Blind Guardian - Battalions Of Fear [1988]

And back to some metal; since their inception, Blind Guardian have pretty much embodied everything that is good about power metal. That is to say, not the terrible axis of power metal, your Dragonforce, your Sabaton, your Kamelot, but rather, metal with drive, hooks galore and, well, power. Every song on this is a winner, from the opener 'Majesty' (which is also quite epic in its writing), to the closer proper and title track 'Battalions Of Fear' (although it must be noted that the instrumental outro 'By The Gates Of Moria' is far from worthless). Although I previously made this claim about Somewhere Far Beyond, I've changed my mind; this is Blind Guardian's defining moment.

192 kbps

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The Swanky's - The Very Best Of Hero [1985]

Yes, that apostrophe irritates me as much as it does you. But I'm willing to overlook it just this once, as this is pretty much the defining album of Japanese hardcore punk. As that won't mean much to many of my readers, imagine if S.O.B. had released Don't Be Swindle in the early to mid 80s - this essentially sounds like that (with a few differences, obviously). Don't worry, it's also the case that this sounds far more different to Never Mind The Bollocks than the cover would suggest. In reality, this is proto-grind, with the emphasis on the 'proto'; for much of the album this is closer to standard punk than grind or powerviolence, but when The Swanky's (ugh) let rip, for instance on 'Damaging Noise', one can certainly hear a few of those sounds in the mix.

320 kbps

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Re-upload: Manilla Road - Crystal Logic [1983]

Manilla Road are a perpetually underrated speed/power metal band, with elements of thrash. Throughout their 14 album career, they have not released a bad one, however, this is their best. And their lyric 'I'm lost in necropolis' will always sound to me like 'I'm lost in the gravalax'.

Re-upload notes: I was just listening to this today and it struck me how good it was, and how I should therefore re-upload it. This is essential.

128 kbps

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Jean Sibelius - Symphonic Poem 'Finlandia', Op. 26

So the view count for the Dusek symphony suggests that my audience have either forgotten about Court In The Act or don't give a shit about classical. TOO FUCKING BAD. This is another beautiful piece of classical music, in a somewhat more stylistically simple manner than most classical. Particularly towards the latter half of the piece, there is a repeated gallant motif which sounds quite appropriate for a 'symphonic poem' - certainly major key, it counteracts the relatively moody beginning of the piece rather well. Again, this piece is rather bombastic, but this is typical of the later Romantic period that Sibelius played a rather key part in. Indeed, Sibelius' music is so beautiful that they named a compositional program after him. This is one of the pieces of classical music that simply must be heard in one's life.

217 kbps VBR

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František Xaver Dušek - Symphony In G Major, Altner G2

N.B. This post is tagged with the year of his death as I cannot find any information about when exactly the symphony was written. František Xaver Dušek was a Czech composer, who despite writing his music mainly in the Baroque era, mainly wrote in a Classical style, something which is clear to see (well, hear) here. That's not to say that he didn't take influence from the bourgeoning canon of his contemporaries; one can also clearly hear the kind of jangly stringed instruments that wouldn't be a surprise in a Vivaldi composition. However, the main influence was a Classical one, and this led to the work here, which is surprisingly bombastic for a pre-Romantic work. It's also rather short - at only 20-something minutes long it should be rather appealing to those who can't stomach 40+ minutes of classical at once (and I know you're not alone if you fit this description). An underrated and excellent composer.

192 kbps

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: Slayer - Hell Awaits [1985] (re-upload)

This is Slayer's follow-up to their 'Show No Mercy' debut, and I honestly believe that it is their best. Again, this was a heavy influence on the death and black metal scenes, and this album rightly goes down in the annals of metal as legendary.

Re-upload notes: Anyone who thinks that Reign In Blood is better is a moron. There, I said it.

~200 kbps VBR

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: Possessed - Seven Churches [1985] (re-upload)

Debatably the first death metal album ever - the debate centres not around whether it was first, but whether it was DM or not - either way, it's a stellar piece of aggressive thrash that is yet further testament to put to bed Kerry King's claim that Slayer have ever been the most extreme band in the world.

320 kbps

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: Sodom - In The Sign Of Evil [1984] (re-upload)

Sodom were probably the most extreme of the 'big three' of German thrash (for the unenlightened amongst you, that's Sodom, Kreator and Destruction), and this little gem is arguably their best release. It comes together slightly more coherently than Obsessed By Cruelty, but has more edge to it than Persecution Mania, and certainly is not the more mainstream thrash of Agent Orange. There is no question that this is raw and aggressive, and the critical acclaim it has received since it was released makes this one of the absolute classics of the thrash metal genre. Next time you meet someone who claims to like 't3h thrash methulz' because they like The Black Album (or even worse, As I Lay Dying), play them some Sodom and watch them squirm.

320 kbps

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends [1986] (re-upload)

Most metal fans, thrash or not, at least have seen the lyric 'The city is guilty/The crime is life/The sentence is death/Darkness descends'; that comes from this legendary thrash album, and although Kerry King around the time called DA 'Slayer rip-offs' (let's face it, he would call Black Sabbath the same thing), this album is far more brutal than anything Slayer themselves ever released, without losing the hooks (however, Slayer is probably quite a good starting point to describe their sound).

N.B. This features bonus tracks of live versions of Merciless Death, Perish In Flames, and Darkness Descends.

128 kbps

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: Kreator - Pleasure To Kill [1986] (re-upload)

Kreator's classic lays a major claim to the throne of the best album of '86, and that's serious shit when you consider the contenders. This pretty much started the brutal thrash genre, along with their countrymen Destruction and Sodom, and their South American counterparts.

192 kbps

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Astra - The Black Chord [2012]

Looking at the cover, it's easy to mistake this 2012 space rock/psychedelic rock album as something Yes would have put out in about 1972. And although there is a strong prog vibe here, the spaced-out trip is what we're here for on this. "The Black Chord" is similar to a more concise, more focused version of Porcupine Tree's ambient prog album "Voyage 34", and in the sense that it is a lot easier to wrap your ears around, surpasses it hugely. Give it a whirl.

6 tracks, 47:04, 82.93 MB
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Pulled.

Court In The Act Thrash Week: Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare [1988] (re-upload)

This is one of the best thrash albums ever, and certainly the best thing that Robert Flynn (later to join Machine Head) has ever been involved in. The vocals are often a sticking point, but I love them - they add a certain energy, bounce and aggression to each track. The standout is probably 'T.D.S. (Take It As You Will)'.

128 kbps (also includes bonus disc at 320)

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Court In The Act Thrash Week: D.R.I. - Dealing With It [1985] (re-upload)

Over the next week I will be posting a classic thrash album a day (or rather, scheduling them all now for later days), most of which will be re-uploads as I think the blog had the thrash bases fairly well covered before the great Megaupload holocaust.

Crossover thrash at its finest. This has a (very) heavy dose of hardcore punk with just a bit of influence from the then-emergent thrash scene, but it's an album which is mandatory listening for fans of both genres. Fast, catchy, the Dirty Rotten Imbeciles do it to perfection here.

Varies between 192 and 128 kbps

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Pat's Q1 2012 Album Roundup

The opening Winter months of 2012 brought about a terribly drawn out study period for me; however buried under the reams of illegible study notes emerged a wealth of new albums, mixtapes and EP's ; not all good, but all fairly distinctive in their outcomes...

BIG K.R.I.T | 4Eva N a Day 

Big K.R.I.T, currently representing the beating heart of Southern
hip-hop, maintains his incredible consistency on his 2nd free
mixtape, a concept album around a day in his current life.
The beats are incredibly polished, taking new-found influences
from soul while maintaining the lyrical prowess of predecessor,
Return of 4eva. With a retail album still to come, K.R.I.T is
building a reputation the south hasn't seen since Outkast 15
years ago.                                                                                [8]

BLACK DICE | Mr Impossible

Brooklyn electro outfit Black Dice's discography is vast in scale;
with a Grateful Dead-esque obsessive support base driving the
band's 15 year career. Though they may never regain the heights
of studio debut Beaches and Canyons, their 6th LP is a fun
return for the band- who at 30-something have finally reached a
stage of slight accessibility. Mr Impossible has its OTT electro
meltdowns but for the most part progresses with a new found
urgency- with driving rhythms booming over the band's
traditional lo-fi style.                                                              [7]                           

BLONDES | Blondes

Criminally under-publicized, duo Sam Haar and
Zach Steinman's debut under the alias Blondes is a euphoric
success- playing on conventions from the origins of techno.
Though it is a collage of seperate EP's at heart, no track feels
alienated here; this is a deep, well-thought-out, irresistible
collection of classic dance tracks.                                       [8]

BURIAL | Kindred EP

As we approach the five year anniversary of Burial's Untrue, one
of the defining albums of modern British culture, the anonymous
dubstep icon finally released an EP that lives up to those true
heights. The grit of past works is replaced with a new airy vibe
that results in a disturbing atmosphere on all the tracks while
maintaining the classic weight of Burial's beats.                    [8]

CHROMATICS | Kill For Love

Some cynics would argue the buzz for Chromatic's 90 minute
epic Kill For Love owes more to Nicholas Winding Refn's
incredible use of their track Tick of The Clock in the film Drive
over appreciation for their past discography. Either way, the
idea of a bedroom pop opus is certainly intriguing but it's delivery
(and I hate saying this) was just plain dull. Considering the album's
duration the sense of ambition just wasn't there; this may just be
personal preference however (I can probably count the number of
60 minute+ LP's that I enjoyed on one hand!) Each drony guitar-
based track ended up blending into a grey malaise which, sadly,
I just couldn't stand.                                                                [3]              

CRAIG FINN | Clear Heart, Full Eyes

As one of the most under-appreciated lyricists of recent times,
Craig Finn's hiatus from a stagnated Hold Steady allowed Finn
to expand his sound through his debut solo record. The songs on
this record lean away from his past rock tendencies and embrace
traditional Americana and country building a new form of
personal intensity from Finn which suits the more personal,
devastating turn of lyrical style.                                              [7]                                                                     

FIRST AID KIT | The Lion's Roar

With an average age of 20 and two albums under their belt,
sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg are undoubtedly talented.
First Aid Kit's rustic pop could easily be lifted from any era and
yet it doesn't feel tired on The Lion's Roar due to the pure 
quality of the songwriting. The two leave themselves exposed in
studio recordings- there is no electronic bilge to cloud their vocal
and lyrical ability and they absolutely nail it here.                  [7]


GRIMES | Visions 

To cues of "u look good bb" Grimes, out of nowhere, became
the blogosphere's poster girl in past months. Claire Boucher's
3rd album follows a similar brand of electro to past efforts; it
reeks of retro- video game references, $50 keyboards and
synths... so much synth! The end result is definitely cool but
almost too processed- the Canadian seems to have hidden what
spirit the record had under yet another layer of synths!           [5]

HIMANSHU | Nehru Jackets 

Himanshu (better known as Heems) is one third of New York comedy outfit
Das Racist. His first solo mixtape, Nehru Jackets,

contains some of the most insane production I've heard in recent

years- with producer Mike Finito blending various brands of 

asian music into the beats. Unsurprisingly, Heems's lyrics are 

often hilarious and the album contains a surprising consistency

often devoid from a Das Racist record.                                    [8]

HODGY BEATS | Untitled EP

Out of nowhere, on the dawn of a new Odd Future mixtape, 

Hodgy Beats released this free EP, ditching long-term collaborator

Left Brain for a range of established hip-hop producers. This 

results in is a much smoother, more conventional hip-hop album

minus the faux aggression of his past Odd Future releases; 

heightening the emphasis on Hodgy's strong flow.                 [8]

JULIA HOLTER | Ekstasis

Ekstasis, Julia Holter's second full-length album in the space of

six months, draws influences from the likes of Kate Bush and 

Julianna Barwick to build an other-worldly sound. The album

builds a sense of grandiose through a spacious production that 

reverbs everywhere but rarely becomes overwhelming or 

compromising of the striking lyrical content.                          [9]

LANA DEL REY | Born To Die

Having set the world alight through YouTube sensation Video

Games Lana Del Rey's backlash was inevitable- but through
stories of her background came an incredibly tragic pop record
that uses nostalgia more prolifically than almost any modern
artist. Admittedly the record is a little bit one note, as Lana
croons about men, drugs and whatever other common clichés
you can think of BUT this does not stop it from being frankly
enjoyable as hell and comprising of some of the year's best
pop tracks.                                                                              [7]

LIL B | God's Father

With a total of 60+ songs already this year alone, you could argue

a case for agreeing with Lil B's outrageous quote on the cover of
his second mixtape of 2012. He serves as a case study for the
potential success of the free mixtape; he rarely takes himself
seriously and there's therefore next to zero quality control.
Nonetheless the reliability of the great beats and often hilarious
parody lyrics make this a nice one-time listen.                       [6]

NICKI MINAJ | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

Easily the most interesting pop star around at the moment, Minaj's

offshoot of her debut Roman Reloaded is something I wanted to
love but sadly found myself stalled by how crazy and ill-
disciplined it really was. The tracks are more rooted in rap than
the undeniable pop charm of a lot of Pink Friday which is, for
the most part, a good thing but it just couldn't really click with
me unfortunately.                                                                   [4]

ODD FUTURE | The OF Tape Vol. 2

Almost four years after the release of Tape 1, Odd Future's 

sequel displays both the maintenance of the collectives
immaturity as well as their corresponding sonic developments.
The fairly even distribution of material to each sub-group of OF
creates the group's most varied collection of tracks to date.   [7]
                                                                                           

OF MONTREAL | Paralytic Stalks

On Paralytic Stalks, of Montreal seem to take a deliberated turn

towards a psychedelic style with vintage nods to Bowie and
The Beatles. For many, it was a radicalisation too far however
I found the record's blend between catchy pop and avant-garde
insanity to be a great return from a band on the cusp of musical
stagnation.                                                                              [8]

PERFUME GENIUS | Put Your Back N 2 It

Seattle's Mike Hadreas's second LP proves himself to be one of

the most intimate, heartfelt songwriters around today. The tracks
are mostly low key piano ballads but it's Perfume Genius's
approach to love through his lyrics that steals the show; displaying
a fragility that so few artists manage to get across in the modern
age. This is undoubtedly my album of the year so far.             [9]

PORTICO QUARTET | Portico Quartet

Four years after their Mercury Prize nominated debut, Portico

Quartet's 3rd album sees a compromise of their traditionalist jazz
roots for an atmospheric and ultimately more engaging record.
The rhythms are a lot more prominent and instruments like the
saxophone are reverberated to give a haunting experience.    [8]

SOAP&SKIN | Narrow

Anja Plaschg's second record is quite a low key affair- the

songwriting and production is simplistic and harrowing, while
her voice has this musky, airy quality that is engaging even if
my German is nowhere near advanced enough to comprehend
what she's saying! The tracks at times are a little short and feel
perhaps a little wasted to me but overall the Austrian's sophomore
is definitely worth checking out!                                             [7]

JOHN TALABOT | ƒIN

After years lingering around the dance scene, Spanish producer
John Talabot's debut was finally released this February. It's an
album that, for the most part, is quite a summery affair with
the sort of precise percussive work I haven't heard since Caribou's
last record, to whom Talbabot certainly owes a great debt.
 fIN, as an album, consistently flourishes both as a dance record
and as an intricate musical achievement.                                [8]

THEESATISFACTION | awE naturalE











THEESatisfactions' strong musical ties

with Shabazz Palaces made awE naturalE one of my
most anticipated releases for the year. The group do maintain
the smooth blend of jazz and soul with the complete radicalisation
of the hip-hop genre established by Shabazz however the songs
were so short I just couldn't gain a connection with anything on
here leaving me without the sense of passion that's at the roots
of the hip hop genre.                                                              [5]              
                         






THE WEEKND | Echoes of Silence

The third of a trilogy of free mixtapes by Abel Tesfaye is
arguably the least engaging of the three- compromising the
absolute grittiness of House of Balloons for a classic pop sheen
in parts. There's certainly a heavier emphasis on Tesfaye's
persona, his voice isn't compromised by autotune for most of
the release while the problematic lyrics are toned down to make
for, personally, the most rewarding of the three releases.       [7]

YOUNG FATHERS | Tape One





















After a booming input of hip-hop from the States it was promising
to see a UK collective finally gaining some traction in the form
of Young Fathers. Taking influences from the likes of Death
Grips there's certainly an abrasive blend of aggressions on this
short EP however the production just lacked a certain force for
me and I just couldn't click with it sadly.                                 [4]


ZAMMUTO | Zammuto

Serving as the first output from the post-break up contingencies
of The Books, Nick Zammuto maintained his distinctively
focused approach to rhythm to produce an engaging and insanely
tight solo project. There's multiple nods to African music and a
dropping of vocal samples making the record a much rawer
experience than your conventional Books record and gaining a
sound that I ultimately loved!                                                  [8]

Best of Q1 YouTube Mix: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAD6989085D5D58A8

01 Grimes :: oblivion
02 Beach House :: myth
03 Rufus Wainwright :: out of the game
04 Florence + The Machine :: never let me go (clams casino remix)
05 Lana Del Rey :: born to die
06 Hodgy Beats :: lately
07 Himanshu ft. Danny Brown and Mr Muthafuckin' eXquire :: you have to ride the wave
08 Death Grips :: the fever (aye aye)
09 THEESatisfaction :: queens
10 Burial :: loner
11 John Talabot :: depak ine
12 Julia Holter  :: boy in the moon
13 Perfume Genius :: sister song

Album Roundup: Q1 2012

The first three months of 2012 have been relatively quiet insofar as music releases have been concerned - at least, they have for me. Here's a summary of the new albums I've heard this year, as well as a preview of things to come. So without further ado:

Paul Cusick - P'Dice [9th Jan]

A good second attempt that doesn't quite match up to the first yet somehow bewilderingly features the drumming talents of the drummer from the band Cusick is content to rip off so frequently. Read my full review here. [7]

Everything

Similar: Roger Waters, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd

Anneke Van Giersbergen - Everything is Changing [20th Jan]

Although she first came to my attention as "the girl on that Devin Townsend album", it turned out that the Dutch singer has an extensive career in her own right. Formerly the singer of goth metal/prog rock outfit The Gathering, her recent solo work has taken a more pop-rock-oriented direction, and this new album is more of that. Beginning with the lead single "Feel Alive", the tone is set from the start as one that is positive yet introspective. Still, her relationship with metal is not entirely forgotten here, and a few tracks exhibit guitar work which one may even be inclined to call riffs. Still, the album as a whole is enjoyable to listen to, even if there are no immediate standout tracks. [7]

Feel Alive
Similar: The Gathering, Tarja

Savage Messiah - Plague of Conscience [23rd Jan]

A horribly boring power/thrash metal album hardly worth the effort of a free download. Read my full review here. [3]

Six Feet Under the Gun
Similar: Symphony X, Evile, Helloween

Napalm Death - Utilitarian [13th Feb]

I'll admit that up until recently I wasn't too keen on Napalm Death. I'd listened to "Scum" a few times and didn't think it was all that (an opinion which I'm aware is considered heresy on this blog), but then I borrowed "Time Waits For No Slave" off a friend and I was introduced to the world of 21st-Century Napalm Death. "TWfNS" was fantastic, so I was pretty excited when news of a new album reached me. Now, although most of this album is standard deathgrind fare (a.k.a, holocaust in a washing machine), the band have attempted to spice things up a bit with a doomy opening instrumental, a saxophone freakout courtesy of John Zorn on "Everyday Pox", and deep, throaty chanting on "Fall on Their Swords". Tracks like this help to split up the album - which, at 45 minutes, is pretty damn long by grindcore standards - into more manageable chunks. So this is Napalm Death doing what they do best, and it will not disappoint you. [9]

Quarantined (only a minute-long preview unfortunately)

Similar: Terrorizer, Nasum, Brutal Truth

Miike Snow - Happy to You [13th Mar]

Miike Snow's eponymous 2009 début was a chirpy indie synthpop album that I developed an unexpected liking for. However, the Swedish trio's second serving seems to have missed the mark somewhat. One thing I liked about the previous album was that a lot of the songs were actually catchy, something the band seemed to have overlooked here in lieu of trying to make the production sound even cleaner than last time. But this is ultimately self-detrimental, as "Happy to You" is not as good as the previous album by a long shot. [4]

Paddling Out

Similar: Passion Pit, Friendly Fires, Calvin Harris

Paul Weller - Sonik Kicks [19th Mar]

What Paul Weller thinks: "pop-art punch with soulful communication, jazzy explorations into psychedelia and dub with razor-sharp melodies, abstract soundscapes with clear-eyed forest-folk". What I think: Paul Weller has been increasingly experimental with his music, especially with the psychedelia-tinged "22 Dreams" in 2008. "Sonik Kicks" is an extension of that, featuring a bunch of songs in a multitude of different styles, including Britpop of old, folk music, soul, and so on. While some may argue it lacks coherence (perhaps it could be seen as a little too diverse), I think it's another great album from the Modfather, and of a quality I hope he keeps up in years to come. [8]

Kling I Klang

Similar: Blur, Jarvis Cocker, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Iron Maiden - En Vivo! [26th Mar]

I'm tempted to say "It's fucking Iron Maiden" and have done with it, but since I saw them at one of the dates on their Final Frontier World Tour last year, I can actually review this album by comparing it to my first-hand experience of this set and Maiden as they are now. As the title and packaging implies, "En Vivo!" was recorded in Chile during Iron Maiden's Final Frontier World Tour. The setlist itself focuses on a lot of new material (over half the songs are from 2000 onwards), while still including all the Maiden classics we know and love. Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko are still as talented and energetic as ever, but on an audio recording this can only come across on their playing, which sounds very much as it did on "The Final Frontier". Furthermore, in order to streamline the album, most of Bruce's banter has been removed (and there's a lot) which makes the whole thing a rather bog-standard affair. This is far from the definitive Iron Maiden live performance (look to "Live After Death" for that), so unless you're a die-hard, show no more interest. [5]

(Also I know there's a DVD of this concert, but the standard edition is just the audio, so that's what I reviewed)

Iron Maiden

Similar: Judas Priest, Angel Witch, Hell

Astra - The Black Chord [27th Mar]

Whoops, this shouldn't be here. This album was clearly released in Q1 1972, with its psychedelic trip music, space-age synthesizer textures amd cover art quite clearly designed by Roger Dea- wait, this came out this year? Huh. Basically Astra are a band that has set out to show the world what 'psychedelic' really means (i.e. not MGMT), with an album that would have been just at home 40 years ago as it is today. Featuring six tracks (three extended, three shorter) with far-out guitar work, atmospheric keyboards and willowy Gilmour vocals, "The Black Chord" is definitely worth a listen whether you plan on getting high or just sitting back, relaxing and setting off on a cosmic voyage to discover the true meaning of 'chilled out'. Best album I've heard so far this year. [10]

Cocoon
Similar: Pink Floyd, Yes, Early Porcupine Tree, The Bakerton Group

The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet [27th Mar]

Apparently something's slowing The Mars Volta down. Since they exploded onto the scene in 2003 with the frantic and energetic "De-loused in the Comatorium", every subsequent release has seen slower music and a deeper singing voice from Cedric. Not that this is a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination; it shows that the band aren't afraid to experiment a bit, and although "Noctourniquet" is not their strongest offering, it has enough good ideas and diversity to hold its own. Many of the songs sound like they've been taken straight from "Frances the Mute", slowed to half speed, then had the vocals re-recorded by an extremely pissed off singer. However, the production is a bit wonky at times, with some tracks (e.g. opener "The Whip Hand") sounding like someone banging some crockery in the next room. As I said, not the band's greatest album, but kooky and interesting and worth a listen or two. [7]

The Malkin Jewel

Similar: At the Drive-In, De Facto

So that brings Q1 2012 to a close. In the next three months we have Ian Anderson's "Thick as  Brick 2", Mikael Åkerfeldt / Steven Wilson collaboration "Storm Corrosion", new O. Children album "Apnea", the new Rush album (finally!) and more. See you then!

Free Shit(You Sould Buy): Sun Worship- Sun Worship

Being a musician is expensive as fuck.

As a former vocalist for a shitty Grindcore band, I learned first hand just how expensive it can get... even though I was just the vocalist and didn't even play an instrument. Now in this particular case, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, mostly because half the band was Native American(Indian Casinos: Making Punk Rock Possible). But despite the fact that half the band was getting a fat check of free fucking money, things still got expensive. Between the microphones, the gas, the food, the drugs, the booze, the guitar strings, the recording equipment, the drugs, the booze, the time taken off from work, the repairs, the drugs and the booze, every single underground band is losing money. Not most of them, or even 99% of them. All of them are.

Truth is, even if everyone bought all the music they possess and never downloaded anything, these bands would still lose money. By it's very nature, Extreme Music is anti-everything, including anti-money. Unless you are Cannibal Corpse or The Black Dahlia Murder, you are not making anything(and those two particular bands members would, at best, be described as "lower-middle class). But that is because the money you as a consumer spend goes right back into the band: they spend it on the music(or the substances to produce music), not on fast cars and loose women. It's art being created to fund the creation of more art... not a bad thing if you ask me.

Sun Worship hail from Germany, and play a fairly standard style of modern "Cascadian Black Metal" in the vein of Krallice, Ash Borer or Yellow Eyes. Not that this is a bad thing: Sun Worship is a highly enjoyable slice of modern Black Metal, filled with plenty of atmospheric riffs and a thick, inviting atmosphere that I am just a sucker for. It might not re-invent the wheel, but it's still quality and worth a listen. However, this two song demo is pushing the boundaries of cost in the US(5.25 plus 5.25 for shipping), but for you Eurofags there is no excuse not to throw the 4 whateverthefuckyoucallyourmonies at Sun Worship for the cassette.

Persona 101: Sharpy's recommendations are usually gold, but the cassette is sold out at the moment according to their Bandcamp. However, there are more pressings planned for June.

Sun Worship Bandcamp

Free Shit(You Should Buy): Morgirion- Infinite Retribution Upon Paradise(2012)

First off, sorry for the slight break in format. I will fix it asap, but I am not at my personal computer and don't have all my fancy photo altering tools and what not...

I know that all this "you should buy this" talk seems kind of... hypocritical. I mean this is a download blog, and I have partaken of the many bounties of the internet myself for many years. What nerve that a person like me is asking, or demanding, that you pay for these albums. Where the fuck to I get off? What is my fucking problem?

Nothing. If anything, myself and people like me are the future music consumer: one with enough education and technical savvy to never pay for any intellectual property, but emotionally invested enough to want to fucking pay for it. Smaller, independent labels and bands seeking to avoid any label influence have, over the last few years, have begun to actively target consumers like me. Do you know what that means?

The internet is winning.

We have been demanding a seat at the table of the music industry for years. They owe it to us to not overcharge for poor music and to provide only the best possible product. And finally, after all this bloviating and agitating, our enemy the music industry is beginning to relent. They are conceding to the consumer for the first time in a long time, really since the major music industry began. The revolution has already begun. And I think this new future deserves a little financial compensation, especially when the asking price is so god damn fair. Remember when a new CD was 15 dollars? 20 dollars? 30 dollars? I still do. Now, you are getting albums for 10 dollars, 5 dollars, "name-your-fucking-price-fuck-us-if-you-want-please-just-listen-to-our-music-god-consumer..." These prices are not even really fair to the band.

Our entry today is the newest album from Connecticut, USA natives Morgirion, Infinite Retribution Upon Paradise. I reviewed the album over at my blog Curse of the Great White Elephant, so head over there for a more detailed description. Needless to say, I dig the hell out of this album. It's not perfect,but fans of Emperor, Gyibaaw, Judas Iscariot and The Chasm need to listen up: Morgirion throws a ton of crushing riffs and blackened serpentine song structures at you, and doesn't really care if you get hurt in the process.

Morgirion Bandcamp

Free Shit(You Should Buy): Shaidar Logoth- Chapter I: The Peddler

The future of the music industry, both mainstream and underground, will be decided in the next few years. Technology, connectivity and economic factors are leading us inevitably to an apex; hurtling through space to an unknown, alien world. The music industry as we have known it is dying: the CD is out-dated technology heading for at best a niche market(like vinyl); at worst, non-existence. Years of overcharging for low quality, mass production pop music and a relentless focus on radio singles has backfired into the faces of record companies, as the invention of the mp3 has made a large number of Top 40 pop and rock albums worthless: containing only one or two radio singles that anyone cared about, the introduction of mp3's allowed consumers to selectively download those singles without paying for whole albums. This massive loss in revenue has had an equally massive effect on the buisness practices of record labels. Namely, becoming freakishly paranoid about piracy and the internet as a whole, and doing everything in their power to destroy it. The mainstream music industry is fighting against a massive cultural and economic force, one that is more advanced and far reaching than it is.

It has almost no chance of winning. The mainstream music industry must evolve... or die.

Luckily for them, there is a blueprint for a new tomorrow already being written by several underground record labels and independent artists. One that embraces the reality of intellectual property in the 21st century while also allowing for financial gains. The premise is simple: give it away, believe in the quality of the property and let it speak for itself. It if says and does the right things, people will pay for it and support it like they do anything they care about. Since the introduction of Bandcamp, this practice has become more widespread and effective. So over the next several weeks, I will be drawing special attention to those record labels and independent artists who are embracing a better future for both musicians and consumers. Some of these will be pretty well saturated, some maybe not. But all will meet two requirements: the albums, EP's and demos will be free, and even though they are free you should still buy them.

Why? Because this concept needs your vote of confidence. And your vote just won't fucking matter if you can't pony up 5 to 10 dollars to support it. Remember, these are small, independent record labels or artists self-releasing their own material: support their DIY, grass-roots effort to change the music industry... buy the damn album.

Our first completely free album you should pay for is Chapter I: The Peddler, from Minnesota based Black Metal two-piece Shaidar Logoth. Featuring members of Iron Thrones and Wolvehammer, Shaidar Logoth play some incredibly awesome Raw Black Metal that draws from a lot of different influences: Darkthrone, Horna, Leviathan, Mayhem. All raw, all blistering and all shockingly atmospheric and intelligent. Chapter I: The Peddler blew my mind the very first time I heard it... Black Metal doesn't get any more intense or heart-wrenching. You can download the album free of charge, or pay whatever you want with the "name your price" feature. You can also purchase the CD for a mere 5 dollars. And for those who think that this new idea won't work, be sure to scroll far enough down the page where it shows that the tape of Chapter I: The Peddler is sold out.

Shaidar Logoth Bandcamp

Japan - Quiet Life [1979]

Right, Joe is gone for now so i'll take this opportunity to post some new wave (YES)

Well for those who don't know I really, REALLY like David Sylvian's voice and this is the first album he's on that his trademark singing style is first used. Concerning the other instruments do not expect too much (after all this music is still very new-wave in style) but the bass is worth a mention as Mick Karn has an interesting self-taught style which can be seen most clearly in the intro for "In Vogue". The only instrument that is pretty much non-existent is the guitar as, bar some parts on the title track and a few other places , it's mostly absent (the guitarist left after this album 'cause he was doing fuck all)

The songs themselves are all pretty much top notch (in my view) and is overall a more brooding album and is the start of the bands creative work (later Japan albums), the future work of David's solo work (which I will probably end up posting later) and Richard Barbieri (the keyboard player) who has been member of Porcupine Tree since 1993.

All in all this slighty arty New Wave album is a great album with great songs I do hope you agree.

(btw don't get too excited about the bonus tracks, only one is a new track the rest are single versions)

Mediafire
@256 kbps