October 25, 2002
I was never happier to be a runner than I was last night. I was able to put it all together in just 5K.
I worked in the basement tonight. I am redoing the basement shower to make it less dungeon like. I think it might happen. The basement will be finished soon. I am dreading the chemical warfare via the application of more dry lock.
If I talk to George on the phone, I want to move to San Francisco, CA.
If I talk to my brother on the phone, I want to move to Los Angeles, CA.
If I talk to Tom on the phone, I want to move Brooklyn, NY.
No matter how may times I talk to Joel on the phone, I never want to move to Washington, DC.
When I talk to you on the phone after I am gone, I will probably want to move back to Cleveland, OH.
I have to work tomorrow and I am kind of glad for whatever reason. I want to see if I can write and run in the same morning before work. I am wondering how early I need to get up. I am guessing six to be at work at nine.
The stuff below is from the second issue of “The Hand of Doom”. It is a lot. Read it if you have nothing better to do. I was particularly proud of this issue of “The Hand of Doom” because I did it without the benefit of all those free office supplies that I got from the office. I did this one at night while working at the Used Record Store. No office supplies. No copy machine. No free stick glue. Big ups to John of the Slap Quintet for photocopying Volume 2 of “The Hand of Doom” for free. For free.
The Obsessed.
Incarnate.
CD. Southern Lord Records.
The Obsessed have been down since the early eighties. This is a collection of pioneering modern doom that goes as deep as their legendary first single. Wino is my dude. The music rocks. Show them some love.
(1999)
The Melvins.
The Maggot.
CD. Ipecac Recordings.
This is the first installment of what is promising to be an unholy trinity of albums by the Melvins this year. It is typical Melvins so it is way different than everything else going on now. The record is heavy and spastic. Annoying tracking and packaging aside, this record is cool. Includes cover of Judas Priest’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Green Eyed…”
(1999)
Sleep.
Jerusalem.
CD. The Music Cartel.
The bootleg of this album was my favorite of 1998 and the legitimate release has only been topped by the untouchable Neurosis. The album is one fifty odd minute long song about pot and God. It is the slowest and heaviest records ever made. I nearly had a heart attack the first time I heard it- it is that fucking amazing. I was shocked and horrified by the amount of bad reviews I read on this record. Are these people nuts? The metal and straight rock press are going to be eating crow on this one. Jerusalem is going to be remembered as one of the most important heavy metal records of the nineties. This record is the way.
(1999)
Regurgitate.
Effortless Regurgitation…
CD. Relapse Records.
One million songs from a few different sessions of European fast gore metal. Recommended.
(1999)
Neurosis.
Times of Grace.
CD. Relapse Records.
Neurosis sounds like Neurosis, which is to say heavy dirge rock. The only difference between this and the rest of their uniformly awesome nineties output is the Steve Albini production. It is a marriage made in heaven. The drum sound is second only to Bonham’s and the separation on the remainder of Neurosis’ wall of sound is phenomenal. I am at a loss for descriptive superlatives on this record. It is my favorite record of 1999. Thank you Neurosis.
(1999)
Nebula.
Sun Creature.
CD. Man’s Ruin Records.
One of the most popular bands on the scene deliver a new extended play single of totally rocking heavy fuzzed out bliss. This is my favorite Nebula record. There is plenty of their patented Deep Purple styled riff driven rock with some longer free form jams in there for good measure. Nebula, spawned from Fu Manchu, has surpassed that band and currently leads the international stoned pack in total rock action.
(1999)
Gordon Solie Motherfuckers.
Chairshot Politics E.P.
7”ep. River on Fire Records.
Seven songs of old school hardcore featuring members of Nine Shocks Terror. An older and wiser Erba returns to the mic.
(1999)
Cave-In.
Creative Eclipses.
7”ep. Hydra Head Records.
Heavy weird post hardcore rock. Deluxe packaging.
(1999)
By The Throat
7”ep.
Hater of God/Gloom/Arashikage/Paralogy Records.
Fast but less grindy hardcore by ex-Monster X Albany crew. Excellent.
(1999)
Behead the Prophet N.L.S.L.
Making Craters Where Buildings Stood.
7”ep. Sound Pollution.
Traditional hardcore with a high pitched screamed vocal style. Poster sleeve with lyrics.
(1999)
Voorhees.
13.
Six Weeks Records.
Great song titles such as “God Versus the Hippies” and “One Man Wall of Death” stand out on the disc. The music is a variety of extreme hardcore styles with guttural yelled vocals and never getting too fast songs that have a distinctly modern feel to them without diving into the style. In the “God Versus the Hippies” song, one of the lyrics is “Broken lava lamp, stuck in the throat”. That seems like a fitting way for a hippie to go. This record is hardcore.
(1999)
Today is the Day.
In the Eyes of God.
Relapse Records.
I think that Today is the Day is a truly evil band. By comparison, most of these so-called black metal bands are sissies. This is crazy music for crazy people. It is a sometimes trying listen with most of the song arrangements being weird and disconnected. They rock but I have a difficult time following what is going on even after a couple of listens and as soon as it seems that I am about to catch a groove they switch it up. I mean, it’s music but it takes a bit of an effort to pay attention to what is going on. This is not a record to bug out to. I also have a substantial complaint with the sound of the snare drum (too fucking high pitched) and the heavily effected (Poltergeist haunted TV) vocals. It wears on my nerves after awhile. Today is the Day are definitely leaders in the crazy devil new metal genre.
(1999)
Spirit Caravan.
Dream Wheel.
MeteorCity Records.
Following up their full-length debut with diligence and speed, Spirit Caravan deliver a five song CD of rifftastic bluesy biker rock. These dudes look like real hell raisers on the back of the CD and the music offers no proof otherwise. Wino’s voice sounds great and the rest of the playing kicks ass. This release is not as heavy as the full length but not so light where I would call it weak. Spirit Caravan picks up the pace on the spacey instrumental track “Re-alignment/Higher Power” and finish the CD out in fine rocking fashion- heavier than it started.
(1999)
Boulder.
Euclid Tavern.
September 18, 1999.
I was late to this show but I was still able to work my way to the front of the stage for Boulder’s last song. They blew fire on me for my efforts.
(1999)
Synastryche.
Penance.
Blind Lemon.
November 6, 1999.
Synastryche is a reunited speed metal band from the late eighties featuring the monster bass stylings of the one and only Sinner. They kicked ass with a theatrical lead singer, blazing riffs and such favorites as “Fight for Position” from the classic Convicted to the Avante Garde compilation cassette. They rocked. I watched Penance on closed circuit TV and they rocked also. I left the show before Boulder played because I am a loser.
(1999)
Nebula.
Core.
Red Giant.
Euclid Tavern.
October 6, 1999.
Nebula = Led Zeppelin sized fatty.
Core = Narcs.
Red Giant = Half a bowl.
(1999)
Boulder.
The Flying Machine.
July 24, 1999.
Boulder was supposed to be opening up for Spirit Caravan and 60 Watt Shaman at this gig but due to a van break down the two out of town bands showed up late and they were not allowed to play. Boo. Boulder ended up being the sole entertainment for the evening and played a subdued by Boulder's standards set. They pretty much just ran through the new album with a couple of additional songs tagged at the end. It was just rock- no explosions or other insanity- except for some drunk Lorain County hillbilly requesting Deep Purple songs. The evening turned out to be a disappointment but Boulder kicked enough ass to make the long trip worthwhile.
(1999)
Abdullah.
Snake Lore (demo).
CD.
This record was one of the many surprises that I received in the P. O. Box for this issue- surprised because I actually got a free record and also surprised because it is so damned good. Abdullah is a Northeast Ohio duo who is dabbling in the black art of doom metal. Their music classic slow doom that skirts around an almost neo grunge sound before breaking back into the classic single guitar note monster riff doom. I was able to bang my head to this release with no shame. Abdullah mixes it up with some atmospheric guitar breaks and one EHG styled speed break on track two, “Distant Lights”. The record is slow and mighty. This record is a great display of what can be attained with two dudes, a four track and a CD burner- a top notch sounding heavy duty self release. This record is as good as it gets at this level.
(1999)
Boiling Man.
Roadkill Museum.
7”ep. Six Weeks Records.
At first glance, I thought that this record was going to contain some Hydrahead styled new sound hardcore because it has that distressed font look. I guess they say you should not judge a book by its cover. In reality, this seven song record took me back to the crossover days of my youth with its thrash sound. I think I heard some double bass kick drums in there. Fast but not grinding hardcore with a duel screamed vocal attack. I loved it. One of the songs, “Posterboys of Anarchy”, contains the lyrics- I think because they are written funny- “In the comedy of rage”. If those are the true lyrics, they are poetry.
(1999)
Boulder/Nine Shocks Terror.
Speak In Tongues.
August 4, 1999.
This show was the kick off of the Clevo Ripper Summer Tour ’99 featuring two of Cleveland’s greatest groups. Nine Shocks Terror started things off with the best set I have ever seen them play. They smoked, playing most of the songs from their “Zen and the Art of Beating Your Ass” LP- which is to say all of the classics. Tony Erba is the finest bass player in hardcore and really drives that band to victory with his Ampeg blasted attack. There was more rock and less mayhem than their Studio-a-Rama set except for Steve Peffer getting hit by a garbage can after a inquiry from drummer Wedge regarding the lack of thrown stuff. Boulder took it to the next level. I could see this band one million times and rock out even harder every set. Besides a completely killer set of metal, Jamie threw meat at the crowd and blew up the meat bucket with a quarter stick of dynamite. You must see Boulder before you die to say you have actually lived.
(1999)
Breaker.
Accept EP.
Auburn Records.
This is a six song EP of old school European styled power metal by Cleveland legends Breaker. Three of the songs are from reissue of the Breaker LP “Get Tough!” and three of the songs are unreleased. The buried bonus track is a white boy rap song. The cover of the CD is a loving mock up of the Accept’s “Breaker” LP. If power metal is your bag, these guys are as good as if not better than any of the longhaired revivalists currently on the scene. Breaker, however, is the real deal and this EP rocks from start to finish. A couple of the members of Breaker have gone on to notable modern rock bands such as Ether Net, Cobra Verde and Guided By Voices and guitarist Don Depew has recorded such notables as the New Bomb Turks. It is nice to see that these dudes have not forgotten there metal roots and The Hand of Doom wishes each member of Breaker continued success.
(1999)
Brutal Truth.
Goodbye Cruel World!
2XCD. Relapse Records.
I have waited my entire life to tell this joke. This entire fanzine thing is the direct result of my desire to make one clever pun in print. Finally, the moment that I have been waiting for is here. Here goes nothing: this band is brutal and that is the truth. Wow. That was more fulfilling than I imagined. Oh boy. This set is a mostly double live gonzo affair with the majority of the material coming from two separate shows from this now defunct grinding metal band. Thirteen compilation and single tracks are thrown in for good measure. For me, Brutal Truth embodied the perfect blend of speed and metal for a band playing in the super fast genre. If you ever were fortunate enough to see this band live, you would know what I am talking about. Their shit is so fast; you can barely make out anything but the fast white noise. I love this stuff. Another funny note: at one point during the disc two live set somebody in the crowd calls out for a song and the band responds that they played that one already and also adds that it happens every night. Brutal Truth rules.
(1999)
Charles Bronson.
Demos.
7”ep. Privileged Cracker.
This band’s legendary status is not going to become blindingly apparent to you while listening to these demos. This record is a low fidelity reproduction of what sounds like two separate demo tapes. All of the songs are classic hardcore poorly recorded. I am having a really hard time getting this. I can listen to high school bands in my neighborhood and get the same auditory satisfaction.
Clearlight.
Demo.
Clearlight is a new band featuring Jimmy Bower from Eyehategod/Down/Crowbar on guitar. The southern influence that this cat has always claimed is finally starting to actually come through in his music. The music is mostly instrumental organ driven heavy blues jams. Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity and Down makes a guest vocal appearance on “Cheating Woman” and, yes-congratulations dudes, it almost sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd. Good work. “El Nino Brown” is the heaviest track on the demo and, not coincidentally, my favorite of the lot. I think that this group has a great idea with the Deep Purple organ thing but need to be heavier. I guess that could be my complaint with most bands so you might want to just ignore my opinion from now on.
(1999)
Cluster Bomb Unit.
… and the dirty little weapons.
7”ep. Havoc Records.
Cluster Bomb Unit is a German old school fast hardcore band. I could not make out a word that they were saying on any of their songs but that does not necessarily mean that they were singing in German. I will award this band extra points for having guitar solos on a hardcore seven inch. These reviews sometimes write themselves.
(1999)
Core.
The Hustle is On.
MIA/Tee Pee Records.
Having never heard a single note of a record by these guys but having witnessed their pathetically weak live show, I expected the worst before I played this record. I was pleasantly surprised by a decent opening jam, “The Monolith Problem”, and I was grooving to the not quite heavy enough but still pretty rocking sounds on the first half of the disc.
By track eight, Core was starting to lose me with some overly wankerish guitar mumbo jumbo. The remainder of the record seems like one God awful guitar solo. Don’t get me wrong, these guys are decent enough players but I need more jam per track. The overall vibe on this record is almost Hendixy (minus THE DUDE) to give you an idea where Core is coming from. They seem to be a pretty young group of kids so I am anxious to see where they are heading.
(1999)
Entombed.
Monkey Puss (Live in London).
Earache Records.
I have seen the Entombed rock before my eyes a few times. The most memorable of which happened at a coffee shop called the Gargoyle in Warren, OH on the first leg of the 1994 US tour. This was the tour where the Unsane opened for the Entombed and, I wish I could remember where I heard this, somebody in the Unsane supposedly faked having a broken arm to get off of the tour and away from the Entombed who were allegedly complete assholes. That’s just another one from the rock-n-roll rumor mill. Anyway, the Entombed played at this tiny coffee house that is in a little town on the outskirts of Amish country with their full blown rock-n-roll stage show complete with a smoke machine capable of smoking out the largest arenas. The dude who ran the coffee shop tried to get them to keep it in their pants on stage to no avail. They got up in front of a packed coffee house audience and cleared the place pronto with their total smoke action. I am still coughing. This is a live album from the 1992 Gods of Grind tour. All of the songs are classic. All of the songs rock. You can only judge a live album by the between song patter. This album is light on rock talk but does include pleas for “fucking screams”, “fucking headbanging” and just one “I can’t fucking hear you.” In that regard, the album is not so hot.
(1999)
Hellnation.
Fucked Up Mess.
Sound Pollution Records.
Holy shit. This record is the fucking bomb. It is an unrelenting thrash attack. The recorded totally rages and is raw as hell. I will never, for the life of me, figure out how this cat sings while he plays the drums so fucking fast. It is totally incredible. Hellnation is awesome, baby! This record has left me speechless. It does not let up with the massive skull pounding. Completely essential.
(1999)
Hermano.
Red Giant.
Symposium.
September 14, 1999.
It was cool to only have to travel three blocks from my apartment to see this show. The Symposium rarely has any good shows and never has shows on a weekday. I was surprised at how many people showed up to this dump on a Tuesday night. Long live rock. It is physically impossible for me to type a bad review for a Red Giant gig but I will say that they played the exact same set from two weeks ago including that complete version of “The Warning”. I guess this is no review. Hermano is some sort of super group featuring John Garcia from Kyuss and some lesser-known dudes including guitarist Michael from Cleveland rockers Disengage. His guitar shredding on a few solos really opened my eyes to his pretty unique style of hard rock droning. Let’s jam dude. This was supposedly Hermano’s third show ever but you could not tell because the very short set was also very tight. They came out of the gate rocking hard but faded fast with the sameness of each number. They did not suck but on the official stoner rock rating scale (you saw it here first) from tiny roach being the worst and huge Led Zeppelin sized fatty being the best- Hermano rates a only a toothpick sized two dollar joint.
(1999)
High on Fire.
High on Fire.
12th Records.
High on Fire is Matt Pike’s (formerly of Sleep) new band and they totally rock. The music is the same droning doom that Sleep was noted for but the tempo is generally faster on this record. The three cuts: “Blood from Zion”, “10,000 years” and “Master of Fights” all rock harder than most everything else out there and have that weirdo spiritualism found on Sleep records. There is an anger to this that is sorely lacking in a lot of doom /hard rock today. Thank the weedian. Nazareth. This is the pick of the issue. I can’t fucking wait for a full length record.
(1999)
Indecision.
Release the Cure.
MIA Records.
Falling somewhere between the new school screamo of Hydra Head and the old school chugging hardcore of Victory, Indecision wage a non stop attack of hardcore that is equal parts riff and noise. Oh, don’t you worry; they get it ripping with speed, energy and scream alongs. Vocalist Artie Philie has one of the best screams I have heard in a long time and it looks like Indecision might be able to take NYHC into the nineties.
(1999)
Iron Maiden.
The Nautica Stage.
July 21, 1999.
I missed Clutch because I was late and I did not see Monster Magnet since I was too busy meeting Iron Maiden. I just left the computer to gaze lovingly at my signed by both Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson backstage pass hanging in my record room. This was the second time I got to meet Iron Maiden. The first was backstage during the 1992 tour. I was as high as a kite after dropping some doobies and hugged and kissed Nicko McBrain. I was on the floor when Iron Maiden took the stage and the capacity crowd erupted with yells and the horns of metal. I was standing next to the world’s biggest Iron Maiden fan that was screaming along with every word and flailing wildly as if he was having a seizure. I moved up to the grandstand to get away from the world’s biggest Iron Maiden fan and to better see the band. In the grandstand I stood behind a fat middle aged couple who were drunk on twenty-dollar beers. The bald husband air guitared with the best of them and at one point grabbed his wife’s big fat ass right in the middle of her crack. She swatted his arm away. I laughed. Iron Maiden rocked even though they did not play “Flight of the Icarus”.
(1999)
Isis.
The Red Sea.
Second Nature Recordings.
The Red Sea opens with a happy little noise fest entitled “Charmicarmicarmicat Shines to Earth” that owes a little bit of recognition to the Melvins. Especially in light of the dirging wonder that is track two. Isis is the band of Hydra Head Records head Aaron Turner. The stylistic inferences that you would logically draw from that mention are correct. The music is dissonant, noisy and slower metal with screamed vocals. As of this writing, this type of music has gone from being the new style to simply the style. Anybody out there wanting to start a metal or hardcore band that is even a little bit modern or forward thinking needs to listen to this type of stuff so you can get to where it is at without being embarrassingly out of date. This CD includes Isis’ 1998 demo that is more of the same. Feedback, scream, chug and rock.
(1999)
Mainstrike/Devoid of Faith.
split.
7” ep. Paralogy Records.
Devoid of Faith plays noisy fast hardcore. Mainstrike are a European youth crew band. Both sides are live. No song information or anything came with my copy of this record. I liked it.
(1999)
Melvins.
Euclid Tavern.
July 21, 1999.
I was almost too thrashed out from Iron Maiden to enjoy the Melvins but somehow I managed. The Melvins rocked the intense capacity Euclid Tavern crowd. I could not believe how packed this show was too. I think that every rocker in Cleveland was either at the Melvins or Maiden on this night of total rock action. The dozen or so uber rockers were at both, baby. I freaking love rock. The Melvins did their thing loudly. I dug it. They ended with a nearly endless dirge that almost took me over the edge. I have been to the edge. I have lost a lot of friends there, baby.
(1999)
Minch/Gorebeyondnecroposy.
split.
7”ep. Mink Records.
Minch’s side is called “Pizza Party”. It consists of eighteen pizza themed outbursts of noise with wild multi vocal tracks. Definitely way too weird. Gorebeyondnecroposy describes themselves as analdrillingrindharshitcore. I think that pretty much says it all.
(1999)
Mortician.
Chainsaw Dismemberment.
Relapse Records.
Horror and gore grind that is brutally fast due to the fact that Mortician uses a drum machine. I really wonder if it is humanly possible to play this fast. I saw somewhere that Mortician is looking for a drummer. Good luck dudes. It seems as if Mortician would be a pretty tough gig. The 28 songs on this record fly by at a lightening clip, only letting up for the occasional horror movie clip. The lyrics are in the booklet. That is a good thing since you can’t make out a word this dude is saying. This record is total metal and I like it a lot. For as scary and harsh as they tried to make their album, it still turned out to be a pretty fun time listening to it.
(1999)
Natas.
Ciudad de Brahman.
Man’s Ruin Records.
The Argentinean Kyuss is back with a record that is more space and less rock than their previous Man’s Ruin release. I don’t know… this record did not have the cliched hard rock or stoner rock sound to it which was a refreshing change of pace. But at the same time, it is not nearly adventurous or experimental enough to satisfy the young progressive in me. This record is ideal for your late night rocking but do not put it on if it is super late and you really want to bug out.
(1999)
Nebula.
To the Center.
Sub Pop Records.
How anybody can complain about the current state of rock-n-roll in light of yet another stellar release by Nebula is truly a wonder. I think that this record illustrates everything that is going on right in rock now. These are the best days of rock that I can remember since I became a fan of all things rocking in the eighties. We are living in the new golden era. Thank God. “To the Center” shows more of a straight punk thing for Nebula in addition to the boogie styled hard rock that they are already known. Nebula is the premier hard rock band going right now. The songwriting is good. The guitar playing is great. And Nebula has my one of my favorite drummers, Ruben Romano, in rock. Half of the unit responsible for the landmark “In Search Of” LP by Fu Manchu continues to crank out top quality rock and I, for one, am already looking forward to their next record. Superlative. Superlative. Superlative.
(1999)
Neurosis.
Agora Ballroom.
September 10, 1999.
I was super late for this show thanks to a shitty temporary data processing gig where the supervisor would not let me leave early even though there was no more work since he already filled out the time sheets and would not clock out for me. Dick. I missed two bands that The Hand of Doom normally covers and some of Neurosis’ set because of this fuckholio. Thanks a lot, asshole. This was the first time I saw Neurosis and I am still stunned by how awesome they are live. I think that my heart stopped beating while watching them play. Two things stood out at this show: one was the incredible amount of noise that came off of the stage during them tuning. It was never silent. And, secondly, they had a huge crew of people working during their set. I think that only Kiss has more roadies. Neurosis is my favorite band and this gig only made them seem greater to me.
(1999)
Neurosis.
Souls at Zero (reissue).
Enemy of the Sun (reissue).
Neurot Recordings.
As a public service to my gentle readers, I must announce that these early groundbreaking Neurosis albums have been re-released by Neurosis’ own record label and feature demo and live versions available nowhere else. Souls at Zero find Neurosis developing into the mature style in which they have gained their fame while Enemy of the Sun is a total classic that only the deaf or completely unhip should not hear. While the bonus material does not completely warrant an additional purchase of these two discs, it’s damn fucking good stuff.
(1999)
Nine Shocks Terror.
Studio-a-Rama.
July 31, 1999.
Studio-a-Rama is an annual free all day outdoor live event thrown by the kick ass dudes at WRUW 91.1 FM- Case Western Reserve University. They get the cream of the local band crop to play on campus and they broadcast it live over the air. There were many kick ass groups who played but Nine Shocks Terror were the only group I saw that fit into The Hand of Doom’s area of coverage. When I say played in reference to Nine Shocks Terror, I mean that in the loosest definition of the word since they only did a fifteen minute set with, reportedly, only one song getting on the air. They started things off with some profanity and requests to throw shit on stage and tear down a fence in front of the stage. Beer cans flew and the fence was harassed. People fought and the band jumped off the stage to participate. It started raining and the set ended. I went home.
(1999)
Nine Shocks Terror.
Zen and the Art of Beating Your Ass.
LP. Devour Records.
As I was listening to this record, I could not believe how immediately catchy and awesome most of the songs were. Does Nine Shock Terror have the magical power to write songs that instantly lodge themselves in your subconscious and seem like you have been rocking out to these songs your entire life or did Nine Shocks Terror put out a twelve song full-length records that only has four unreleased songs on it? On this collection, you get re-recorded versions of the songs on the “Earth, Wind & Sheik Throwing Fire” 7”, the split with Devoid of Faith and the Ohio Kings compilation LP plus the songs “Constant Pressure”, “Pissing and Moaning in the Key of D-Minor”, “Attack with a Gas Mask” and “The Heist”. Does Nine Shocks Terror have an ep with these four songs on it out too that I missed? Boo. I want new songs. That is the only real complaint I have on this record. All of the songs are solid, fast as hell old school flavored hardcore. They were recorded with Chard, the old guitar player. I like the new guy way better. They have really tightened up their shit since he joined the band last year. Nine Shocks Terror rip. I only hope that they don’t put out a CD single next with live versions of these same songs.
(1999)
Nunslaughter.
Blood Devil.
7”ep. Revenge Productions.
So I am guessing that Don of the Dead has moved to Cleveland and loaded Nunslaughter with Cleveland rippers as the line-up and address is different from the last record. In any event, as a delegate of the world renowned Cleveland Metal community, I welcome Nunslaughter to our scene with open arms. This record is more of the same over the top death metal that Nunslaughter is known. The record sounds raw and real compared to most metal groups who seem to hire nuclear technicians to get their squeaky clean pristine sterile studio sound. This record rocks and is a lot of fun. I know metal is supposed to be evil but it can still be a good time.
(1999)
Orange Goblin.
Frequencies from Planet Ten (reissue).
The Music Cartel.
I am so glad I did not pay the high import price on this record as it is just OK. Orange Goblin has gotten way better since this record came out two years ago. This record was real average. Not so heavy. Not so rocking. The most overwhelming sensation I got while listening to this was how close some of this stoner rock shit is to boring old grunge rock. This record is not very metal. For completist nerds only.
(1999)
Penance.
Proving Ground.
Penance.
Along with Solitude Aeturnus and Cathedral, Penance is the one of original Dark Passages band to be still active on today’s scene. And like their pioneering modern doom metal brothers, Penance apparently still know how to put the metal in the mix, baby. This record is slow, heavy, depressed as shit and totally metal. There is a picture of the band in the CD with them sitting in front of a bunch of metal posters like Metallica, Judas Priest, etc… Penance has more in common with these groups than they do with any of the modern stoner rockers that are crowding the scene. Doom is a calling, not something to do after your grunge band was not happening anymore. “Dead Already”, “Bitter” and “Pain” are just a few of the uplifting numbers on this record that will brighten any mood. The production of this record is tight with only a few stereotypical metal production problems (slightly unnatural sounding drums, no bass) screwing it up a little. These are minor complaints, indeed. The vocalist of Penance is sweet. His vocals wail just enough without venturing into Chris Cornell land. I was using a large knife to do some stuff around my apartment while listening to this CD for the first time and I thought of chopping myself in the leg. Was it the doom or I am just messed up? You make the call.
(1999)
Phobia.
Destroying the Masses.
Pessimiser Records.
More than providing the theme music for “The Hand of Doom” radio show (“Means of Existence”), Phobia was a major influence for me in getting back into the heavy stuff after a few year lay off. I was keeping my head in the rock-n-roll but definitely leaning towards the lighter shoegazing indie rock and garage stuff. I heard Phobia and became hip. They are what it is about for me more than most bands. Fast, heavy, politically conscious and angry as fucking hell. "Destroying the Masses” is more awesomeness. It starts off with the intense “Reconstruct” and you just get that feeling again where you know it is about to rip- totally, and it does for seventeen more minutes of no bullshit crusty grind. Highly recommended.
(1999)
Phobia/Corrupted.
split.
7”ep. Rhetoric/Deaf American Recordings.
This is the second installation of that marijuana picture disc series. Corrupted play slow Japanese doom with Spanish lyrics. The track was a little weirder than what I normally expect from Corrupted. Phobia plays four songs of grinding crust. Excellent.
(1999)
Puncture Wound.
Puncture Wound.
7”ep. Bloodclot Records.
They have been called a junior version of Nine Shocks Terror because of the Cleveland connection. Although that is not entirely accurate, they are rawer with a bit humor thrown into the old school hardcore stew, is that such a bad thing? Puncture Wound is certainly the envy of this fanzine critic. They are young, punk and have a rocking band. If I could only travel back in time, I would not be sitting here righting this review today.
(1999)
Queens of the Stone Age.
Red Giant.
Euclid Tavern.
August 27, 1999.
Red Giant started the evening off with their first local performance in several months. They kicked ass. I stood directly in front of Damien’s amplifier and was blown away by lead after lead of smoking shred. The band played some new material that was like the old material in the fact that it ruled. Red Giant, who open up for nearly every “stoner rock” band that comes through Cleveland, consistently blow the better known national recording artists off the stage. This night was not the exception to the rule. Red Giant closed off their set with a complete version of Black Sabbath’s “The Warning” clocking in at over ten minutes long that still has me scratching my head as a write this the next day. Queens of the Stone Age played after some shitty other opener who shan’t be mentioned by name because I am not that bad of a guy. The place was packed on this, the third, performance of Queens of the Stone Age in Cleveland on the same record. I don’t want to name names but I know who are the twenty or so people who have been down since day one. There are a lot of rocky come latelies out there in C-town. Besides the near capacity crowd, this show was different because Queens of the Stone Age had a new drummer and they did not have to open with their most popular numbers to win the crowd over. Instead, they closed with the fan favorites like “Regular John”. Outside where I was dangling to beat the heat, a dude puked six times, somebody blew off a loud explosive and the cops came to bust him, strolling right through the puke.
(1999)
Roadsaw.
Takin Out the Trash.
Roadsaw.
Roadsaw is a band from Boston, MA who, for one reason or the other, seem to have been around for awhile but I have never actually heard anything from. I checked my collection and this is definitely the first record by them in it. This is a collection, judging from the sources of the material and the budget conscious packaging, put out by the band themselves. I love the fact that digital media have become so cheap. It looks like the vision that the Minutemen preached of having a band in every garage across America actually looks like it has a chance of happening considering how easy it is to get stuff out there. This collection consists of demos, outtakes, single tracks and live versions of Roadsaw’s unique version of psychedelic heavy rock. They are more rock-n-roll than doom with a singer that is thankfully not a Chris Cornell styled wailer and it seems like they are actually trying to do something original with their music. Even though I have never heard anything else by this band before, I like the idea of every note that the band played being out there for public consumption. If I like the band like I do Roadsaw or Led Zeppelin, I want it all or at least the chance to have it all.
(1999)
Sons of Otis.
Temple Ball.
Man’s Ruin Records.
Is this a 45rpm CD being played on 33rpm? This record is slow. Sons of Otis have more than a slight resemblance to St. Vitus, who they than on the record’s notes and pay homage to with their song “Vitus”. With their fazed out guitar and fuzz bass, they have a more psychedelic overtone than St. Vitus but not enough to make them the Spacemen 3. The record is a combination of that very familiar heavy blues with some space sound effect stuff in the mix and a plodding beat. The record is good but did not get this fist flying or the air guitar plugged in. This record is an average effort in the genre.
(1999)
Spazz.
Crush Kill Destroy.
Slap A Ham Records.
There is only one Spazz. They are the cheeky commentators of the hardcore scene. They remind me of John Stewart except they are a fast thrash band from the Bay Area and not on Comedy Central. I would say that their lyrics may be too cutesy for their own good (e.g. “How to write Spazz lyrics 101”) but they are able to overcome them with ripping tunes. You will buy this lighthearted goof core because that is what we do. How else could a band have so many records. Go!
(1999)
Spirit Caravan.
Dream Wheel.
MeteorCity Records.
Following up their full-length debut with diligence and speed, Spirit Caravan deliver a five song CD of rifftastic bluesy biker rock. These dudes look like real hell raisers on the back of the CD and the music offers no proof otherwise. Wino’s voice sounds great and the rest of the playing kicks ass. This release is not as heavy as the full length but not so light where I would call it weak. Spirit Caravan picks up the pace on the spacey instrumental track “Re-alignment/Higher Power” and finish the CD out in fine rocking fashion- heavier than it started.
(1999)
Sportswear.
Sportswear.
CD. Crucial Response Records.
The Haiku Review:
Norwegian Straight Edge
Youth Crew Hardcore. Excellent.
This Disc Fucking Rocks.
(1999)
The Atomic Bitchwax.
The Atomic Bitchwax.
CD. Tee Pee/MIA Records.
Shh. Don’t tell anybody. But there is actually somebody associated with Monster Magnet that still remembers how to rock. I know that somebody in that organization is trying to silence the rocker minority. It is a miraculous act of a Supreme Being that one guitar shredding Ed Mundell’s voice is actually heard. Listen up, dudes, MTV didn’t kill every college radio star. The Atomic Bitchwax’s self-titled debut is rocking all the way throughout. I can live without the singing, though, where they sound too stoner by numbers. Where the Atomic Bitchwax shine is on the instrumental “Crazee Fandango”. It has a Santana vibe complete congas and cowbells. The ultra spacey “Kiss the Sun” and “The Formula” had me reaching under my coffee table for the mystical bong of my youth. The Atomic Bitchwax rock harder than Monster Magnet does anymore. The record is good for Sunday mornings but you might need a little extra rock for Saturday nights.
(1999)
The Dillinger Escape Plan.
Calculating Infinity.
Relapse Records.
This is about as far away from music as you can possibly get and still make a CD that gets sold in record stores. The Dillinger Escape Plan play psychotic noisy jazz thrash with screaming vocals and many abrupt starts and stops in each song. There is little rhyme or reason to anything this band is doing and each song resembles a highly choreographed free form freak out. This music made me uncomfortable and uneasy. This is no harsh review, as I truly believe that is the desired effect.
(1999)
The Hellacopters.
Agora Ballroom.
September 8, 1999
The place was packed for these hard rocking Swedes. I know it was for them because the place emptied before the better-known longtime headliner got started. The Hellacopters had a terrific mix of staged rock and roll posing and antics blended with actual rock ability. The second time they played Cleveland, the crowd seemed to know every word to every song by heart and cheered along enthusiastically to each and every grandiose raised guitar solo, split, windmill and pose. One of the other things I like about the Hellacopters is that they draw a diverse crowd with old burnouts, young punks and many cliques in between equally represented. There was only one shout out for “Left Hand Path” though, so I was a little disappointed by the lack of heckling. The Hellacopters successfully converted several brothers of rock who saw them the last time and said that they sucked. The show was pretty good.
(1999)
The Hellacopters.
Payin’ the Dues.
2XCD. Sub Pop Records.
The domestic issue of the second Hellacopters album (“Hey, That’s rock-n-roll.”) comes with inferior cover art and a bonus live disc. I will not waste ink on an old record but, if you have not heard “Payin’ the Dues”, it rules. Get it. The live record is what it is. It is a set from May of 1999. The Hellacopters are one of the better live acts around and the sound quality of the disc is decent enough. Nothing can compare to the Hellacopters in the flesh, though. Their music smacks you in the face and those crazy Swedes can pull off many guitar stunts.
(1999)
Today is the Day.
In the Eyes of God.
Relapse Records.
I think that Today is the Day is a truly evil band. By comparison, most of these so-called black metal bands are sissies. This is crazy music for crazy people. It is a sometimes trying listen with most of the song arrangements being weird and disconnected. They rock but I have a difficult time following what is going on even after a couple of listens and as soon as it seems that I am about to catch a groove they switch it up. I mean, its music but it takes a bit of an effort to pay attention to what is going on. This is not a record to bug out to. I also have a substantial complaint with the sound of the snare drum (too fucking high pitched) and the heavily effected (Poltergeist haunted TV) vocals. It wears on my nerves after awhile. Today is the Day are definitely leaders in the crazy devil new metal genre.
(1999)
Umlaut.
Umlaut.
6”ep. CrimethInc.
I puzzled over this record for a few listens before attempting to commence with a review. The packaging and the music do not seem to correspond with each other. Audio enjoyment should not be so hard to come by. After pulling my junior detective kit out of the closet, I was finally able to match the lyrics and the million times longer song explanation with the corresponding song on this tiny piece of thrash. Umlaut rules. They claim to be from Finland but I do not believe it for one second. Their music is thrashy hardcore with more than a few double kick drum blasts of grind. The lyrical content of their songs is sweet and naïve political blah blah. How am I supposed to take the song “U.S. Out of North America” seriously? I can not but this record rocks none the less.
(1999)
Unida.
Coping with the Urban Coyote.
Man’s Ruin Records.
I am certainly having a difficult time separating John Garcia’a various other musical offerings from Kyuss. His voice is so distinctive and it is forever imprinted on my skull as part of that life changing combo’s music. None of his other stuff has come close to equaling the mighty Kyuss and I can’t really say that I expected it to. This Unida record is some hard rocking shit with a loose live feel, especially in the drums. By and large, those desert rockers have been getting some of the most kick ass drum sounds outside of Steve Albini. The album has pretty much one mid tempo hard rock groove to it with a slow song and a fast one thrown in for good measure. The record rocks like most others in this genre. The lengthy final track, “You Wish”, has an interesting dynamic change coupled with the one truly bone crushing riff on the record. It is totally worth both the wait and the cost of this CD.
(1999)
Unruh.
Setting Fire to Sinking Ships.
Pessimiser Records.
The record starts off with acoustic guitar and piano- no paint by the numbers thrash here. The same song rips into some speedy thrash and then breaks down into a Neurosis styled mono riff assault. Variety is the spice of life. Unruh mixes styles of modern heaviness well. They thrash, they scream, they break it down, go tribal and then go back into the acoustic. It is nice to see a band that is actually trying to be creative. Don’t get me wrong, if you want to make an album of nothing but 54 super fast 30 second thrash songs, I’ll still dig it but I am glad to see that there are bands out there who are mixing it up a bit. Unruh has a song called “Faded Tattoos” which, after close inspection of the lyric sheet, I still don’t really know what it about. Unruh’s lyrics are pretty decent. They are poetic without being stupid. Anyway, I think that faded tattoos on some old geezer’s arm of the battleship they were on in WWII are some of the coolest things I have ever seen. They are shadow like and so are the elderly.
(1999)
V/A.
Forca Macabra/Armagedom Split.
Six Weeks Records.
Forca Macabra is a Finnish band who sings in a language that appears to be Spanish. Since I am no linguist, I can not completely verify that fact. The address that they give on the CD is for Forca Macabra Thrash Brigade. The dudes in the band play Growls, Mosh, Punch and Beat. Their music is good thrashy hardcore. I got the circle going with me and my cat during “Destruicao, Morte E Dor”. Excellente. Armagedom sounds like old Celtic Frost or Venom that is to say totally fucking awesome. The production on their tracks is completely raw. The songs have smoking lead guitar parts and the metal scream ala Tom Araya. I do not think they could get any better if they tried. This record is killer. Armagedom have two songs in English – neither of them is about duckies or bunnies. The rest are in a foreign tongue. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that neither of these bands is singing about duckies or bunnies.
(1999)
VA.
Grief/13 split.
7”ep. Riotous Assembly (reissue).
13 does “Wither” and “Plague”. Both songs are doomy metal. Grief does “Falling Apart” and proves, once again, why they are the masters of evil doom.
(1999)
V/A.
Hell Rules: A Tribute to Black Sabbath.
Hell Bent for Metal: Tribute to Judas Priest
Kiss of Death: A Sikk Tribute to Kiss
Dwell Records.
The editorial policy of this publication states that all tribute records are a waste of time. Attempts at covering Black Sabbath, Judas Priest or Kiss are very dangerous and usually result in me permanently hating the offending band. These are collections of death and power metal bands doing the Holiest of Holies as far as hard rock and metal goes. The majority of the efforts were lacking to say the least and, with a couple repeat offenders, I have to ask, what is the point? I might be interested in hearing more from some of these bands but, please, no more damn covers. Thank you.
(1999)
VA.
The Real Enemy/Holding On split.
7”ep. Havoc/One Percent Records.
This is a split single of two Minneapolis, MN hardcore bands. This is a joint release by two Minneapolis, MN labels. This is an example of scene unity and hardcore pride. Both bands seem to be on the young side. Holding On’s effort started off with an early youth crew vibe and ended with a later youth crew vibe. They are down. The Real Enemy is faster and more raw hardcore. They still did not forget to throw in chant along parts. Good stuff.
(1999)
VA.
In These Black Days. Volume Six
7”ep. HydraHead Records.
Soilent Green does an original medley of Black Sabbath songs entitled “Lord of the Southern Priest”. Neurosis does an awesome cover of “Children of the Grave”. Neurosis is my favorite band in the world.
(1999)
VA.
Iron Monkey/Church of Misery Split.
Man’s Ruin Records.
Could you ask for anymore out of a split CD? Yeah, maybe a Led Zeppelin/Black Sabbath split but come on; it does not get any better than this. Iron Monkey does their thing. Church of Misery does their thing. I do my thing. It is a sad and beautiful world. Iron Monkey start the party thumping with a slow and low jam called “Sleep to Win”. I won even though there is no way that I would ever be able to sleep through their EHG styled evil sludge. The other two tracks rip but aren’t as long, slow or evil. Top effort, mates. Japan’s Church of Misery kill with more of a bluesy Sabbath thing. The songs go long and slow to slower and longer. They are more traditional and rock-n-roll than Iron Monkey but still pack a powerful punch. This record, or records if you want the shit on two separate 10”eps, is absolutely essential.
(1999)
V/A.
Japan in Decline.
Six Weeks Records.
This CD is a passport to the exotic and delightful world of Japanese hardcore. I’ve only heard Fuck on the Beach and Carcass Grinder on this 19 bands in 24 minutes compilation. Slang started the compilation out ripping with an old school thrasher. 324 grinded me good. Curtainrail did the deuce of sludgecore into grind and back again. Dudman had the two vocals chant along polka hardcore. Su19b did not “Disappoint” with their free form grind freak out. This compilation is good with quality bands and a decent amount of variety for a hardcore compilation.
(1999)
VA.
Mandatory Marathon.
7”ep. Amendment Records.
This is a collection of a collection. The material from this record originally appeared on a four-cassette box set that was limited to 300 copies. You will want this for the Capitalist Casualties, Charles Bronson, the Gaia, Palatka, Gob and Laceration tracks
(1999)
Witchery.
The Flying Machine.
July 10, 1999.
It was a strange trip out to the wilds of Lorain County for a blockbuster metal show featuring 10,000 bands including black metal superstars Emperor who were totally tame, weak and lame. This venue is located about 45 minutes out of downtown Cleveland in the middle of nowhere. The club reminded me of a barn or mess hall from Camp Crystal Lake. I was spooked. There were way too many bands on this show for me to even remember who played. I was there to see Witchery who totally rocked. They had a bass player wearing a bullet belt- a sign of rock. They only played for like twenty minutes closing with “The Reaper” but it still ripped. Although I sat outside in the forest for most of Emperor, the large crowd seemed to dig them.
(1999)
posted by Thea at 9:43 PM
October 24, 2002
Questions that demand an answer:
Why have my BLOGS become so skimpy? Because I am finishing up a book that I don’t want to finish and it is draining me.
How many days until I am finished? 34.
Is there anything good to look at on the internet besides www.assholierthanthou.com ? No. But if you have to, www.gbv.com has a story from Channel 3 news about Bob Pollard with footage from the Grog Shop 10th Anniversary shows played last month. I can’t see me on TV.
Do I have talent? Dude, I don’t even believe in talent.
Do I want to run tonight? No. It is too cold.
Am I bored? Yes. Definitely.
Have I been getting general interest men’s magazines out of the library to see what is going on in our culture as told by the media? Yes.
Does James Ellroy write for GC? Yes.
Does that make him rule less? No
What was the first thing that I ever wrote that I got paid for? This thing for “Goldmine”:
"Roots, Rhymes & Rage: The Hip Hop Story".
Opening.
November 10, 1999.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum celebrated the opening of its new exhibit "Roots, Rhymes & Rage: The Hip Hop Story", on Wednesday, November 10 with a bombastic evening of loud raps and free drinks.
This invite only affair drew what I am guessing to be more African Americans to the Rock Hall than have been inside the rocking glass menagerie on Lake Erie since it opened a few years ago - total.
Although I only live five miles west down the lake, this was my first trip to Rock Hall for any reason. I parked for free about a quarter mile away. I was able to lure an image of the beautifully lit Rock Hall against the black Lake Erie night sky as I walked through the cement sea that is in front of the Hall. Neat.
You enter the Hall through a small opening in one side of a giant glass pyramid The interior of I. M. Pei's building is one giant open space with the exhibits being forced into the top of the pyramid with plenty of room on each floor to look out over the vast empty space or through the glass walls onto to Cleveland, OH or the lake. On a clear day, you can see Canada. The building is more of a testament to I. M. Pei, architect, or notable interior space than it is a highly functioning show place. I was never able to lose the sense that I was inside a structure. The Museum could have used a building that was a more useful and less of a work of art itself.
I got my credentials and began making my way through the throngs of players and dancers that crowded both of the reception floors. The place was jumping and the music was pumping loud from the DJ booth. I was barely able to clear my head of the beat for long enough to navigate myself to the hip hop exhibits on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.
After some struggle, I was able to commence soaking in the twenty years of hip hop culture on display. The exhibits were supposedly divided into five cleverly titled sections but I was hardly able separate either visually or mentally. The content of the exhibit featured dance handbills, original lyrics, posters, actual records, DJ gear and, mostly, stage costumes of rappers. I guess the struggles and triumphs of this art form are best told through the eyes of a haberdasher.
The jumbled, poorly designed exhibit fails on many levels. It is visually uninteresting with not nearly enough photo documentation or other visual stimulus to make an impact. The exhibit is confusing and does a poor job of telling the hip hop story. The numerous dance handbills were historically significant and informative but Tupac's notebook and numerous legal brief reproductions were unimpressive. How much historical significance does a notebook from a few years ago have already? It is not like it was Moses' first rap quickly scribbled on a papyrus sheet before the plagues that was on display. Any hip hop exhibit seems to be a bit premature with the art form being only twenty years young. This exhibit seems like more of an attempt to draw a diverse patronage to the publicly funded struggling Hall than an actual worthwhile historical display. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum should check back on rap in another twenty years for the true story.
The exhibit, open in Cleveland until August 2000 then traveling to Washington, DC and New York City, was still not complete for the opening night jam. The interactive "Block Party" displays and controversial video screens flashing the lyrics to 2 Live Crew's "Me So Horny" were not up yet.
The opening evening as a whole was, however, a major success. BET was on hand to cover performances by Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Outkast and a host of other entertainers. It was a raucous evening with local sports celebrities, noted musicians and excited partygoers mingling easily with food and drink Cleveland is finally getting some action at the Hall. Hopefully, this is the sign of more events to come and we might be getting some honest to God rock stars around here.
(1999)
posted by Thea at 8:49 PM
October 22, 2002
Nothing to say or no time to say it? Say it with heavy metal.
From the first issue of the heavy metal fanzine “The Hand of Doom”:
Agoraphobic Nosebleed.
PCP Torpedo. 6”ep.
Hydra Head Records.
10 songs of blistering noisy grind by the insane duo plus drum machine. Very fast and good.
(1999)
Black Army Jacket.
222 LP
Reservoir/Chainsaw Safety.
Fast modern hardcore. Thrash. Grind. Break down. Excellent record. Having gone through high school in the late eighties, the song “U-68 is particularly meaningful to me. It is dedicated to the 80’s thrash movement aka the music of my memories with lyrics like “Dedicated Forever True Metalhead since ‘82. It is difficult to explain to people who weren’t involved with the scene how important this music was to the young outcast ragers. I probably over identify with my own experience but it really used to mean something. There was an enemy in the late eighties who is not around now. I miss my enemies.
(1999)
Bongzilla.
Stash. CD.
Relapse Records.
I get it. These guys are into marijuana. I got higher than a fucking kite just listening to this album. Then I got the munchies and ended up eating a whole bag of off brand golden graham cereal. Do you here that? It’s my skull. “Load bongs not guns” = actual lyric from record. This band is really into pot. I wish it would of come out on gatefold vinyl so I could really get a lot of weed deseeded at one time. Bongzilla play a mid tempo with screamed vocals brand of doom that is reminiscent of EyeHateGod- my kind of shit. They end the record with a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Under the Sun” that is pretty damn good and not all embarrassing like most Sabbath covers. This record rocks.
Boulder.
The Rage of it All. LP.
River on Fire Records.
Boulder was once described in the local daily paper after they set up by the rock and roll Hall of Fame with a portable generator to kick the jams while VH1 was in town as “metal ironists”. I really wanted to use this space to debate that notion and discuss the MO of the band who is almost as legendary for the stunts that they pull off at their shows (going glam, coming on stage on a moped ala Judas Priest, the all acoustic white metal show, Motorhead USA, world’s loudest band, fireworks out the ass, etc.) as they are for their heavy rock. At times, Boulder seems to be one inside joke. They don’t, and I doubt that they ever will, take themselves seriously. But at the same time, Boulder is one of the best bands going today. They are certainly the loudest band you can ever see and rock the hardest. It is hard to put your finger exactly on their sound. This record is their typically awesome combination of hardcore and NWOBHM. Boulder sounds like no other band. The album rules. I am going to have to leave it at that. Boulder rocks and that is enough.
(1999)
Capitalist Casualties.
Subdivisions in Ruins. LP.
Six Weeks Records.
Lightening fast traditional hardcore with socially aware and totally political lyrics. Capitalist Casualties are not mellowing with age. This album is on par with their already classic recorded output. If you already dig this band then you know what you are getting with this album and will love it. Once, I had Capitalist Casualties’ “Disassembly Line” CD blasting while cleaning the house. My cat was so upset by the thrash that she ran outside, hid under a dumpster and would not come out. Cats hate Capitalist Casualties. Rockers do not.
(1999)
Cathedral.
Caravan Beyond Redemption. CD.
Earache Records.
The godfathers of doom are back with a hilarious parody of what is actually heavy. And guess what, Lee Dorian still can’t sing. This band falls into the same as Monster Magnet- trying to live by your rep but not delivering a stand out record in a coon’s age. Cathedral get loads of respect for being a part of the underground for years but just have not done it for me in a long time. The record is cleanly produced pseudo horror/fantasy doom. The intro to “Satanikus Robotikus” is heavy enough to get some airplay. The song “Freedom” is so bad that I have too end this review for fear of really pissing some people off.
Cavity.
Supercollider. CD.
Man’s Ruin Records.
Cavity is from Miami, FL. I heart Miami, FL. It’s all hot and shit. Dudes in Cavity, I would gladly relocate to Miami, FL to drum in your band after I finish law school. This is a standing offer so get in touch. Anyway, this record fucking rocks. It is the best of their three CDs. The record is way heavy, noisy, repetitive and angry. It is hard to type a record review when one hand is flying the horns of metal in the air. There is not a bum track on this record. On the awesome meter, this record gets an unqualified ten.
(1999)
Chrome Locust.
Chrome Locust. CD.
Tee Pee/MIA Records.
This record starts off and I’m all “The Age of Quarrel”- yes. The record then falls off into a I’m hoping unintentional reworking of “Paranoid” Chrome Locust calls “Ain’t No Love”. The lead singer and guitarist of Chrome Locust is Todd Youth who was a founding member of the Youth Brigade, Youth of Today, Reagan Youth and the reggae sensation Musical Youth. He was the white guy. This record is a pleasant mix of the hard rock stylings of the Hellacopters and maybe a Nebula. If this band was from Cleveland, I would be at every one of their shows because Cleveland rockers can kick shit live. Since this band is from New York City, home of small amplifiers and precious little rocking, I can not pass proper judgement until I see them for myself. The record is pretty rocking, though.
(1999)
Coalesce.
There is Nothing New Under the Sun. CD.
Hydra Heads Records.
I have had this record for a while and still don’t know what to make of it. For the unhip, let me hip you. This is an extended length ep by the noisy and truly mod metal/hardcore band Coalesce doing all Led Zeppelin covers. Yes, that Led Zeppelin aka the third fucking greatest band of all time. I was fully prepared for this to completely suck dick but Coalesce does a good job with the masters’ work. The record is good but maybe too weird. You are going to have ask yourself if you really want to hear a cover of “Black Dog”.
(1999)
Dahmer.
Dahmerized. LP.
Clean Plate Records.
The best thing about this record (rocking French Canadian grind) is the last bit of notes on the LP. “Again, if you’re racist, you should not hold this LP in your hands. We play total Master Billy Grind! Homophobes: we’re three gays. Keep it cheap ($$$)!!!” “Homophobes: we’re three gays.” That’s pretty funny.
(1999)
Deadbodieseverywhere.
Deadbodieseverywhere. LP.
Satan’s Pimp/625 Productions.
Every time I have put this record on the turntable, I switch back and forth between 33 rpm and 45 rpm a couple of times before settling on 33 rpm. It sounds good on both speeds. Grinding thrash or thrashing grind: you make the call.
(1999)
Despise You.
West Side Horizons. CD.
Pessimiser Records.
It is a massive 62 track (with the last track being a ton of live stuff) collection of singles, compilation tracks and unreleased material in 44 minutes. Smoking raging fast hardcore by a group of angry Mexicans from Los Angeles. The inside of the CD booklet has a bunch of pictures of people with homemade Suicidal Tendencies styled Despise You shirts and jackets. If I would see any of these people on vacation in California I would be afraid that they would kill me. This CD is loaded with killer hardcore. I was filled with so much intense rage that I kicked my own ass while listening to this record. The highlight of the set is a blistering cover of the Possessed’s “Burning in Hell”.
(1999)
Devoid of Faith.
Devoid of Faith (reissue). LP.
Double Decker Records.
This is limited to 1,000 reissue of material recorded in 1995 and released twice before. The vinyl is colored and the packaging is totally deluxe with a good looking jacket and die cut lyric/information booklet that goes above and beyond your usual xeroxed piece of paper. The music is noisy not too fast hardcore with a touch of the old school sound to it. It is good.
(1999)
Dystopia.
The Aftermath… CD.
Misanthropic/Life is Abuse/Crawlspace.
And the winner of the print the addresses so small so I could barely read them even after taking the paper out of the jewel case is… Dystopia with “The Aftermath…” CD. I am now blind after trying to decipher the miniscule type on this CD. It is almost as if the label does not want you to contact them. Since I am now blind, my other senses are enhanced to compensate for my handicap. I am handi capable. I am differently abled. My improved sense of hearing is responding wonderfully to the atonal doomy hardcore that is blasting from the speakers of my stereo. This collection of single tracks was worth the sacrifice of my eyesight. This record rocks.
(1999)
Electric Wizard.
Come My Fanatics…/Electric Wizard (reissues). 2XCD.
Rise Above Records.
This set rules. The ultimate in total low end rumbling. Doom so slow that it seems like they are almost playing backwards. What’s that? You say you want more guitar solos in your doom. Electric Wizard delivers the wailing leads. This double CD reissue compiles the first two Electric Wizard albums. They are both essential. This band, being able to eat the soil of the Sabbath, has mastered reality. I love this band. Because I am a total record collecting nerd, I have the original Electric Wizard LP on green vinyl. I will trade it for ABA memorabilia.
(1999)
Fu Manchu.
Eatin’ Dust. CD.
Man’s Ruin Records.
You know Fu Manchu. You love Fu Manchu. No explanations needed. This CD is a collection of the Godzilla 10”ep, the Eatin’ Dust 10”ep and a bonus song. This record rocks way harder than the Action is Go! LP. Because I am a total record collecting nerd, I have a copy of the Godzilla 10”ep I will trade for ABA memorabilia.
(1999)
Fuck on the Beach.
Power Violence Forever. LP.
Slap A Ham Records.
Japanese power violence. It is difficult to differentiate one blast of thrash from the next, which I guess is the point with this stuff. On the credit sheet, each member of the band is photographed playing live and they are all wearing the same Fuck on the Beach t-shirt. The bass player is also wearing a Fuck on the Beach hat. That’s pretty weird. I guess that they don’t want to be mistaken for another Japanese power violence band.
(1999)
Goatsnake.
Goatsnake 1. LP.
Man’s Ruin Records.
Fairly uninspired stoner rock type doom. It’s not that this record is bad, I have just heard it before by a ton of other bands. There are good songs on this record, “What Love Remains” is awesomely sludgy, but they are more of the type of thing that will be featured twenty years from now on reissue compilations like “Stoner Rock Unknowns” or “Back with a Bong”. Goatsnake is not the Beatles or the Stones of stoner rock. They are Count Five.
(1999)
Godgory.
Resurrection. CD.
Nuclear Blast America.
This is atmospheric metal with keyboards and acoustic guitars. There is some power riffing going on here that is registering blips on the thrash o meter. But then there is some wankering guitar solos that ruin the whole damn thing. Godgory picks up the pace on track 2, “Crimson Snow”, with some honest to goodness thrash. Next track = acoustic trash. That is the story for the rest of the record. This duo plus session musicians can’t decide if they are going to rock or fool around with their damned keyboards. I vote rock. Please.
(1999)
Greenmachine.
The Earth Beater. CD.
Man’s Ruin Records.
This installment of the Greenmachine saga, finds this trio of Japanese doomsters cleaning up the sound from their last Man’s Ruin offering, the D.A.M.N. CD. The songs are shorter and punchier on this record too. I really like the new direction. Instead of coming off like a Japanese EyeHateGod, Greenmachine is forging their own contemporary hard rock sound. The songs are more single guitar note riff driven than the power chord of sludge of the last album. Good songs too. Rock solid mates.
(1999)
Immolation.
Failures for Gods. CD.
Metal Blade Records.
God bless Mommy and Daddy and Moe and Laurie and Kristy and Grandma and Grandpa. And God, please bless Immolation. Even though they seem like they are mad at you, I know that deep down in their hearts, they love you and want to make people happy with their straight up metal on a death tip sound. They must have got in with the wrong group of people in high school that they think the devil is so cool. He is not. Satan sucks. I know that Immolation don’t really want your son to die. They must come from broken homes or something. If they would hear your message, I am sure that they would play positive raging death metal. Please help them out of the darkness that they are living in. Please tell them that there is no stench in heaven and, God, please help them to continue to rock out so mightily on record but make them not so mad at you. Amen.
(1999)
Integrity 2000.
Integrity 2000. CD.
Victory Records.
I wish that the new Integrity (which is Dwid minus everybody else in the band plus all new dudes) album would have sucked. I don’t know why he didn’t keep the old band together but the revolving door that is Integrity just revolved everybody out of the group. I think it had something to do with the brothers Melnick doing the In Cold Blood thing or something. Who knows? Who can keep up with the long running drama that is the old school Cleveland straight edge scene? Anyhow, the record rocks. It sounds like Integrity. They were pioneers in the metal/hardcore genre before everybody else that has gotten rich doing their sound. If I were Integrity, I would be pissed off and, guess what- surprise, surprise, from the sound of this record Dwid clearly is. Integrity is better than all of your new school favorites by a fucking longshot.
(1999)
Iron Monkey.
Our Problem. CD.
Earache Records.
Screamed doom from England. Great record. I play this on my show because the profanity is inaudible. Great riffs. The printed lyrics inside the booklet are hard to read too but if you strain your eyes you can read some really filthy shit. Great band. I have listened to this album more that 7,000 times since I got it but have only looked at the cover art once. I heard that the illustrator was a pedophile or something. Great.
(1999)
Manowar.
Hell on Stage Live. 2XCD.
Metal Blade Records.
You got to love Manowar. This band is hilarious. I don’t know if you have ever read an interview with these dudes but they come off as some of the most totally devoted to something that doesn’t even exist in the real world type guys. They seem like hard guys and, like AC/DC, they hate everything that isn’t themselves. I need to see this band in action because I am sure that the fan watching at their shows is better than the actual show. People who are into Manowar are really into Manowar. Manowar rocks. This set starts with the anthem “Metal Daze” and ends a couple hours later with “The Crown and the Ring”. The record is bombastic, pompous and rocking but I am sure that being there would have been more hysterical. I can only imagine.
(1999)
Nema.
Bring Our Curses Home. CD.
Sound Pollution.
N is for the noisy low fi production of this record. There is a lot of thud in the drums and a lot of mud on everything else. It adds to the overall rock attack.
E is for the energetic performances. .Nema plays fast and hard. The songs are mostly thrash style hardcore with the ever popular blast beat of grind thrown in for good measure.
M is for the many tracks you receive on the CD version of the album. I often wonder why I ever buy a hard LP on vinyl because of all those CD bonus tracks. On this record you get twelve on vinyl and 22 on CD. You do the math.
A is for the angry thoughts expressed in the lyrics about life, society and politics. I am not this mad on my worse day. A could also stand for awesome- which is what this CD is.
(1999)
Orange Goblin.
Time Traveling Blues. CD.
Rise Above Records.
This record came out last year but was issued domestically by the Music Cartel in 1999. Orange Goblin is part of the New Wave of British Doom (NWOBD). Did I use NWOBD first? I certainly hope so. I would like to get credit for something in my life. Orange Goblin is a great band who combines the best hippie parts of Kyuss with the required heaviness of doom. It works. It has many guitar solos so you can jam along at home and it rocks heavy enough so nobody will think you are listening to some weak shit. As a note: it says on the CD booklet that drummer Chris Turner got the drums done in one take. Congratulations, dude, you rock. But you should mix those drums with more bottom end next time. Listen to Bonham, man. Those drums get you in the stomach. You need to get more ambiance and less surface sound in your mix. A critique from the sassy critic.
(1999)
Satyricon.
Intermezzo II. CD.
Nuclear Blast Records.
The II in the title of this CD could looks more like a pi symbol than an II but I do not have that item on my keyboard. The dude on the cover of this CD has his head and face heavily tattooed. Evil. The actual CD is black with black writing on it. More evil. The music is fast and not limp black metal. Oh my God, save me from this evil. The CD is short, only about 20 minutes which means that it actually stands a chance of Mr. Short Attention Span actually following it to the end. Oh I was wrong, dead wrong. The last track is some sort of black metal techno shit. Boooo. Play metal. You guys suck. Freebird…
(1999)
Sheavy.
The Electric Sleep. CD.
Rise Above Records.
This is another record from last year issued in 1999 by the Music Cartel. It has a bonus track. Keep up the good work Mr. Lemasters. Sheavy are Canadian doom hosers that rock. The singer has a high pitched voice similar to one Mr. O. Osborne. I love to sing along with this dude- holding my nose for the nasal effect and going “doom”. My cat loves it. I have listened to this record repeatedly since I bought it. It definitely is good enough for the repeat listens. Judging from the picture of Sheavy on the CD booklet, Sheavy are hippies. One of the guys in the band is wearing a tie died Sheavy shirt. I do not know about hippies. I don’t trust them. One minute you’re rocking out to some heavy shit and the next thing you know you’re listening to a song about elves. There are no songs about elves or unicorns on this record. I checked. But there is a song called “Oracle”. That is not good. Sheavy rocks, though.
(1999)
Solarized.
Neanderthal Speedway. CD.
Man’s Ruin Records.
When Ed Mundell and Tim Cronin aren’t faking the funk in Monster Magnet, they make guest appearances on records by bands that actually rock- namely Solarized. This band fucking smokes. The more I listen to this record, which did not really grab me at first, the more I thrash out to it. In fact, I am having a difficult time typing this review because I have to keep throwing my fist in the air and playing air guitar. There is not one flaw on this record. It rocks from start to finish and has no noticeable flaws in execution or production. “Black Light Swill” is a doom blast from beyond and will definitely be included on any top tracks of 1999 list that I compile. Solarized, come to Cleveland so we can rage together.
(1999)
Solitude Aeturnus.
Adagio. CD.
Massacre Records.
This CD came out last year but was issued in the United States (#1) this year. This is the latest full length offering from one of the original “Dark Passages” bands. I think that they have more recently been on that Iron Maiden tribute compilation. Anyway, this record rules. It is awesome. This band remembers that there is a second word to doom metal. That word is metal. Can you hear me? Metal. This doom is totally removed from the stoner rock bands of today. Solitude Aeturnus has double bass drumming on their record, for Pete’s sake. I can not say enough good things about this record and the fact that this band is from Texas makes it even more amazing. Heavy classic sounding doom metal that is as good as it gets. It’s the real deal.
(1999)
Spirit Caravan.
Jug Fulla Sun. CD.
Tolatta Records.
You have to ask yourself if you really love rock before you listen to this record. Do you? Do you love rock? Wino does. I guarantee it. Wino from the Obsessed has a new band. The name of the band is Spirit Caravan. They rock. Wino, who is looking as old as Lemmy in the pictures in this booklet, is a rocker. I can’t believe how rocking these old dudes can still get. Lemmy, Wino, Keith Richards and a bunch of other golden agers who still kick ass should get together and open a school for young dudes who are bands today, say 99% of them, because nobody knows how to rock like these graying bastards anymore. Wino, show us the path. Teach us the way of rock. Incidentally, this record sounds like the Obsessed, St. Vitus and Trouble. You know it rocks.
(1999)
The Hellacopters.
Grande Rock. CD.
Sup Pop Records.
Everybody’s favorite Swedish cock rock band and mine are back with their third long player. As with the last LP, the Hellacopters continue to shy away from the punkier Stooges stuff of the first LP and go for a cleaner production and tighter sound. Nicke’s sweet singing vocals are way up in the mix. He is turning into quite the songbird. If Nicke had not come from the Entombed but say, Winger, the Hellacopters would not have the critical notice that they have now. This stuff is walking the fine line between rock and suck. One stiff wind in the suck direction and they are gone. A note: the Hellacopters continue to have vinyl only LP tracks. Snooze. I am too fat and lazy to check with my vinyl copy to tell you if the track is worth seeking out. Sorry. Since I am a total record collecting nerd, I have all three original Swedish vinyl editions of the Hellacopters albums that I will trade for ABA memorabilia.
(1999)
Unida/Dozer.
Split Double EP. CD.
Meteorcity Records.
Unida is a new band with former Kyuss vocalist John Garcia. Guess who they sound like? Masters of Reality leader and Kyuss producer Chris Goss recorded their four songs. Guess what they sound like? Their tracks rock more than the review I am giving them. I wish I lived in the California desert instead of Cleveland, OH when I listen to Unida.
It is no accident that Dozer are on a split with Unida. They sound the same with a little worse production. Dozer is from Sweden. You should be really able to get an appreciation for the influence that Kyuss has hand on bands around the world. Nineties metal will be remembered for the influence of Kyuss, Sleep and Helmet.
(1999)
V/A.
Blackened IV. 2XCD.
Metal Blade Records.
This is the fourth installment of Metal Blades’ black metal collection series. Truth be told, most of the bands that are clogging the black metal scene are very weak. I do not feel very black listening to keyboards, acoustic guitars and sing a long sea chanteys type vocals. Most of these bands have an evil and killer reputation but are soft in reality. I do not care about Norse lore or tales of Vikings. A lot of these bands were some sort of make up. This lengthy collection is a worthwhile purchase since it has a load of bands on it. It will save you money when you don’t buy any of the full lengths by any of these bands out of just curiosity. Both CDs contain a track by the awesome Witchery- a must for the completist.
(1999)
VA.
Hydra Head Records Sampler Volume 1/Spring 1999. CD.
Hydra Head Records.
This collection comes to you for free when you purchase the fanzine-ish Hydra Head catalog for only two dollars. Buzzoven, Keelhaul, Jesuit, Converge, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Isis, Botch, Coalesce and Soilent Green are just some of the bands who will rock your balls off on this freebee CD. Hydra Head Records is where metal/hardcore is heading so you should get hip before it is too late. You don’t want to be a rocky come lately.
(1999)
V/A.
In The Groove. CD.
The Music Cartel.
(1999)
Each of these bands, taken individually, is pretty rocking. Some of your favorites are here including Nebula, Karma to Burn and Sheavy amongst a cast of lesser-known bands. As a sound or movement, the whole stoner rock thing is stupid. I have been at so-called stoner rock shows and saw the whole thing with the seventies clothes and devil horns being as lame as the ska revivalists or punk rockers who still wear Mohawks. It rocks but at what cost? Too many of these bands have wailing cock rock vocalists. That truly sucks. I would rather hear more Michael Williamses than John Garcias. Also, it is not just regional nepotism when I say that Red Giant, hands down, has the most raging track on this collection with “Quantum Pounder”. Red Giant smokes all of these bands easily. You should give them your money and respect, sucker.
(1999)
V/A.
Reality Part #3. LP.
Deep Six Records.
“If you came here to see spandex and a fucking eye make up and all that shit…and the words rock and roll baby in every fucking song…this ain’t the fucking band. We came here to bash some fucking heads for fifty minutes. Are you fucking with us? All right”. –James Hetfield
(1999)
V/A.
Relapse Records Sampler Spring 1999. CD.
Relapse Records.
Relapse Records is one of the best labels going with the best bands. The label has a good mix of very modern type bands and straight up metal warrior type bands. I can totally agree with the aesthetic statement Relapse is making. This is a collection of songs from Relapse’s more current releases. You should try and find this because it has unreleased tracks by Nasum (cover of Drop Dead’s “Bullshit Tradition”) and Benumb and previously vinyl only tracks by Agoraphobic Nosebleed. It contains Mortician’s cover of “Procreation of the Wicked”. You should get as many copies of that as possible because it is awesome.
(1999)
Wellwater Conspiracy.
Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directive. CD.
Time Bomb
Wellwater Conspiracy is John McBain and Matt Cameron from Soundgarden. Their record comes off like a light stoner rock band or heavy psyche rock group. They sound almost like the Screaming Trees at some points and also a little like Queens of the Stone Age, especially on the songs in which Josh Homme sings. This record has some interesting sounds on it but, ultimately, I am left in the cold by the lack of heaviness. For stoner rock completist nerds only.
(1999)
Witchery.
Witchburner.
CD. Necropolis Records.
This band of rippers are wild. They slay most of the current crop of black metalers with an old school vibe that totally kicks it. This EP is mostly classic metal covers done in the wicked Witchery style. Their version of Judas Priest’s “Riding on the Wind” complete with phased out drum is the bomb. Grab your toilet paper before dropping this joint in your system, baby, because it is the shit.
(1999)
V/A.
Scarver’s Calling/Corrupted split.
7”e.p. Gouge Records.
Scarver’s calling is Apt. 213 tracks of thrash. Corrupted is awesome Japanese ultra doom.
(1999)
V/A.
Nunslaughter/Crucifier split.
7”ep. Nunslaughter.
Metal is Death Death is Metal Nunslaughter Death Metal. (review = three great songs) Crucifier is OK Black Metal.
(1999)
V/A.
In These Black Days Volume 5.
7”ep. Hydra Head Records.
Two Black Sabbath covers. One by Cave-In. One by Botch. Neither as good as Black Sabbath.
(1999)
V/A.
The Dillinger Escape Plan/Drowning Man split.
7”ep. Hydra Head Records.
Two bands. Two songs. The Hydra Head Sound.
(1999)
V/A.
Albany Style Hardcore 1999.
7”ep. Gloom Records.
Descriptive compilation title. By the Throat. Police Line. Devoid of Faith. Monster X (hater of godlike).
(1999)
posted by Thea at 8:59 PM 