The Accüsed – Oh Martha! CD (Nuclear Blast Records/VME)Evil works in mysterious way: Sometime in late April 2006, I find The Accüsed’s “Grinning Like an Undertaker” in my record collection and take it out for its first spin in years. The day after, The Accüsed’s comeback album is in my mail. I should be checking my back for Martha Splatterhead when I walk the streets at night, I’m afraid, because I could be led to believe she had been lying in wait for me for all this time, sharpening her meat cleaver, filing her teeth, just waiting for me to realize that this metal core I’ve taken up listening to again within these last few years owes a lot to what The Accüsed were doing in the 80’s and early 90’s. Starting out in 1984, The Accüsed were among the first bands to take hardcore and fuse it with the new thrash metal, resulting in a music that kept the high speed energy and defiant punk stance of hardcore, but added the technical finesse and breaks of metal to the mayhem. The result was amazing, but it’s even more amazing that The Accüsed were able to regroup on their 20th anniversary and record this album with Jack Endino, because, contrary to most reunions, they sound like they were never away, still fresh, still ultra violent. Blaine Cook’s voice still takes some getting used to, especially in the melodic punk cover of “Have You Ever Been so Mellow?”, where it’s awful, but on songs like “Stay Dead” wipe the bloodied floor with their progeny. CD comes with 12-page cartoon starring the mascot, Martha Splatterhead.
http://www.nuclearblast.de
http://www.splatterrock.com

If you dig: Cryptic Slaughter, Exodus, Brutal Truth

Jon A

The Aggrolites - The Aggrolites CD (Hellcat Records/Bonnier Amigo)
As I’ve repeatedly stated, I’m not much of a melody person. There are two exceptions to this rule, though: One is soul, the other ska. It’s always a bit weird to see rudeboys like The Aggrolites, all menacing attitude, shaven heads, tattoos, sporting baseball bats, playing this happy, sunny, super-upbeat music, but damn, it makes for great Sunday morning music, as well as for Saturday night beer drinking. Not too much invention here, there rarely ever is within this genre, but The Aggrolites master it to perfection with good songs and an authentic, dusty sound. 19 songs, over an hour of music gives good value for money on this one. Highly recommended.
http://www.AggroReggae.com

If you dig: Lee Perry, Derrick Morgan, The Heptones

Jon A

Black Moth Super Rainbow – Lost, Picking Flowers in the Woods CD (Graveface Records)
Damn this is cool stuff. More people should lock themselves away in an uninhabited cabin in Western Pennsylvania with some primitive 60’s recording gear and just freak out. There are 5 members in the group playing analog synths, gongs, drums live and later mixing this together on the computer and adding strange samples. The music is very raw but coolly rhythmic and you get sucked into the sometimes funky and bizarre grooves. Damn hard to describe but extremely cool and soothing for the soul, like a slowly growing fungus in the corner of the laboratory that has escaped from the antibiotic mix…
http://www.graveface.com
http://www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com

If you dig: Faust, Blackloud

Scott

The Bondage Corporation - The Haywire Gospels CD
I’ve got some good and bad news. On the positive side ”The Haywire Gospels”, their full length debut album, is an excellent slice of full-on testestorone hardrock raunch. The sad news is that they’re breaking up, which is a damn shame, cause this shit fuckin’ rips like a rhino in heat. ”The Haywire Gospels” kicks off with re-recordings of their 3 track EP (with the same title as the album, a bit confusing) and 8 new tunes which follows the same path of southern stoner rawk and speedy rock’n’roll. From heavy fat riff-o-rama laced with T.Rex-esque female backing vocals like ”Roundabout Dim” and ”The Single”, to Peter Pan Speedrock-ish amphetamine aggression of ”Unicorn Laura” and ”Long Time Boozin’” (neat handclaps), The Bondage Corporation proves themselves as a tight-as-fuck bluesy metal punk’n’roll machine, completely unlike most Copenhagen acts. The Black Tornado production is crisp, raw and mean, equals to any international outfit, I mean, Black Label Society sounds like a joke compared to this 4-piece! If this becomes their final testament, which it seems like, Denmark will surely miss out on an ultra potent band. Hope you caught ’em when they were around, if not, then this sublime album will make you wish you had.
http://www.myspace.com/thebondagecorporation

If you dig: Halfway To Gone, Molly Hatchet, Peter Pan Speedrock

Jens

Burnt Noodle- Next Exit CD
(Burnt Noodle Recordings)
Burnt Noodle are a group of psychedelic freaks from Northern California who get together every now and then and make improvised jam sessions and then mix the best bits of them together and add strange samples and overdubs. They are very creative and funny and have a good sense of humor as well as play very well. Bipolar begins the CD with some strange samples but is mostly instrumental and features some spacey guitar playing and synthesizers. Day by Day is a Tom Hardy composition and he sings and plays the guitar. The track is quite inspired by Pink Floyd and develops into a spacey jam. They clearly have a lot of fun if you listen to the little bits they piece in between the tracks. At the beginning of On and On they are talking about their drummer Mark and keep saying something about “We’re in Milwaukee”. The jams begins with some cool slide guitar as it slowly builds up over the next 10 minutes and features Paul in the lead vocal (Strange lyrics). I love the way these guys get spaced out. Brilliant psychedelic stuff! Road Flick features Kirana on vocals and begins as a pretty ambient piece with e-bow and mellotron but then gets very psychedelic and strange, as it should! From here on the CD gets even stranger with Uncap your Brain and Jim meets the Space Aliens. Uncap your Brain has some strange conversations between Reverend Ron and Dr. Bob as the band gets spaced out ala Pink Floyd with some Capt. Beefheart thrown in the mix. Inside the CD booklet and also on the web page you can read the story behind Jim meets the Space Aliens, and it is strange and a 15 minute trip to end this excellent CD. Even better than their other CD that I own.
http://www.burntnoodle.com

If you dig: Blackloud, Pink Floyd, Captain Beefheart

Scott

The Carburetors - Loud Enough To Raise The Dead CD
(Facefront Records/Target)
Yet another motormad rock’n’roll record from these Norwegian action rockers. Like ”Pain Is Temporary, Glory Is Forever”, Loud Enough...” is cockrock galore with all the clichés, riffs, and pedal-to-metal lyrics we all know, though I kinda prefer their previous album. The AC/DC worship is done solid and to-the-point, but still songs like ”Rock’n’Roll Forever” and ”Fast Lane” seem a bit on the routine side. Still, a damn decent release.
http://www.thecarburetors.com
http://www.plastichead.com

If you dig: Gluecifer, AC/DC, The Bones

Jens

Casey Jones – The Messenger CD (Alveran Records)
One thing for sure about straight edge bands, is they don’t dick around. All that fancy shit you’ll get from lesser metal core bands, going emo, going metal, you just don’t get that with straight edgers. These are dead serious types, not about to let themselves chill out, drugged by whatever the system will feed them to keep them down; they have a war to fight for animal, as well as personal, liberation. For that, you’ll have to give them credit, even it’s hard to understand how anyone sane can forsake good beer, and you’ll have to give them credit for the music they produce. Since these guys’ tempers are never cooled, since they never seem to kick back and relax, they have so much pent-up energy to let out in the music that listening to the half hour this album takes, pumps so much endorphin out in your system it feels like running fast and long. Which is a pretty good effect for music to have, I think, a very positive one. Technically, it’s not that Casey Jones add anything new to the genre of metal core, even though they do toy around with some enticing minor 7 chords (I think) on opener “1 Out of 3 Has a STD” and supposedly have humour.
http://www.alveranrecords.com
http://www.xcaseyjonesx.com

If you dig: Hatebreed, Sick Of It All

Jon A

Demented Are Go- Hellbilly Storm CD
(Hep Cat Records)
Man, these guys look like a bad nightmare to a place you do not want to visit. Scary as hell people who play more tame music than I had expected and some of it is pretty damn good as well. The music is not all crazy punk inspired Rockabilly like I had expected. I had never heard of the UK band but this is their 6th full length record. This was released in 2005 in Europe on People like You but this is the US release and features an unreleased track C&W track called When Death Rides a Horse. The lyric subjects are pretty crazy and include sex, drugs and all the rock and roll stuff in a sort of demented way. Most of the songs are built upon a slapped bass style with simple drums, with the guitar and harmonica adding the interesting parts. Sparky, who has a history of mental problems, seems pretty clear headed on this release…ha..ha..
http://www.hepcatrecords.com
http://www.dementedarego.net

If you dig: Psychobilly

Scott

Dirty Rig- Rock Did It CD (Escapi Music)
Dirty Rig is a NY based band who released their debut CD in 2004 on the Music Cartel Label. They are joined on lead vocals by former Warrior Soul singer, Kory Clarke on this release. Warrior Soul was one of my favourite bands in the style of music they used to play. The great guitar hooks, psychedelic vibe and potent political lyrics were amazing. I had some high hopes here but I was really let down. The music here is no holds barred down and dirty rock and roll that 15-16 year olds would make with stupid lyrics included and Kory’s voice is totally shot to hell. He used to have an amazing voice and it is gone.. totally shot. Really a pity. If you like something that just rocks with your cock out attitude, this might interest you but it just did not do it for me. A bit immature…
http://www.escapimusic.com

Scott

Dixie Witch- Smoke and Mirrors CD
(Small Stone Records)
This is Dixie Witch’s 3rd record. I have the first but did not hear the 2nd. The band have progressed to a bit more melodic sound and less jamming but still have some killer riffs (Set the Speed) and they can rock like hell (Shoot the Moon, S.O.L.). The band has some more moody tracks with a real southern rock flavour as well. Last Call, the last track on the CD is an amazing instrumental with a guest Hammond player and long guitar solos. This track alone brought the review from a 3 to a 4!
I think fans of the southern rock and Black Crowes would probably dig this more melodic and less hard hitting CD than the band has produced in the past.
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.dixiewitch.net

If you dig: Grady, Black Crowes, Pride and Glory

Scott

The Dresden Dolls – Yes, Virginia CD
(Roadrunner Records/Bonnier Amigo)
This is a weird, Satanic release, and it doesn’t help clear things up that it’s out on Roadrunner Records, normally a metal label. This British duo plays darkly eccentric cabaret music with gloriously decadent song titles like “Sex Changes”, “First Orgasm”, “Necessary Evil”, and “My Alcoholic Friends”. As such, it reminds me of fellow Satanic cabaret pop musician Marc Almond’s “Mother Fist” record, but the arrangements are a lot sparser here, mostly just piano, drums, and Amanda Palmer’s affected vocals. I kind of like some of the ballads, like “Me & the Minibar” and the closing “Sing” where they implore the listener to sing for “the children shooting children”, astronauts, and, not to forget, “sing for the President, sing for the terrorists,” but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t without the lyrics. Weird and evil stuff, very theatrical, very goth.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com
http://www.dresdendolls.co.uk

If you dig: Marc Almond

Jon A

Dressed in Wires- The Black Cock of Death EP 12” (Distraction Records)
Well, it appears that the man who calls himself Simondo Topless has a thing with making music that will annoy most people and enthral the rest! This is released as a 12” Picture Disc and has 5 tracks with very strange and controversial names like Hiroshima was a Shithole Anyway and Proposed Theme Tune #4 “Let’s Hunt and Kill Billy Ray Cyrus”. The 12” opens with The Breeders, which is some Coil meets Nine Inch Nails type thing and quite cool. The whole production is very raw like the old industrial stuff of the early 80’s, not the clean stuff. Proposed Theme Tune #4 is something quite different with strange music and a guy saying” Something saved your Pecker, suck it” looped over and over. Strange…The last track on side A is That Rarest of Beasts; Hay Parabola, Crack Chikin/Nex Nine Times for Sunshine, a sort of twisted hip hop thing with young black kids saying nasty shit… Hiroshima was a shithole begins with a huge amount of noise that immediately makes you go to the volume knob as a low bass just about blows out your windows! It evolves into Mr.Topless having a little drum battle on his laptop and going completely mad until a sort of techno bass kicks in the sound intensity increases and then the listener dies… This track lasts for 13 minutes. The last track Blood Touching Glass makes you quite sure he is trying to destroy your hearing.. Phew…..
http://www.distractionrecords.co.uk
http://www.dressedinwires.co.uk

If you dig: Coil, Nine Inch Nails, Aphex Twin

Scott

First Band From Outer Space- Impressionable Sounds of the Subsonic CD (Transubstans)
The great Swedish space rock band, First Band from Outer Space are back with their new CD, which starts with Novaja Zemelja and the sounds like babies being born in space before taking off. The track is an instrumental jam and features a lot of the new member’s sounds, with more spacey synths and flutes, etc.. The band started out as a three piece and is now expanded into 6! Utan att Veta is next (8 minutes) and takes the heaviness of the space to a higher level and this one is sung in Swedish as well. I love the real free and jamming vibe of the music and the sound production is excellent and clear and spacey at the same time. The tracks on the CD all segue into each other and there is a space ship take off countdown that starts the melodic but hard driving Mean Spacemachine for the next ride. Here is the first appearance of guest or new vocalist Astrorille with a heavily distorted vocal. A very cool space rock track that floats into the 10 minute title track that begins with some beautiful flute playing and acoustic guitar but builds into a monster! To be seen as the Underdog continues and bring the music down and tells a potent story by Astrorille and backed by acoustic guitars and tablas and space sounds… Gröna Händer is next and the longest track at 13 minutes and begins with some heavy bass lines as the jam kicks in and starts the next space journey that begins as a sort of jam out of the last acoustic track. Nice… They get into a very cool spacey upbeat tabla, chanting spaced out thing before taking off once again. Todo Pasara reminds me of Jethro Tull in many ways and is again sung in Swedish but it gets totally psyched out!!!!!!! Mission Completed ends this amazing CD…wow…. A must have for all space rock fans…
http://www.recordheaven.net
http://www.fbfos.com

If you dig: DarXtar, Hawkwind, Dark Sun, Oresund Space Collective

Scott

Five Horse Johnson- The Mystery Spot CD (Small Stone Records)
Well, I have heard of this band but this is the first time I have ever heard the music. This is the bands 6th record and features Clutch drummer, Jean Paul Gaster. From what I have read the band have stuck to their roots of their down and dirty brand of stoned, heavy blues inspired rock that goes for the gut! The first and title track has a cool groove that just sort of sucks you into the record. Ten Cent Dynamite is next and a hard hitting track and a bit like some of the new Clutch stuff. Call me Down sees some slide guitar but no slide solo. OF Ditch Diggers and Down, is a very cool acoustic track, one of the best on the record. A lot of cool tracks, but I won’t go through them all. Fans of the Grady, the Austin, Texas based band by Ex- Big Sugar guitarist, Geordie Johnson, will get into this record for sure as these bands are into the same kind of vibe!
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.fivehorsejohnson.com

If you dig: Clutch (newest), Honky, Grady, ZZTOP

Scott

Incandescent Sky- Paths and Angles CD (Noisynoise)
Incandescent Sky is a all instrumental group from Providence, RI and this is their 2nd CD release. There are 8 tracks in 55 minutes of some times really floating space music (There is Hope) or more ominous music like the Ataranxiety, which features a good number of voice samples and is heavily built on a melodic synthesizer line that deconstructs after 2 minutes and the track really takes off and features Chapman Stick. Angles begins quite new age like before the drums and bass kick in and lift the track up and the guitar kicks in and a very complex track emerges. The Path of Resistance is a strange track with a lot of small things to listen for. Inside Irises begins with piano and is quite happy but devolves into a really spacey piece in the middle with some guitar synthesizer and a change in the piano style. The May Rules is the long 11 minute piece which begins with some really cool wind synthesizer (wish I owned one of these!) and very spacey. The track stays very laid back and psychedelic the whole way through. The CD ends with Trade Winds, which features some totally insane guitar that is panned all over the place and combined with a lot of strange sounds is quite a cool track. Every track on this CD is different and a real journey. Great stuff.
http://www.noisynoise.com/incandescentsky
http://www.overflower.com

If you dig: Djam Karet, GONG, Legendary Pink Dots

Scott

The Jumpcats : Where’s My Quiff? CD (Empire Records)
This is a long awaited full length’er from these reliable local hepcats, packed with old school yet fresh rockabilly sounding like it was made yesterday in Sun Studios, Memphis, Tennessee. 15 hipshakin’ greasy slapbass boppers that’d have pleased the likes of Warren Smith, Johnny Burnette, and Billy Lee Riley. Most of the tracks follow the bulletproof formular, though the wonderful ”Wladi Texas Mecca Polka Blues” takes a delirious detour. Go see Jumpcats if they play at a bar near you, you won’t regret it, but first pick up a copy of this fine rockabilly blowout!
http://www.jumpcats.dk
http://www.empire-music.net

If you dig: Stray Cats, Johnny Burnette, Billy Lee Riley

Jens

Kilroy : Introducing CD (Freak Me Out Frank Records)
It’s 1966 all over again. Up tempo rhythm’n’blues mod stomp done with a lotta irrisistable charm and Swedish accents galore. You can’t help but crack a big smile while listening to these youthful organ-drenched beat party tracks. Kilroy combines British Invasion freakbeat and the blue eyed soul of Mitch Ryder with impressive results. Wouldn’t be surprised if Kilroy will play in the future at a Club Mau Mau arrangement. Music that makes the little girls shake their hips, and the big boys snap their finger tips.
http://www.kilrock.tk
http://www.freakmeoutfrank.com

If you dig: The Animals, The 45s, ? And The Mysterians

Jens

Loveburger- EP
Loveburger are a young new band from Ampthill, England. This is a 5 track EP of indie pop stuff with some passionate singing. The first 3 songs sounded quite a lot and they really go for this strumming guitar wall of sound approach with a lot of melody that seems to be quite popular. Shy Boys /never get the Sweets) was the stand out track but nothing that original here. The last track, accidents accidents is an acoustic ballad. Good songs but not much more.
j.tinker@tiscali.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/loveburger

If you dig: Jeff Buckley, UK indie Pop

Scott

Moho - … he visto la cruz al revés LP
(Beat Generation/Munster Records)
Apparently, it’s possible to live in a city for a whole year, have pretty good contacts, and still miss out on one of its best bands. Of course, Jens will tell me I missed out on a bunch of old Spanish punk bands, not to mention obscure 60’s and 70’s film makers, while in Spain, but damn, this one I actually feel bad about. (On the other hand, it’s what makes living in a city like Cph sustainable, since you, or I, not Jens, can still chance upon exciting new and old bands you never heard about.) I even came close once, when I saw two of the members of Moho playing with two of the members of Horda Bastarda in Carneceros, which I remember as bad crust core, though. A madrileño friend of mine raved about this band a couple of months ago, and, lo and behold, here comes a release in the mail from one of the sublabels of the good and very enterprising people at Munster. And it’s about the most evil stuff I’ve heard this side of Sunn O))): Extremely heavy, extremely – well, extreme. The title alone – for non-Spanish speakers, that’s “I’ve seen the inverted cross”. Hell yeah! The grooviness of it makes it somehow reminiscent of High On Fire or Boris, while Iñaki screams out his intestines in a way that makes Unsane and Neurosis sound like fucking Mew. By far the worst record so far this year, and that’s bad as in satanically good. Or something. Quickly get your hands on one of the only 600 copies of this exclusive, lovely packaged vinyl-only release, if you don’t want to be as hopelessly left behind as your favourite web magazine.
http://www.munster-records.com

If you dig: Boris, Unsane, Neurosis

Jon A

Motorpsycho- Black Hole/Black Canvas CD
(Stickman Records Psychobabble)
This is the first new Motorpsycho studio CD in almost 4 years. The band has a new drummer and a vibraphone player and no information has been leaked out about the CD and no interviews were conducted, so what do we get on this beautifully packed double CD?? We get classic upbeat Motorpsycho with a bit more raw sound production and heavy bass. It rocks more and is less commercial in someways but still retains that odd MP pop sensibility that is uniquely Motorpsycho. I have never been a fan of their later day studio CDs (but I never miss their live concerts!) and here they deliver a package of cool tracks of which a few are quite stretched out an adventurous but most are straight up rockers with some really cool lyrics. The true fans will dig this stuff for sure. The packaging on the deluxe CD version is really awesome and the lyrics are great as well.
http://www.styickman-records.no
http://motorpsycho.fix.no

If you dig: Pearl Jam, Soundtrack of our Lives

Scott

The Movements – Grains of Oats CD
(Alleycat Records)
Sweden has a proud tradition for Garrage/Psych rock, with The Soundtrack of Our Lives as the major name. The Movements have released their first full-length album, and are as such set on the track of TSOOL stardom. The music is a mix of psych rock, with emphesis on 60s garrage and fast rock. Names such as The Kinks, The Flakes and of course TSOOL spring to mind when listening to this band. Energy in abundance, and skillfully played – though not quite there, as far as artistic fulfillnes is concerned. It all gets a little too fast and furous for my blood. The excessive use of punk influence on the record, ruins an otherwise excellent swedish psych band.
http://www.themovements.com

If you dig: The Flakes, The Kinks, The Soundtrack of Our Lives

Kristian

Muletrain – The Worst Is Yet to Come CD/LP
(Beat Generation/Munster Records)
I’ve already raved so much about this madrileño band it’s almost embarrassing, but, like, they’ve got a song called “She’s In Love With Black Metal”, they’re true caballeros, one of them is a lawyer – how could you not like them? Oh, and they play hard, menacing, noisy punk rock. This, the second album from the band, ¾ of which used to be in Aerobitch, in theory could only be a let-down, then, especially considering that they’ve slowed down on most of the tracks and have gotten a lot more melodic, but no: I’m still gonna lick their asses. It’s that good. There’s even a song here, somewhat mysteriously sung in Swedish, called “Jag hatar dig” – oh, how not to be swept away on waves of amphetamine-fuelled, blind, pissed-off, mega-total-punkrockness? Somehow, Santi García of No More Lies has managaed to make some sense out of the blur, getting each instrument to stand clear in the mix, without losing the feeling of being run over by Motörhead’s tourbus. That you can shout along to a lot of it only makes you play the 23 minutes over and over again. There, I did it again: Slobbered all over them. Damn! Now make that shitty third record, will you, so we can all rant about how you were so much better back in 2006.
http://www.munster-records.com

If you dig: The Dwarves, Black Flag, Motörhead

Jon A

Nada - Millenium Girl CD
Fine little CD ep from Danish lead vocalist/guitarist Natasja from now defunct Silent Scream. This is more of the same rock with a hard power pop/indie feeling. The production is ok nice, maybe a bit too clean – a little more rawness would suit it, and the musicians are very talented. And mind you, Natasja is the absolute front girl in this band, and she is like 14-15 years old! Her voice is still a bit ”young” but I'll be damned if she's not easily is to become a rising star in the rock world. ”Zombie (rather be living)” is one of the tracks that stands out. Powerfull with a great catchy chorus. You go get'em girl!!!
http://www.soundvenue.com/band.asp?id=4529

JT

Nueva Ética – Inquebrantable CD (Alveran Records)
Sometimes, it only takes a single scream, melody line, or riff to change your entire perception of a record: It can be a stupid song that sounds like Green Day and makes you hate the whole record, it can be something inexplicably cool that lets them get away with a lot of shit – it can be a sunny day, good beer, the wife being nice to you. In the case of Nueva Ética, for me it was their recycling of the riff from Anthrax’ “Among the Living”, coming just a days after I’d reheard that record fro the first time in over a decade – and it’s not that good a record, Anthrax’, but back then, I thought it was the coolest thing since big, colourful Bermuda shorts. That’s the one thing Nueva Ética share with Anthrax, that riff in “Muerte por muerte”, or that and the mixing of the heavier side of hardcore with the moshier side of metal. What sets them apart is that rather than having one annoying poodle-haired falsetto singer, these guys have three singers, each doing his best to out-scream the two others. Unavoidably, this comes to sound a lot like Hatebreed, and the song titles seem to echo that - like “Por los que resisten” (for those who resist) or just the title “Inquebrantable” (unbreakable) – but it’s more extreme, more desperate. Quite taxing to listen to, but a good metal core record, nevertheless. That, and they’re Argentinian and vegans, which makes it extra PC to listen to them.
http://www.alveranrecords.com

If you dig: Hatebreed, Converge, Sepultura

Jon A

Powersolo – Egg LP/CD (Crunchy Frog Records)
The first time you see a band can sometimes leave a lasting impression on you, their subsequent work forever overshadowed by that first experience, positive or negative. Like, I saw Baby Woodrose before they had played 10 gigs, and the intensity and sincerity they held at that show they have never been able to live up to for me, however good a band they are today. Powersolo, on the other hand, I also saw playing one of their very first shows, but that experience was so embarrassingly amateurish I’ve never given their records the benefit of the doubt. That may have been a shame, I realize now, since this, their latest effort, is a real treat. Apparently, they’ve changed their style a bit on “Egg”, toning down the hillbilly elements in favour of thick-flowing soul in the vein of André Williams’ “Black Godfather” album in some places, in others serving up a rawer garage punk rock reminiscent of Jon Spencer, who also pops in on “Aloha From New York”. Other guests include some sweetly lilting country girl on “Mr. Marsman”, which helps vary this record some. This is good, actually, really good, and quite entertaining.
http://www.crunchy.dk

If you dig: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, André Williams

Jon A

The Pickup – Le Cobra CDS (The Pickup)
Not too sure what to think about this demo: On one hand, it sounds a bit like Danzig’s “Satan’s Child” record, the slightly distorted vocals, the dark sound, the metallic rock; on the other it’s not as Satanic, more biker rock. Good, chunky, heavy guitars, good vocal effects, but the singer seems to be trying a bit too hard to get that authentic US accent, which is a bit unnerving. There’s also a verse in one song about beating up your woman because she takes your money, which isn’t cool, and especially not when you’re not a gangsta rapper. Worst thing, though, there’s a ballad to finish off the three-song demo, which makes them sound way too much like D*A*D. I’m not saying this isn’t promising, if only The Pickup would work a bit more with their material, perhaps dragging in some black wax candles, a naked virgin, some thunder, and a bit of ritualistic self-abuse. Or something. And no more ballads, please.
http://www.thepickup.dk

If you dig: Danzig, D*A*D

Jon A

Paik - Monster of the Absolute CD
(Strange Attractors Audio House)
Paik is an instrumental rock trio from the advanced decay of Detroit, Michigan. This is the bands 4th record since their beginnings in 1997. The bands sound in this CD is heavily built around bass and drums with the guitars making strange sounds and melodies and rhythms, quite far in the background as not to disrupt the heaviness of the sludge, too much. I am quite sure the lack of clarity of the guitar is on purpose as the band takes off into their own psychedelic zone with some killer heavy spaced out tracks like Snake Face. October is very much like some Bardo Pond stuff. The title track, is also the longest journey on the record at over 9 minutes in length and a total wall of sound by the end. Intense! The CD is only 34 minutes but packed with dense music. Enjoy.
http://www.strange-attractors.com

If you dig: Spaceman 3, Bardo Pond, Earth, Circle

Scott

The Psychic Paramount- Live 2002- The Franco-Italian Tour CD
(Public Guilt Records)
The Psychic Paramount is a mostly improvised music group from the USA. The 8 tracks put forth on this digipack CD are taken from the bands French- Italian tour in 2002. This was previously released as a CD-R called Bewilderment and Illumination. The quality of the recordings is quite mixed but always intense and sometimes very noisy as they were all recorded to a cassette recorder with one microphone. The CD also includes an 8 minute super 8 film by Aran Tharp. I could not figure out how to watch it though (mov.file) but I guess Quicktime will do it but I could not try that as my net connection is down right now. This is amazingly intense stuff with a lot of dynamics in the noise, so of which could rip your head clean off if you are not careful. You have been warned!!!!!!!1
http://www.thepsychicparamount.com
http://www.publicguilt.com

If you dig: Whitehouse, Acid Mothers Temple, Thurston Moore

Scott

The Seven Mile Journey- The Journey Studies CD (Fonogram Records)
The Seven Mile Journey are from Aalborg in Denmark and play in the genre of post-rock (whatever that means?) but there music is made in long excursions of just dual guitars, bass and drums, where they build upon simple ideas and keep the music very melodic. They are compared to Mogwai, God Speed You Black Emperor!, Mono but in my ears they have way less dynamic in their music and just go on and on and don’t ever really grab you by the throat? IT never gets psychedelic or heavy, no guitar solos, just strumming guitar and changing moods played well. I was left very disappointed. The people into this genre of music consider this a masterpiece just to let you know but it did little for me…
http://www.thesevenmilejourney.dk

If you dig: Mogwai, God Speed You Black Emperor!, Mono

Scott

S.K.U.R.K- 666 Personlighteter CD (TBG)
S.K.U.R.K. play straight up heavy metal with the unique angle that they sing in the southern Swedish dialect of Skånska. Many Swedish people from Stockholm and further up in the country have a hard time understanding this dialect. Anyway, SKURK come across as a strange Iron Maiden inspired band but they mix a few strange things in as well, as the odd language. A few of the tracks have a female backing singer who appears now and then. Blodsband is an acoustic ballad with male and female vocals. The main problem I have with the CD is the lack of memorable songs.
http://www.skurk666.com

If you dig: Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate

Scott

Skyron Orchestra- Situations CD (Transubstans)
This is the Skyron Orchestra’s 2nd CD and it is an improvement in a good direction! The band opens with an amazing psychedelic rock track with cool organ and guitar. This is very much like some of the Mandra gora Lightshow Society stuff. Wow.. Great song, Can’t Control.
Sacred Atmosphere was a bit more mainstream of a track. Out of my Mind is really a trip back to the 60’s. Looking for a Trace changes a bit as the organ that most of the songs is driven by is exchanged with a low mixed electric piano. This young band plays really well and has some excellent well crafted songs. The lead vocalist, Veronica has a quite special voice. Not sure what it is about it. My World Salvation is a bit darker in feeling but a cool song. Call their Names has a quite cool heavy riff. Veronica, she really reminds me of the woman from the Growing Seeds (but with less delay on her voice. Life Cycle is a short track but one of my favourites. I wonder if these guys jam at all live??? The more I hear the record the more I realize these guys sound a lot like the now defunct Growing Seeds from Germany but much less jamming and psychedelic but still cool. Great band.
http://www.recordheaven.net
http://www.skyron.nu

If you dig: Mandra gora Lightshow Society, Baby Woodrose, Defectors, Growing Seeds

Scott

Society’s Finest – And I, The Drunkards CD (Alveran Records)
This one has emo written all over it, and from the moment the music begins, you just wait for that melodic chorus with a quavering voice to ruin it all for you, again. But somehow, Society’s Finest steer clear of that trap for almost the entire album, allowing only a few seconds of emo to slip into songs like “Cutters, Oh Cutters”, “Deadlight Strangers”, and “One More Kiss”, and then not doing too much harm, sounding more like Deftones than Slipknot. The rest of it is a hailstorm of screaming, growling, gurgling, a flood of downtuned guitars, all angular rhythms, hypersensitive, over-emotive, and quite bohemian with lyrics snippets like “we’re all medicated, we’re all sick” and “religion is at the funeral picking up whores”. A lot of it is quite melodic, underneath all the noise, with a punk attitude reminiscent of Amen, and elements of math blending into the otherwise very modern metal. This is what the MTV generation ought to be listening to.
http://www.alveranrecords.com

If you dig: Converge, Deftones, Amen

Jon A

South Filthy - Crackin’ Up CD (Licoricetree Records)
HalleFUCKIN’lujah! It’s another killer release by the ’Austin/Memphis Roots Rock Soul Explosion’ which sports the amazing cast of Walter Daniels (Jack O’Fire), Jeffrey Evans (68 Comeback), Jack Oblivian, Mike Buck (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and guest musicians like Earl Pool Ball (Byrds, Buck Ownes) etc. Trailer park trash swamp blues raunch played to the hilt and then some. Best served with cheap corn liquor and a lapdance by the toothless truckstop queen. Insanely addictive stuff!!!
http://www.licoricetree.com

If you dig: Tav Falco, The A-Bones, Mojo Nixon

Jens

Tattooed boy from Birkenhead CD
(Orange Blueprint Records)
Tattooed Boy from Birkenhead is a band from Belgium who play a slowcore music that is very relaxed and slow. This is the bands 4th EP (they have never released a full length CD) since 2000. The opening track is a 40 second thing with spacey electronics but then goes straight down to slow motion in track 2 which features some nice bass playing and piano lines over the nearly 3 minutes. Track 4 features some softly delivered vocals over a pretty repetitive music line.
The last track lasts 7½ minutes and has the most variation of any of the tracks and reminds me of some of the mellowest David Bowie stuff. The band once again show their skill at creating mood and movement within this slow motion style of melodic anti-pop music.
http://www.hospitalfood.be

If you dig: Mogwai, mellow Bowie

Scott

Threat Signal – Under Reprisal CD
(Nuclear Blast Records/VME Distribution)
It starts out well: Angular, super brutal, heavily syncopated, jazzy technical death metal at weird time signatures, a bit like Meshuggah. I absolutely love it! Then the inevitable happens: Fucking emo, drooling romantic, stupid gothy melodic vocals from Hell (or Heaven, as it is) – I’m repeating myself here, but I will not let this go on. It’s like a brilliantly surreal splatter movie with some pasted-on happy ending, like finding out the beautiful woman you’ve been French kissing for an hour has now got a hard-on. I’m sure it’s rewarding in a weird way the first couple of times, just like Slipknot sounded like a good idea on the first album, but after a few run-ins with this kind of crap, it really gets on your nerves. The worst thing is that when Threat Signal lay off the emo, they’re excellent, like a more easily digestible, less challenging Meshuggah: Heavy, brutal, and angular. I’d love to hear more from this debuting band, if they’d just cull the emo.
http://www.nuclearblast.de
http://www.threatsignal.com

If you dig: Meshuggah, Killswitch Engage, Slipknot

Jon A

Throttlerod- Nails CD (Small Stone Records)
Nails is Throttlerods 4th release since their birth in 1999. I only heard one of their releases last weekend at my friend Nils and I can say that this record is quite a lot different and much more raw and in your face and angry. The bass mix is really upfront and down and dirty. I am guessing the lost of long time founding member BO Leslie has lead the band to go for a heavier more noisy direction to compensate for the his loss and to move forward… Anyway, this album hammers at you pretty hard and aggressive and has some real punk attitude mixed with a really raw sound and noisy guitars like the Unsane or something but more rock and roll. Sometimes I am reminded of the old Soundgarden stuff (the good raw heavy shit, not their pop crap!). I also hear some Helmet but with a more raw sound. Powerful stuff… Grab it with both hands!!!!!!
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.throttlerod.com

If you dig: Helmet, Ministry, old Soundgarden

Scott

V/A - B-Back/Viv Prince Experience 7” (Areapirata)
Italian 60’s rock that works? Yes – actually. Italian 60’s rock that sounds fucking good? That too: The group is B-Back, and the split single is their second recording. We are talking Rolling Stones slash Cream inspired rock’n’roll that makes your record player dance along. No funny business and weird effects here, just the natural psyched up Procal Harum (is that possible?). Melodic to the point of nausea, but still delightfully fresh in 2006. This is definately one of the best rock albums I’ve heard come out of Italy, but then again, most of the Italian records I have at home are with that weird Opera guy – what’s his face... Andrea Bocelli, yeah... Anyway, they sound nothing like him – so you can go ahead and buy them now!
http://www.areapirata.com

If you dig: The Rolling Stones, Procal Harum, Andrea Bochelli

Kristian

V/A - Di Maggio Connection/The Legendary Kid Combo : For A Bottle Of Whiskey 7” (Area Pirata Records)
Two Italian bands. Four rockabilly tracks. Di Maggio Connection has an amazing love affair with Reverend Horton-Heat, so much is rather scary, especially on ”The Wildest Game”. Still, it’s pretty some exciting geetar fretting by Di Maggio. The Legendary Kid Combo’s ”Silver River” is frantic banjo crazed cowpunk, like Rank & File on crystal meth, truly enjoyable. The cover of Johnny Cash’s ”San Quentin” is a bit more subtle. All in all a damn fine release.
http://www.demaggioconnection.com
http://www.kidcombo.com

Jens

V/A Fase Quattro/ Toni Crimine Split 7” (APC)
This is a split 7” by 2 Italian rock and roll bands. All the 3 songs are sung in Italian. Fase Quattro is like old school 50’s rock and roll, almost but with a bit more attitude and a cool harmonica and the vocalist has a cool voice. Their track is called Jenny la Motociclista! Toni Crimine, is much more hard hitting punky rock and roll with two short tracks.

If you dig: Italian rock and roll

Scott

V/A - Rock and Roll Blvd- Volume 1 CD (Buzzville Records)
Buzzville Records have put together a quite good double CD compilation with 33 bands, many providing Buzzville with previously unreleased tracks (16). This gives one a great overview of the heavy rock-stoner-fuzz rock scene with mostly European bands and a lot from Sweden (Generous Maria, Sparzanza, Blind Dog, Space Probe Taurus, Pilotos, Electric Earth, The Quill, Speedfreaks). Quite a few bands that I had never heard of as well, such as Gonzales, evil Red, Desert Sun, Sir Hedgehog, MrMama, Alix, Mezzanine, Allhelluja, Hulk, Rite, Carlos, Rickshaw, DirtyBlood, El Guapo Stuntteam, Kayser, Cube and The Last Van Zant. The most known bands are probably Peter Pan Speedrock (killer track, Damn you all to Hell) and The Quill. If you find this one at a good price, well worth it!
http://www.buzzville.be

Scott