Concert Review: All Out War, Sworn Enemy, Living Laser, Recycled Earth

Firstly, I was disappointed that Boston's PanzerBastard couldn't play, but their bus broke down. Safe travels on the rest of the tour! I last saw them in late 2012, and they killed it, I've been a fan ever since.

Right, so about the acts that did play...  the show was at Brooklyn's The Acheron, a great venue for its variety. The sound is usually very good, always loud, and the staff I've encountered are friendly and down-to-earth. The venue is broken into a restaurant side and a venue side. The venue side is a bit narrow near the entrance ways, leading to frequent bottle-necking but widens near the stage. There is a separate toilet and bar on the venue side, which I think anyone who breaks the seal and comes back for more brew would find most helpful. It's kept me from pissing myself, I'll tell you. They keep a great rotating stock of micro-brew beer on tap, same for bottled and canned beer. They have food as well, but I haven't yet tried any. From what I've seen and smelled though, it is probably most excellent.

Recycled Earth, a NY hardcore band was my favorite act of the night, after All Out War. The hardcore elements such the ever-popular breakdown, but for the most part they sounded like an early demo from a Swedish Death Metal band that kept more punk influences. Their guitar tone was down-tuned, but throaty, and a bit buzzy, though not to Sunlight Studios levels. Overall, excellent super-heavy guitar sound which paired well with the bass. Very competent drumming and vocals. The breakdowns tended to be slower and more doomy, reminiscent more of Autopsy than, say, Agnostic Front.

Next was Living Laser, another hardcore band. They appeared about 10 years younger than Recycled Earth but played hardcore that sounded about 10 years older (Recycled Earth sounded like 1991 hardcore and Swedish Death Metal, Living Laser sounded more like 1981 hardcore punk). So, more accessible, simple sound and less unique tones and arrangements but very energetic.

Sworn Enemy is a NY hardcore band, and was up next. I'm not a huge fan of their material, it's a little too modern in its sound (guitar production, breakdown style, drumming styles) for my taste. They played very competently and knew how to rile up the crowd, so points for showmanship.

Finally, NY's premiere Metalcore act, All Out War! I have been a casual fan of All Out War for probably about 10 years now, and this was the first time I've seen them, so expectations were high. I must say, they delivered, and then some. This was easily the most intense show, the most brutal mosh pit I've experienced this year. What sets All Out War apart from the pack, at least for me, are the arrangements and the riffs; they balance out the breakdowns and the buildups with deft skill, the guitars are violently thrashy. Slayer wishes they wrote some of these riffs! All Out War have always been more nihilist and violent in their lyrics, to my knowledge, than the average 'metalcore' band. This band, like Philly's Starkweather, can best be categorized as 'metalcore' meaning a combination of 90's hardcore and extreme heavy metal, but each shows the possibilities and variety of the genre, rather than the similarities like so many others. By the way, check out Starkweather if you're unfamiliar, They tend wed more of a 90's Norwegian Black Metal riffing to their hardcore (which is also less breakdown-heavy and less predictable, uses more dark minor chord melodies too). Considering they were releasing material at the same time as, say, Thorns or Emperor, Starkweather seemed to reach some similar conclusions, through a different route, to extreme music. Anyway, back to All Out War! Their set was solid, including "Destined to Burn" and "Hypocrites of the Revolution." They played 4 or so songs from a soon-to-be-released EP which sounded INCREDIBLE. Probably my favorite material of theirs to date. These songs were much more Thrash Metal-oriented, leaning almost to proto-Black Metal sounds in intensity. There was less 'hardcore' leanings in the more stereotypical meaning of the term as applied to music subgenres. Instead, there was a pervasive sense of heaviness and inherent 'toughness' that really is the spirit of hardcore (as opposed 'the sound' of hardcore), in my opinion. The guitars seemed to have a darker tone too, though no effects or tuning changes were made, so either I imagined it or they just played their guitars differently. The songs were less predictable in arrangement so many of the fans didn't seem to know what to do. I banged my head mercilessly. I think this release has great potential to bring more metalheads into the All Out War fold, so I will probably be promoting it around my less hardcore-oriented metalhead friends to spread the bad word, heh.

*Review copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

Recipe: Thermo Nuclear Devastation Of The Leftovers

*Photo copyright Sam Shockey, 2014*

This recipe is of my own design, inspired by Bristol, England's Onslaught. I had some left over soft maple-smoked goat cheese and plum tomatoes, so I decided to combine them into a snack inspired by the first demo of Onslaught, which I happened to be listening to at the time of my hunger pangs. I hope to bring you more original Heavy Metal-inspired recipes in the future, as my skills in the kitchen build. I didn't even have to conjure Mephistopheles to invent this one, so there's hope for me yet!

1. I took my last 3 pieces of whole wheat, multi-grain bread, toasted them lightly, slivered my tomatoes, placed them on top with some leftover scallions (don't overdo it, go lightly!) and evenly distributed the cheese, and sprinkled some olive oil. I placed it back in the toaster oven on about 375F for a few minutes until cheese started to brown very lightly at edges and tomatoes were warm and soft.

2. Served with some spring mix salad, coated in more olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. I mixed it thoroughly and had some baby carrots on the side.

Until next time, keep "treading the path towards death" of hunger!

*Recipe and photo copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

Concert Review: Samhain, Goatwhore, Midnight, YDi at Best Buy Theater, NYC 1st November 2014

Show: Samhain, Goatwhore, Midnight, YDi
Best Buy Theater, Manhattan NY, 1st November, 2014

YDi: YDi, with whom I was unfamiliar prior to this show, are a Philadelphia hardcore punk band. They formed in the early 80's and were at the forefront of the development of the genre and future, more extreme strains. They often draw favorable comparisons to Negative Approach, which I can agree with, however YDi (pronounced "Why Die?") are more aggressive, pissed off, and experimental in both their arrangements and guitar sound/effects. The whole band played solidly with vocalist Panther really bringing an incredible amount of energy. He wailed his woes from end to end of the stage, frequently throwing himself to his knees, stomach, back, etc., rolling about on the floor. I'm not sure how I've never heard of these guys before, but I can tell you I'm a fan now!

YDi quote of the night: (from Panther, vocals) Aaarrrgh!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/YDi/152216554869402?sk=info

Midnight: one of my favorite bands to emerge in the last 10 years, Midnight play a potent mix of Rock n' Roll and Heavy Metal best described as Venom meets Motorhead in their respective hey-days, with all the attitude, noise, and grime associated with both. Wondering how one stage could contain the fury of Venom AND Motorhead AT ONE TIME? The answer is that it cannot. Midnight consistently put on intense live shows with frontman Athenar often breaking equipment at the end of their sets. This performance was no exception. I've seen them three times now (including one where Athenar attempted to swing from the rafters), and each time they exceed my expectations. Midnight has two LP's to their name and a legion of splits and EP's. Their set was solid and included: Evil Like a Knife, Prowling Leather, Endless Slut, Black Rock N Roll, Lust Filth and Sleaze, You Can't Stop Steel, Satanic Royalty. I highly recommend catching this band live!

Midnight quote of the night: (from Athenar, bass & vocals) Best Buy Theater? I remember when I used to steal CD's from  that place. Now I just steal riffs.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midnight/87909491643

Goatwhore: Another one of my newer favorite bands (yes, I have many), I've seen Goatwhore at least 6 times now, and they are also consistent for high energy shows. Frontman Ben Falgoust (also of Soilent Green) is excellent at rallying the crowd to move around. Their guitarist and main creative force, Sammy Pierre Duet was also in Acid Bath, who are easily in my top 5 bands of all time. As Goatwhore was also the first Heavy Metal band I ever saw live, they hold a special place in my heart. For readers in NEPA, you may understand why seeing ANY Heavy Metal shows at all in the area is difficult and seldom at best NOW, not too mention 10-11 years ago. All that nostalgia aside, Goatwhore deserve much higher praise for their music and live performance. They tour constantly and have it down to a science. They play an interesting and catchy blend of Blackened Thrash Metal with Death and Speed Metal riffs thrown in for good measure. Their lyrics have always been a strong point and are rather poetic and intelligent, along with tough-as-nails. Because of their many influences, love and mastery of the riff, and fuck-you-I'm-going-to-sound-how-I-want attitude, I can almost call them the American Darkthrone (if they pulled out more punk/hardcore influences and had more unique production they'd win the title). Their demo and first album are more influenced by Celtic Frost/Hellhammer mixed with the frostiness and rawness of the infamous 2nd wave of Norwegian Black Metal. As their albums progressed, Goatwhore upped the Thrash Metal elements and added some Death Metal ones as well,  sounding like they fell out of the 80's when the genres were not yet differentiated. What does all that mean? It means Goatwhore will pummel you with loud and vicious guitar licks that are mostly super fast with expertly-crafted tempo and style changes to keep you moving and breathless. This set consisted of newer material, including: Nocturnal Conjuration of the Accursed, Embodiment of this Bitter Chaos, Baring for Revolt, Apocalyptic Havoc. See them and experience why they command the legions of hell!

Goatwhore quote of the night: (from Ben Falgoust, vocals) Pump your fists in the air like it's a Judas Priest show in 1984!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegoat666

Samhain: Named for the pagan Celtic ritual whose traditions live on to some degree as modern-day Halloween, this was the band of Glenn Danzig as he transitioned out of seminal and influential horror-themed punk outfit The Misfits into his solo project. Samhain was darker, heavier, and more experimental than The Misfits or Danzig's solo work. They've earned a legendary status in the Metal/Punk underground. This brief six date tour was to commemorate 30 years of Samhain, as their debut album 'Initium' was released in 1984. The band was short-lived in its original existence,  so this was quite a rare show. I was especially privileged to see the last day of the tour, which also happened to be on Samhain Day, November 1st, as it was traditionally celebrated. Samhain played their entire 'Initium' album front-to-back and were, of course, covered in blood throughout the show. The set also included Unholy Passion, All Hell, Kiss of Steel, November's Fire, Halloween II, Mother of Mercy.

Samhain quote of the night: (from Glenn Danzig, vocals) Elvis never put on this much blood for you!

http://danzig-verotik.com/danzig/news.html

This was a fantastic show all around, what a KILLER line-up, these are all high-energy bands with rabid fan bases. Samhain has wide appeal due to Danzig's many projects/incarnations over the years so the crowd was quite diversified, always a plus in my book! Sound was good up front near the stage, but some people claimed the sound was fuzzy in the rear, which I would believe from previous shows at Best Buy Theater. There was only 15 minute waits between sets which was appreciated, except for Samhain for whom we waited about 35 minutes. My thanks to the stage crew(s)!

*Reviews copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

Recipe: Open Casket Gut Rot

A new goal/project for me is learning to cook. I currently have an extremely limited repertoire, so cookbooks/websites have been a necessity. I have been enamored with Annick "Morbid Chef" Giroux's "Hellbent For Cooking" book, so I have set the challenge to myself to attempt to make every possible recipe in the book, with vegetarian substitution/alteration as needed.

I highly recommend the book, as it contains recipes from Heavy Metal bands the world-over, with information about the bands themselves as well as the recipes they have submitted. The recipes cover a broad range of styles and difficulties and are for appetizers, entrees, desserts, and mixed drinks. It is available through Bazillion Points, a Greenpoint, Brooklyn-based printing company:

http://www.bazillionpoints.com/

The first recipe in the book is for 'Mummified Bacon Bombs' courtesy of Chris Reifert, drummer and vocalist of one of my favorite bands of all-time, Autopsy. They are essentially jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon. As I wanted to make this vegetarian, I substituted the bacon with McCormick's Bacon Bits (they're vegan!). As I had no substance to wrap the bombs, they ended up a bit messy and open-faced. Thus, I UN-christen this treat the Open Casket Gut Rot!

See the book for actual recipe, but my version follows (no amounts listed as they will vary by amount of poppers made, I ate at least 12 in one sitting):

1. Split jalapenos, remove seeds, place on cooking sheet.
     Heavy Hint: wear gloves whilst doing this step. I decided not to, thinking, "Oh, jalapenos aren'
     THAT hot, I'll be fine!" About halfway through the process, my hands started burning and didn't
     stop for about 12 hours. Let me just say that no matter how carefully I washed my hands, urinating
     afterwords was quite uncomfortable as I passed some of the jalapeno irritant onto my 'morbid
     member.'

2. Fill jalapeno halves with equal portions Monterrey Jack cheese shavings and cream cheese (I used jalapeno cream cheese for maximum effect!)

3.Top with bacon bits. A little extra cheese on top to hold it together helps.

4. Place in 400 degree F pre-heated oven for 10-20 minutes until cheese is melted and G.B.D. (which will henceforth be GBH for golden-brown and Heavy, the 'delicious' will be assumed)

 *Photo copyright Sam Shockey 2014.

Amusing Anecdote: taking this photo revealed that I had inadvertently changed the file settings on the computer so this photo was actually titled 'mariagecertificate' and a number. Whoops! I'm pretty computer illiterate so this doesn't surprise me. Now to find that there publish button to post this bad boy on the interwebs...

And now, for some Autopsy- Service For A Vacant Casket!

What's In a Name? Challenging Gender Norms In Marriage.

What's in a name? Shakespeare would have us believe “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Does this apply to people as well, truly? This is the issue I wish to discuss, the customary practice of name-changing in marriage. More specifically, I wish to challenge the accepted and expected practice of the female partner taking the male partner's last name in heteronormative unions.

Though perhaps one of the more outwardly benign slightings of women in the world (compared to, say, job earnings and rape culture), this practice still hurts women in their fight for equality- to wit, encourages male domination and the destruction of the female's unique identity.

But first, a bit about me. I am a 27 year old male, living in New York City, who married his loving female partner in September of 2012. I am a feminist. When we married, I decided that I would change my name to hers, in place of the usual practice, or of even keeping our names separate and unique. I had several, more personal, reasons for doing this which are out of the scope of this discussion, but my feminist tendencies were the driving force. My aim in detailing this experience is in the hope that it leads others to question this punitive and demeaning practice of subsuming the female's identity into the male's as a glorification of a paternal society.

I again ask, what IS in a name? What is it's value? If you feel there is nothing in a name, as Shakespeare did, then surely the practice of name changing at all should be unnecessary in your eyes. Sure- you could argue, a name's not important, the female should be willing to give up her name freely. If so, why not the male too? Why not even swap names? Or better yet, choose some new surname that combines the beliefs and values, families and history of both partners equally?

Perhaps the first big decision lies in describing your unity. Remember, a marriage/wedding/civil union is designed to be an outward sign of continued, equivalent partnership between two individuals. So why should there be inequality in the rituals associated, such as in name-changing? This is your first act together as a married couple, is starting off your relationship in subservience to the line of the male really a good precedent?

Some might argue that a name does indedd carry great value, as it can be connected to a family history or one might want to honor a family member by carrying on a family name. Sometimes you just have a cool name that you want to hang onto. Maybe you've defined yourself with or against any implications that name has for you and others in your life. There are many reasons people find value in the name to which they were born. In any case, if you feel you have a right to keep your surname, so does your partner. Males, keep that in mind when you aks your future partner to change their name.

My own journey started with the courthouse, where we were met, thankfully, by an understanding official who was very interested and excited in my decision to change my name, once he understood our request. The DMV was just as indifferent as they ever are, though maybe I spied an infintesimally small eyebrow raising. However, at the Social Security office, things got more difficult. I was extensively questioned and the clerk was surprised that I could even do this legally. I had to assure the clerk that the courthouse had already sanctioned the decision. It struck me that an employee of the Social Security system was unaware of policy and reluctant to accept my decision. How did this endanger them? Is it not their job to facilitate this process? Was I not putting money in their pockets? So why the resistance?

This was a similar confusion I encountered throughout my experience of switching my name, a thread of "I don't understand" to "you can do that?" I am pleased that most people were really excited about it and some even said that they wished they had done the same. I recall one security officer at work remarked that he desperately wished he had been brave enough to fight convention and take his wife's name; his own he always disliked.

I am glad that this process opened the eyes of everyone I encountered, whether it was at the courthouse, the DMV, the Social Security office, my bank, my retirement plan, my professional organization and licensing authority, my employer and all the parties within such as the IT department for my system login information and security for my ID badge, the Post Office, the IRS, my family and friends, etc and so on.

I didn't fully realize just how much there was to do when one changes their name until I had to start doing it. Hopefully the list I started above gives you some idea. Even just changing my professional email from [formerlastname@emailaccount.com] to [newlastname@emailaccount.com] was a hassle as I had to create a new email address, then update every single person/entity that used that email to contact me. It seemed like there was a never-ending list of things to do when I changed my name. I would also like to remind my readers that the majority of the changes listed above cost money, not to mention time. In a society were women already make less than men, are likely to lose out more on salary if they want to spend any time with their children beacause of limited maternity leave (and paternity leave, but that's another issue), women are presented with yet another gender-baised economic hardship in the cost of a name change.

Now what about my family's reaction? Well, this gets into some of the dicey personal issues that I want to avoid in this paper but as far as the family members who mattered enough to have at our wedding are concerned, my side of the family were befuddled but accepting, the way perhaps made easier by the fact I'd always been 'a bit strange' to them. Noteably, my uncle had his children make a congratulations card (which was sweet) but it was congratulating us on our (and I quote) "non-traditional wedding." Not on our wedding or partnership, or life together, but instead qualified with 'non-traditional' (though it was) as if to further cement in these children's heads that the way we did things was not 'normal' and that should be kept in mind for their own weddings in the future. As for my partner's family, some of my decision to take her name came from a desire to honor her family for taking me in and truly being a second family for me. I have never, and will never, think of them as 'in-laws' but instead as fathers, mothers, sisters, grandparents, and so on.

So what is in a name? For me, it was strife, hardship, frustration, financial burden, and lost time. What will you and your parnter choose when playing the name game? It is my hope that you will keep this story in mind. Complacency in the current culture is tantamount to encouragement; an object in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by another force. I would be ecstatic if this paper led to discussions with your own family and friends. My journey had its challenges, and most certainly was eye-opening, but I must admit that perhaps some of the potential impedence to completion was diffused by my being accustomed to a life of strife against prevailing trends and by this all taking place in New York City, where people are at least aware of various and divergent lifestyles existing, if not encouraged. I shudder to think what this process would have been like in a less progressive area. I will leave the reader with the words that we can make a difference in gender inequality by being informed ourselves, informing others, and taking non-violent action to change negative and damaging traditions inherent in our communities and cultures. Every action has a reaction, and ripples can spread wider and farther than one might think.

*Content copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

Grim Legion "Unholy Resurrection" album review

New Jersey's Grim Legion exhumed their debut LP "Unholy Resurrection" this month on Philly's own Horror Pain Gore Death Productions label. I say exhumed, as Grim Legion formed in 1988, were active until '91, and finally reformed in 2011 to release to further demos with fellow New Jersian and current labelmate Mike Keller of Sacrificial Blood on drums (Mike has since moved on to focus entirely on Sacrificial Blood, check out their 2nd LP "Souls For Sale" for some outstanding speed metal with deathy, progressive, and classic heavy metal leanings). Grim Legion also bears the distinction of having John Paradiso of doomy death metallers, Evoken, on guitars and backing vocals as a founding member.

For fans who're familiar, you'll find an excellent and soon-to-be classic release. Otherwise, this is a great place to start your metal journey and support some local talent, as this is more a genre-defining rather than genre-changing release. The guitars are bloated, loose and down-tuned with plenty of chunk and tremolo alternerations splattered with squeals. The drums are loud, driving, and even commanding; they are loud in the mix. For vocals we have classic deep growls and mid-pitch screams occasionally peppering the mix with some insanity. My only complaints are that the snare is often too loud in the mix and the guitar a bit too muddy at times, but these are minor. The lyrics have more of a anti-religious tilts but there's plenty of classic death metal tropes as well.

The packaging features a horde of advancing skeleton warriors atop steeds, which has some great colors and the simple but effective Grim Legion logo. The concept works well but the execution is lacking as it looks a rather cartoonish and very digital. We do get 9 tracks, including an eerie and demented sounding intro, with stand-out cuts, for me, in the doomy riffs of "Dark Ritual" and the stuttering, swinging beat of the eponymous closer "Unholy Resurrection."  

https://www.facebook.com/grimlegion

Buy at: http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/store/hpgd082.html

Full album stream and interview at: http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/streaming-grim-legions-unholy-resurrection/ 

 I am proud to boast that I also have the "Unholy Resurrection" demo, purchased when I saw Grim Legion at 2012's "You Can't Kill The Dead" Festival in Brooklyn, alongside Bone Ritual, Mausoleum, and Engorged, amongst others. Hopefully the older ones will be reissued. Yes, the show was highly memorable (except for the bummer that Abazagorath cancelled) and I recommend trying to catch any of the aforementioned acts, especially Grim Legion (this IS a post about them, after all!).

 And now, an amusing anecdote: whilst strolling about at 2013's Maryland Deathfest, I stumbled into John Paradiso setting up Evoken merch. We started talking and I quickly brought up Grim Legion as I had the aforementioned demo and was fiending for more (note: all of the prior material is exceedingly hard to find). He was elated that someone knew Grim Legion and appreciated it, promising me an album "next year." So, here we are, after almost 12 months of waiting, and I am NOT disappointed. I am just glad I didn't have to wait as long as old-school fans! Thanks John and Grim Legion past and present for bringing some killer material, I will look forward to some more shows this year! I will also hope that it doesn't take so long to release the next full-length, but for material this good, it's worth it.

*Review copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

 

Best Of 2013 Musical Releases PART III (Final)

1. Morne- "Shadows"
Firstly, I love Morne. This Boston band blends elements of post-punk, hardcore, sludge, and doom into a massive, crushing, and melancholic sound. Think Joy Division, Isis, Neurosis, and My Dying Bride (and a tiny touch of the Amebix) all together. Although many bands have similar sounds, Morne stands out from the pack are more than the some of their many influences. All of their releases are solid, with their demo being a little bit faster and heavier with later releases going more for melancholy. Nonetheless, if you like one Morne song, you are likely to enjoy the whole catalog. I strongly recommend this band and so does Fenriz of Darkthrone. In fact, the band's name appears on Max Necro's sleeve on Darkthrone's "Circle The Wagons" album (which is a classic in my opinion so pick that up too!). Morne recently had a show in Brooklyn with Tombs which I unfortunately missed in order to see the below band live, finally (it was worth it!).

2. Psychic TV- "Greyhounds Of The Future" 12 in single
The A side is new track "Greyhounds Of The Future which to me sounds an awful lot like Swans covering Hawkwind, so if that doesn't get you excited perhaps stop reading. It has a central riff that weaves in and out of the song with plenty of psychedelic meanderings and jams with Genesis Breyer P-Orridge's characteristic voice and lyrics calling out about the beginning and end-times. The B side is also a new track, "Alien Lightning Meat Machine Part II" which consists of some ambient electronics and sounds over Gen's voice for about 5 minutes which then gives way to some percussion and strings with Gen continuing and the song eventually finishing with some slow trippy variations on the music. The album is overall about 21 minutes long (just over 10 min per side) and I have been listening to it quite often (though to be fair I got it at the end of December). Gen has a varied body of work just with Psychic TV alone (from acid house to industrial/experimental/noise stuff and just about anywhere else), not to mention their work in pioneering industrial act Throbbing Gristle. If you are unfamiliar with any of this, prepare yourself to step into a much larger, much stranger new world. P.S. Psychic TV live were awesome! I'll have to post a review sometime but it suffices to say that I was not disappointed and Gen was super cool (I didn't meet them but Gen totally called out some rowdy toolbag concert goers on their shitty behavior when they started throwing beer cans at the rest of the audience).

3. Sacrificial Blood- "Live at Sinclairs, Long Island NY 8/24/13"
I am a huge fan of Sacrificial Blood (the band, not the material) and have had the opportunity to see them several times (each awesome though some with sound difficulties due to engineer or equipment failings) so a live album which basically showcases new songs from their upcoming 2nd full-length "Souls For Sale" was something I jumped at. This cassette-only release (damn it I hate cassettes!) is a bit poor in quality early on, but that may just be my copy. The artwork is simple B&W copied images of the band with tracklist. I won't say that this is a required release but Sacrificial Blood's full-lengths ARE (at the time of writing I have just finished listening to the 2nd full-length and it slays!!). They have a unique sound that blends (in order): Heavy Metal with progressive overtones, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, touch of punk and hard rock. They have excellent barked vocals, catchy as hell guitar riffs and driving percussion that is always tough and straightforward. These guys have been one of my favorite up-and-coming act discoveries of the last few years (though the main members have been musically active for quite a while) and I couldn't recommend them enough to fans of early 80's Heavy/Extreme Metal sounds.

4. Saxon- "Sacrifice"
Here we have classic Saxon material, catchy Heavy/Speed Metal in the NWOBHM tradition (quite literally on the 'British' part). See my review of them live in a previous posting. If you  like classic Saxon releases, check this one out. The whole album is solid with the following songs being particularly fist-pumpingly catchy: Sacrifice, Made In Belfast, Warriors Of The Road, Guardians Of The Tomb, and Wheels Of Terror.

5. Skinny Puppy- "Weapon"
I love Skinny Puppy and have supported them in all incarnations, since I got into them. Some of their more recent efforts (especially "The Greater Wrong Of The Right") have been very polarizing for old Puppy fans, but I think this release will bring a great number back to the fold. For those of you already familiar with SP, this release really scales the sounds back to the early days, I hear a lot of "Bites" and "Remission" in this new album in that the synths are stripped down, the percussion is simple and straightforward, often 4/4 stuff, Moroder-esque bass sequencers, and Ogre makes a full return to his droney and creepy monotone. We don't really get the swing beats I enjoy but that's just fine, the album is solid without them. For those of you new to the Pups, this is a good release to start on, then work back from. So, a song for song break down: 'wornin'' has a nice sequencer bass line with some simple and interesting choral synth leads with Ogre claiming that he's been "hiding out" over and over. Nice way to open the album, suggesting a return of some sort. To an older sound, perhaps? 'illisiT' starts off a bit more aggressive in the percussion, lead synth, and vocal delivery. There is also a good video for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJlFYPOXimE. It feels quite a bit like it could have been on SP's "The Process" album, it especially reminds me of some demo versions of songs from said release, made available on some of the "Back & Forth" Series. 'saLvo' has a great lead synth, big and creepy with a nice percussive line and very creepy Ogre vocals. 'gLowbel' is a bit more whimsical in its music and vocal delivery. It feels an awful lot like it could be on an Ohgr album. 'Solvent' is next and is indeed a remastering of the self-same song from "Remission." Next we have 'paragUn' which feels a lot like something from "Mythmaker" in its vocal delivery and musical composition. Pretty decent but not an album maker. 'Survivalisto' feels a lot like early Front Line Assembly or related Bill Leeb projects in the drum beat and synth design. It doesn't sound like a rip off (what a strange thing THAT would be) just similar in style. "Tsudanama" stutters about its drum beat with some weird electronic leads. I hear a lot of cEvin Key's experimentation and recent stylings on this track. 'plastiCage' follows and is also a bit whimsical and feels like an Oghr song mixed with the "Mythmaker" style. 'Terminal' is very moody and somewhat atmospheric. Ogre does a more modern vocal delivery. Finally, the album closes with "Overdose" which is a return to the new-old sound heard on the beginning of the album. Creeping and crawling through its paces, I feel this is a strong closer. My only complaint is that the percussion is a little too forward in the mix on this track. I eagerly look forward to seeing Skinny Puppy for the second time (once in 2009) in February of 2014 and will post here when I do!

6. Suffocation- "Pinnacle Of Bedlam"
New York's own Brutal Death Metal legends, Suffocation, return with a new album that continues in the vein of the last few. What this means to me: the guitar tones are lacking in brutality, the compositions focus too much on technicality and solos, not enough on head-smashing riffs, and the drums sound way too plastic and triggered. This album does have some good guitar compositions but overall it just can't compare to "Pierced From Within," "Effigy For The Forgotten," or "Human Waste." Of note, I am in the video for 'As Grace Descends' which was shot at Duff's bar, New York. A friend and I waited around outside all day for a chance to get in to be an extra, and we succeeded. Look for the dumb guy with long hair in a blue over-shirt next to the guy with the beard in the Suffocation hoodie behind the drummer. Specific, right? So here's a picture. I DON'T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS VIDEO OR ITS CONTENT.

 

7. Suicide Commando- "When Evil Speaks"
For those unfamiliar, Johan Van Roy, creator of the Belgian Terror Body Music (TBM) electronic band, Suicide Commando brings us a new album of angry, high-octane dance tracks that attempt to bridge Front Line Assembly and the Klinik into one power-trip revved up to 45 RPM. This album is good but lacks the directness and hard-hitting angst or depression of other albums on the first half. With the exception of the stand-out title track, the album doesn't really get good until the 6th of 12 songs. A little mixing-up of song order or releasing just the second half of the album as an EP would have made this a very solid release for the band, but the first tracks feel like filler. Not a good move to START your album with weaker tracks. Prior and new fans alike should try the aforementioned tracks to see if the album is worth purchasing. I do highly recommend checking out their back catalog for newcomers! By the way, I was lucky enough to see Suicide Commando on their first US show EVER in Philly in 2013, front row.

8. Toxic Holocaust- "Chemistry Of Consciousness"
Another excellent slice of punk-fueled Blackened Thrash Metal from America. I am a big fan of all of Joel Grind's work and this release is no disappointment. I feel that Toxic Holocaust's approach to the genre leaves most other new-comers in the dust because of its sensibilities, its respect and genuine understanding of the genres, and its unique combination thereof. If you like Metal with your Punk or vice versa then get some TH releases! Also, I have been reading quite a bit about altered states of consciousness and psychoactive substances lately so that made this release extra-special. I wish I was able to see TH play locally for this release as I would have been very interested to chat up Joel about any experimenting or thoughts he had on the subject. I met him once when TH opened for the English Dogs (!!!) and he was really cool and approachable, as anyone who's read an interview of him would expect. Thanks Joel for being awesome and for making another gem of an album!

9. Undergang- "Søm Til Din Ligkiste" 7" EP
Here's over 12 minutes of crusty Danish Doomy/Death Metal to drop on the slab of your record player. I was first introduced to these guys when they opened for Autopsy in NYC in late-Winter of 2012, awesome show! If you like stuff like Coffins and Grave, or the now-popular-for-a-reason Obliteration with a ton of crust and distortion, this is a band for you!! This EP is a good place to start but my favorite release is 2012's "Til Døden Os Skiller."

10. Warbeast- "Destroy"
This Texan Thrash act, formed from about half of Rigor Mortis, is worth a listen if you want some excellent American Thrash Metal, late 80's style. I find their lyrics notable for being both about topical issues as well as cheesy horror/sci-fi. Come on, how awesome is a band that is named after the robotic terror from the film Deathmachine??? By the way, I got to meet Bruce (vox) when Warbeast opened for Destruction in 2011 (?, I think). He was really cool and approachable.

11. "Reflection Of The Negative" (Split, Cough and Windhand)
Here's some Virginian Sludgy Doom Metal to satisfy fans until each band's next release drops. Good tracks by both bands though probably not my favorite in either catalog.


AND NOW, THE TOP 5 RELEASES (for me) OF 2013 (in no particular order, except for fucking Sabbath):
1. Black Sabbath- 13
2. Autopsy- Headless Ritual
3. Inquisition- Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
4. Carcass- Surgical Steel
5. Darkthrone- Underground Resistance

*Review copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*