Peace, love and death metal

Tony Naima & The Bitters - “Let The Napalm Rain (a Dismember cover)” @Myspace
Six months ago I wrote a short post on Tony Naima’s Dismember tribute album. On my year end’s list I gave it #10. Some month ago I listened to this again, it stuck on my car’s cd player for a good couple of days and every time “Let The Napalm Rain” gave me goosebumps. I hate to say it, but Tony Naima does Dismember better than Dismember themselves. It doesn’t matter are these death metal originals or not, this album is tryly great, innovative and energetic piece of music.

Chainsaw Dismemberment - “Fisting Till Bleeding” mp3 // “Zombie Infection” mp3 // “Suffocated Growls from the Rear Entry” mp3
“Put those fists in the fucking ass!!!” What? Sometimes it’s hard to explain why you do love metal and death metal especially so deeply. Finnish Chainsaw Dismemberment is not high IQ death metal, but their take on early 90’s style is so youthful and breathing it’s hard not to love them. “Fisting Till Bleeding” is the feel good hit of the summer, but listen to the stench of burning flesh on the guitar solo of “Suffocated Growls…”. 12-song demo and two live songs are available at Mikseri.net.

Kurhaus - “Propaganda of Dance” mp3
Another mp3 off their breath-taking A Future Pornography album. Dance like there’s no tomorrow!

Fulton Lights - “Thank God For the Evening News” mp3 // “Fire in the Palm of My Hand” mp3
If you’re reading this after 1 AM, please listen. One of those sample mp3’s that made me feel that I should buy the album just for the fact that it’s a debut, special pressing and one day will worth a fortune. But I won’t - yet.

Ghost Guard - “Hate Yourself Dead” mp3 // “Legacy Of Pain” mp3 // “Malice Intent” mp3
From Vaasa, Finland comes Ghost Guard. Rotten Sound’s Sami on drums. Their second demo Hate Yourself Dead doesn’t leave much to ve desired. Relentless beating from the word go. Leaves many other bands combining death metal to hardcore’s aggression behind. Hats off to Death influences.

Våld - “Dark Clouds” mp3

Just recently noticed that there are a shitload of live videos at Nasum.com. Two shows from 1999, one from 2001 (the Osaka show) and one from 2004, filmed a mere 45 days before Mieszko’s untimely death in the tsunami disaster.

And please don’t forget that “A Welcome Breeze of Stinking Air” (mp3) is one hell of a song!

Deathchain - “Serpent of the Deep” sample mp3
Deathchain - “In the Crypt of Vengeance” sample mp3
Deathchain - “Witchstorm” sample mp3

The frontline warriors of Finnish death/thrash metal Deathchain are preparing themselves for the 3rd attack. Cult Of Death will be released in May 27th (Dynamic Arts) and judging by the samples the band have taken a course to a broader approach. If you can call a heavy Morbid Angel influence on “Serpent of the Deep” “a broader approach”, that is; two other samples are more of the good old that we didn’t know we were even missing it.

SXSW shows @ LHB
including - to name but a few - 65daysofstatic, 120 Days, Pipettes, Peter, Björn and John and The Stooges.

One AM Radio - “Lest I Forget” mp3
Suits best at the time of the day the band name suggests.

Charlatantric posted a new Interpol track “Like Ashes”. Hot damn! “Got a Devil by my bedside…”

Danny Cavanagh feat. Ville Valo - “Inner Silence (live)” YouTube

Last Saturday I witnessed Danny Cavanagh’s (guitarist for Anathema) solo show at a smal local club. Two hours of personal, intense music that couldn’t been better. Danny performed mostly Anathema songs (also unreleased new songs), but also several cover versions, of which his remake of “Wasted Years” of Iron Maiden was really cool. My well-timed “Slayer!” shout provoked him play the first riff of “Raining Blood” as well, so he can’t be completely bad, right?.

Opening acts Silentium and Leafblade were also stunning. Silentium played as a four-piece and half of their six-song set was Opeth’s material. Leafblade included Danny Cavanagh as well, but more importantly Sean Rooney of Valle Crucis fame (or should I put it “fame”?). Leafblade’s material is serene and even magical with a nice twist of modern sense of melody as well as sort of medieval touch. I’ll get back to Leafblade blogging later.

Anyway, the video linked above is filmed from the same tour. Ville Valo of HIM joined Danny on stage at Semifinal in Helsinki and together they performed “Inner Silence” from Anathema’s Alternative 4 album. No matter what you think of HIM, that moment must have been special.

Magyar Posse - “Länsiväylä” mp3
Magyar Posse - “We Will Carry You Over The Mountains” mp3
Magyar Posse - “Violent Lover” mp3

Magyar Posse have unleashed three unreleased beasts: one from rehearsals for the new album and two from pre-debut album era. That is kind. There is also full live show recorded at Oulu, April 17th 2005, available for download. Which is kind also.

I’ll see Magyar Posse live action in two weeks. I should try to get to know better the new album which so far have remained much, much more distant their sophomore album Kings Of Time from 2004.

Megadeth - “The Mechanix (live 1984)” YouTube

“I thought Kerry was an ass for doing that. I think he was kissing Dave’s ass or something. I thought Slayer was the best thing going on. Why go hang out with somebody else?”

- Jeff Hannemann according to Decibel’s Oral History of Slayer.

Slayer - “South Of Heaven (Live 1989)” YouTube
Slayer - “Mandatory Suicide (Live 1989)” YouTUbe
Slayer - “Raining Blood/Silent Scream (Live 1989)” YouTube

From English 1989 show(s), done by BBC2. Song is being cut by interviews with Tom. I’ve had this on VHS for several years, at least this looks really familiar. Anyway, this is Slayer at their peak.

Pantera - “1989 rehearsal at Joe’s Garage w/ Kerry King” YouTube

These are the wonders that make YouTube such a special service: Pre-major success Pantera rehearsing Slayer songs with Kerry King. It’s mostly learning through “South of Heaven” (and “Raining Blood” also) but altogether a really cool piece of heavy metal’s silent history. However, it makes me wonder what was the purpose of this session?

Regina - “Minua ollaan vastassa” mp3

New single from Finland’s finest cute-pop group Regina. Song is taken from the cd-r single released by Songs I Wish I Had Written.

There’s something universal about Regina’s music, fact that their Finnish-sung debut will be released in Japan shortly speaks volumes about their charm and style.

Wacken Open Air streaming videos

There’s Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel, Aborted (with cover version of Carcass’ “Heartwork”), Emperor, Atheist and more. And if you didn’t know already, Immortal will be headlining next year’s WOA. Early notice, if not else.

Slayer - “Eyes of the Insane (Live)” video

Metal HQ is offering a link for “Eyes of the Insane” live video. It’s multicam and professional - meaning I’d love to get rest of the show as well.

Slayer - Christ Illusion album stream

Christ Illusion have arrived. Enjoy. I’ll let you know in 12 months what I think about it. As for now - I can’t listen to anything else.

The Complete Oral History of Slayer

Decibel Magazine’s August issue have a 16-page story on the history of Slayer. One third of the feature is now up at Decibel’s site. I received my copy of the issue some week ago, cost me $12 but was definitely worth it (foreign magazine’s cost that amount in the newstands anyway). It was my first issue of Decibel and I wasn’t disappointed. They should start making an European version (or just print it in Europe as well) just to give Terrorizer some serious competition.

Bootlegs at Bwilms.com

Pelican - June 13th 2006; Rogue Wave - June 16th 2006; Mastodon - May 7th 2005; Explosions In The Sky - 2003; Don Caballero - 2000

Mogwai - Live at Tavastia Club, Helsinki, Finland July 6th 2006

Mogwai’s debut gig in Finland.

Pitchfork’s Infinite Mixtape series

21 tracks of Pitchfork favourites from 2006.

The Silent Ballet - Volume 1

The Silent Ballet is new webzine concentrating on postrock. They’ve their first mixtape online with tracks from such Lupatarkastaja favourites as SJ5, Once We Were and We vs. Death. I haven’t checked out this but I sure will soon.

Magyar Posse - “Sudden Death” mp3

Second mp3 from the new Magyar Posse album Random Avenger. Fact that they give these full mp3 songs for downloading is extremely great.

I’ve now listened through the album three times and I’ve got nothing much to say about it. Whereas previous Kings Of Time was more than music to start with, now after few years of listening to several other postrock bands the effect Magyar Posse have just isn’t that impressive. It’s easy. I don’t know. It’s not bad, so I’ll just keep listening to it and wait for the moment it hits me.

Magyar Posse - “Robots 4 Life (Mr. Velcro Fastener cover)” mp3 

I don’t know Mr. Velcro Fastener. Anyway, Magyar Posse have launched a myspace site with tracks from the last two albums and this cover version of “Robots 4 Life”. Very sweet.

Mar - “Sigga” mp3

Is it appropriate to describe something utterly comforting and calm music by saying it’s “killer shit”? Propably not, but still - check out Mar. “Americans recording music in Iceland”. A band founded in 2004 by Kyle Reidy have just released their debut album The Silence on Ring Road Records (that name must be taken from the “ring road” that goes around Iceland). Facts that it was recorded in Reykjavik, Iceland and it features members from The Album Leaf and Múm should give some sort of reference on its quality. More shoegazing than postrocking; among the obvious influences I can’t pin down right now, it also reminds me oddly of Viola’s debut album and the b-side of Tiamat’s Wildhoney album. via Relative Theory Records

SCID - “Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition” mp3

Title track from German death/grind act SCID’s two-EPs-put-together-is-one-album release Fucked Beyond Recognition. Recommended for the fans of Aborted and Carcass.

A Silver Mt. Zion - Le 4 Sans, Bourdeaux, France May 25th 2006
A Silver Mt. Zion - Le Comfort Moderne, Poitiers, France May 27th 2006

Live bootlegs from Archive.org. There few more bootlegs from the recent tour available as well.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Woxy.com in-studio session mp3

Four tracks studio live and an interview by CYHSY. Other artists from Woxy.com’s studio live performances’ archive are Architecture From Helsinki, Benzos, Audible, Editors, Gomez, Low, Rogue Wave, The Fiery Furnaces, We Are Scientists and many others.

http://www.myspace.com/thewhitestboyalive

Stare in the distance with German The Whitest Boy Alive’s “Burning” in the background. It’s a perfect match. They’ve got that fragile beat that is always appreciated here. Sad that they have only a myspace site and no proper bandsite (yet?). I wouldn’t mind downloading these songs. EDIT: Pstt - fans of The Grand Opening, The Whitest Boy Alive is meant for you.