many were looking for their earlier out-of-print EPs (the self-titled EP and The Sun Isn't getting Any Brighter). Well here they are, along with some extras. The first two EPs (engineered by Kurt Ballou of Converge fame, and recorded at his Godcity Studios) from Bridge 9 plus a cover of MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" (they also cover Cro-Mags' "It's the Limit" on here, taken from their 2nd EP - both covers are well done) and three extra songs recorded live on Britain's BBC Network. This whole record is almost worth it just for "Fuck What Fireworks Stand For" alone. Damn, that song is tough. No more sneaking around eBay - it's all here.

THE GLASSPACK - Dirty Women CD (Small Stone) The Glasspack are a band you should know, and if you don't, let me introduce you. They're a Louisville, Kentucky hard rock outfit that began sometime in 2000. They released their first LP in 2001 (American Exhaust on Riverock Records), they soon garnered the notice of Small Stone over in motor city, Detroit (which released Powderkeg in 2002 and '04's Bridgeburner). I'm a big fan of the band, and I've enjoyed their Small Stone works, but I felt they hadn't matched the power of American Exhaust on later works. That is until this new record! This is, by far, their best work. I hurt after every listen, and it isn't from the aural ass kickin', but from the bouncing and thrashing I do. Dirty Dave Johnson and crew know the true art of making you head-bang. The tunes are amazingly catchy guitar-oriented grooves. Sometimes slow and sludgy ("Lot Lizard"), sometimes fast and punky ("Ice Cream, But No Reply" and "Play It Loud"), but always pure rock-n-roll dope. Johnson's vocals match well with the music (grungy and distorted, but well in tune and melodic), though some of The Glasspack's most outstanding moments are the instrumentals ("Fastback" and "Super Sport"). I think it's because Dirty is a true guitarist at heart and when he isn't pushing out lyrics he really knows how to let his guitar talk for him - and that thing goes on like some freakin' know it all. Though clipped with the 'stoner rock' tag, they go well beyond this simple moniker. They are a blend Monster Magnet meeting up with MC5 for a few bong hits, to later find The Von Bondies and The Gaza Strippers in a junkyard parkinglot for a good ol' southern stick-brawl (only using six-strings instead). A Jim Beam and Drambuie cocktail holding the riffing power of Karma to Burn with the speedy hooks of Turbonegro and balls out rock of The Stooges. Now, I don't know why they named themselves after something to drown out sound (a style of car muffler) when they want to - and should - be played really loud. Indulge them, and yourself, and do so.

GLORIOR BELLI - Manifesting The Raging Beast CD (Southern Lord) I have to begin by saying that, while I'm a fan of black metal, the BM bands Southern Lord was releasing (with the exception of Leviathan) weren't really cutting it for me - until this record. Glorior Belli's Manifesting the Raging Beast is everything you want in a black metal record, without a lot of what was keeping much of this genre stale. The music stays true to classic BM, yet it goes just a bit outside the boundaries to sound fresh. Also, the recording is top quality - the guitars are crisp, though threatening, and when the double bass drum strikes, it sounds like thunder. This trio formed in 2002 in the French town of Chilly-Mazarin, and the folks behind this project also have their hands in bands such as Disiplin, Black Flame, Merrimack, Wolfe and the blues-y black metalers Obscurus Advocam. In 2003 Glorior Belli self-released their demo, Evil Archaic Order, and where picked up in 2005 as a split project between Chilean label Aquilus Cruoris Records for the vinyl version, Italy's Eerie Art Records for the CD version, and Sweden's Satanic Propaganda Records for a cassette version of their first album, Ô Laudate Dominvs. Their newest LP is a forty minute mix of doom-influenced gloom, and melodic tinged bestial blackness. The guitars are crushing at times, as other moments they're haunting and often quite touching. The drums scramble throughout between blastbeats and a slow dirge. It's a twisting dichotomy of musical extremes that may remind the listener of Darkthrone, classic Mayhem, or early Deathspell Omega (before their addition of Gregorian chants and choral music). I knew this release would be decent right from the start as the bio didn't say, "One of Sunn O)))'s favorite black metal bands." Hey, I like Stephen O'Malley's work, but his previous taste in black metal was in the toilet.

GOD DETHRONED - Into the Lungs of Hell [2x] CD (Metal Blade) Yes! The heaviest record this month is no let down. In all honesty, The Grand Grimoire, Bloody Blasphemy and Ravenous albums have all been good releases, but God Dethroned never really stuck out for me. They changed little, but enough to notice it's all for the better - musicianship I think. Into the Lungs of Hell (a strange title indeed) has placed this band on heavier rotation around here than all their previous efforts combined. "The Warcult" had me trying to playing the blast parts with them - Ariën van Weesenbeek is a new name to me, but he must have paid his dues well to play drums like that. The albums breakdowns are heavy and reminiscent of some NY hardcore, with that familiar Swedish metal touch that always makes it that much heavier. "Subliminal" is an angry and massive mingling of churning guitars played to a constant double-bass attack, closed out with tremble picking and blast beats. "Gods of Terror" - was left lyric-less in the liner notes, and why is beyond me, but it matters not - as it closed the disc off with a classic (yet not worn) death metal sound and feel that's seemingly still very original. This time around they are much more socially critical in their lyrics, which is refreshing for a death metal group. They always played up the anti-Christian edge (thumbs up!) but they don't just point out religious foibles here - Henri Sattler wrote lyrics about despotism, animal rights and television over-saturation. The second CD opens with a re-recording of their song "God Dethroned", then going into a Possessed cover ("Satan's Curse"), six live tracks recorded at LA's Whiskey a GoGo in 2000 and two PC video clips. A good deal, but instead of disc 2, could I just have another copy of disc 1. I'm wearing mine out already.

THE GOODBYE KISS - s/t CD EP (GoodCore) This four-piece Tuscon, Arizona outfit deliver a five song, twenty-five minute EP that well highlights what to expect from the folks at GoodCore Records - quality music in the indie / emocore schools of rock. TGK are a bit more in the indierock side of the spectrum, but there are no overly effected vocals nor outrageously produced guitars here. Soft, emotive indierock the likes of early Sunny Day Real Estate or Deep Elm's Clair De Lune. For you locals, this sounds a lot like The Anchorite Four in their less-hardcore moments, or even 32forty. A good debut for a band that should see more releases in time.

GOOD LIFE CYCLE - Soiled CD-R DEMO (Good Life Cycle) I didn't know what to think of this local (Hollywood, FL) band, as I had only seen them play one time and... um. Well, they played a show that was a NY hardcore tribute, and they did Quicksand. The music was perfect - note for note, but the female lead's vocals were wretched. Even John Joseph (of Cro-Mags) happened to make mention of it that night. An old acquaintance of mine (ex-Merrychestoes guitarist) is in this band, and he passed along this disc, warning me that it was only one song. I have to say that I wish there was more material on here. Kim sings a lot better here than when I saw them live, but I do hear a harmonizer on the vocals (or some other effect). "Soiled" starts off slow, emotional and almost acoustic and builds up to a more indie-rock punch. That's it; one song, short review.

GORGON - s/t CD-R DEMO (Gorgon) I think Max Soren (The Goslings, Floor) is a largely undiscovered local who is big on talent. Completely unschooled in any instruments, he tinkers with a guitar, drum machine, MOOG and a reel-to-reel well enough to create some of the more interesting experimental music out there. Gorgon is a more experimental and noise-based side project than The Goslings, but you can hear a bit of their sound on this EP. This three song demo flows from the drone of "Champion" to the industrial-goes-operatic "Horses Haul" and finishes up with the Coil-esque "I Was the Killer". I'm interested to hear more Gorgon work from the Soren camp.

THE GOSLINGS - The Folklore of the Moon CD-R (Hand / Eye) The Goslings (for those who've never read my reviews before) is a husband and wife duo who create some of the best experimental music the south has ever produced. BUT! This isn't so much a review as it is a notice that this and other Goslings releases are out now and coming soon. You see, I play drums on this recording and being my own worst critic I'd pan it just for my playing. So, with that in mind, pardon the bias. This is a three song EP of an upcoming full album of psychedelic drone the likes of Earth, Sunn O))), or even Thurston Moore's Sudden Infant. I read the Soren couple should have their first two EPs (Perfect Interior and Spaceheater) getting a proper release via a large, yet indie, label. Sweet! Feel free to check this out first, so you can say you knew them "back when..."

THE GOSLINGS - Perfect Interior CD EP (Asaurus) I had originally reviewed the demo a little over a month ago, and already an indie label has re-released it. I was equally thrilled to recieve a copy from the label, as originally... "I was excited to hear this when I was contacted by the Sorens, a sonically low-fi husband and wife duo. I'm big on the drone stuff. I'm even bigger on it when it's a local act. Either way, I was not let down. "Landing" opens the disc and is as chaotic, loud and ear-piercing as it is beautiful, sleek and tasteful. The third track "Celestine" is an almost favorite (if not for the next number) and begins with nothing but earthshaking hums, feedback, on into a spoken word singsong layered in reverb and static. "Sthenno" is my favorite track, as it's a haunting piece that lingers in the head, but I so wish it was longer. "Herons" ends the disc all to quickly. It's a nice instrumental based on stacked guitar tracks and bass purr. It could have jammed on for several minutes, in my opinion ... I hear a unique sound, but there are brief moments of Earth, Mogwai, Dead Can Dance (their earlier Gothic stuff), Low and Current 93 ... recorded on the Soren's home four-track, the mix and sound is really good. As usual though, I'm awaiting something longer. They have the talent and the know-how... so enchant me some more." Now I'm even closer to my hopes of hearing a full-length.

THE GOSLINGS - Spaceheater CD-R DEMO (The Goslings) Four songs that clock in at almost a half hour is the new output from this Miami husband and wife team, Max & Leslie Soren. The first track ("In May") hits the thirteen minute mark, and is their longest song (that I know of), as well as their most experimental. Coming off like a mix between low-level power electronics and old Einstürzende Neubauten, it's my favorite track here. "Statuette" recaptures what I have come to know as The Goslings sound; ethereal, spacy, thick in textures and almost Dead Can Dance-ish. "Lillian" is loops and hums, until a thick bass kicks in and a warped vocal track straight from Hell melt back into hums and guitar bleeps. "Summer for Spring" is bells and wind chimes for about a minute or more until the actual 'song' comes about... a light guitar and sounds of nature (birds) fronted by haunting female vocals, which sound a bit similar to Rose McDowell (of Current 93 fame). A little different than their Perfect Interior EP (on Asaurus Records), and also of what I expected from The Goslings camp (less organic instruments and vocals than before), but it shows that they are no one trick - or note - pony. Plus, it's good to be surprised.

THE GOSLINGS - Between the Dead CD (The Goslings) For anyone unfamiliar with The Goslings, the band is mainly husband and wife team Max (exFloor) and Leslie Soren. This time around with an added drummer (listed simply as Steve), as Spaceheater evolved from Perfect Interior, Between the Dead is yet another evolution. This time it's an eight track album of their brand of experimental drone, but much heavier, more distorted, and now backed with a beat. "Brindle" is seven minutes of Coil-ish cymbal-play into an explosion of a Cocteau Twins' shoegazer drone. "Seed" sounds like a doom metal number. There are tracks that are dreamy and ethereal, while others are so distorted they nightmarishly morph the fact that they were ever structured songs. I must say that I was, um... 'present' for the last Goslings recording so I am a witness that they are in constant evolution.

THE GOSLINGS / ROXANNE JEAN POLISE - Heaven of Animals CD EP (X Died Enroute Y) This is not a split release, but a collaboration between south Florida experimental duo The Goslings (husband and wife Max and Leslie Soren) and Michigan's RJP (aka Steev Thompson) via the postal service. In other words, mailing tracks back-n-forth and seeing what chaos ensues. There's some good chaos here too. The first track ("Soft Eyes Open") is the longest, at twenty minutes, and was arranged by The Goslings with RJP additions. This one is my standout track, as it's the noisiest, yet most musical piece. Tracks two and four were written by Thompson and shipped off to the Sorens to dabble with. These two are very ambient and often ethereal. They flow well with the opening track. Tracks three and five were co-written, and they're a testament to the fact that you no longer need to be in the same room to make good music. The disc in DVD packaging is a really nice touch. I'm not sure, but I think this is a limited-editioned release, so if you're a fan of ambient, light power electronics or even drone, I'd hunt this down quick.

GOVERNMENT ISSUE - Live 1985 DVD (Music Video Distributors) Old school - 1985. Nice. My band Violent Deed (Miami's first straight-edge band - yes, I am embarrassed!) opened up for GI the following year and they blew everyone away. Thanks to MVD's relationship with the now defunct Flipside magazine, they are digging out some quality punk rock and hardcore from dusty tapes in some Cali basement. They do only one song ("Sheer Terror") off the first 7", still, these songs are classics, as most of the material is from The Fun Just Never Ends and Joy Ride albums. These two records began to highlight to the rest of the U.S. what would later be known as 'the DC sound' or the original tag, 'emocore'. Here we have two shows, both during their California tour. The first show is short, but sweet, and captured at Fenders Ballroom, June of '85. The following month Government Issue comes back to play the Olympic Auditorium, for a set twice as long as the first. Damn this disc takes me back. ... I'm such an old fart.

GRAVES AT SEA / ASUNDER - s/t SPLIT CD (Life Is Abuse) Three tracks in forty minutes? You know what that means? No, not classical music... DOOM! Graves at Sea are a new act to me who've blaze out of the Arizona dessert to shove some sludge into my head. They offer two tracks of downtuned walls of sound, plodding along to a funeral dirge of rhythm. GaS has one of the strangest high-pitched vocals to ever come out of the doom scene, though Nathan switches it to a lower growl here and there. While I call it strange, it adds to the song structures and sets the band apart from many other doom clones. The last track left is from Oakland, California's Asunder. I was introduced to this sonic behemoth by way of their earlier CD A Clarion Call (also released on LIA Records, and also released as a double 12", by Nuclear War Now Records). On this split they drop a twenty minute slab as thick as the groups of little boys in Jacko's dreams. For those that hug their phonograph daily, 20 Buckspin has put out a 12" vinyl edition.