My annual top list of good music
Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire
This is a wet dream come true. A monolithic wet bastard of a dream. A new Godlesh lp, featuring the unholy trinity of Justin, Ben and Machine. I was deeply saddened by the 2002 message from JK that Godflesh was disbanding. God flesh was a huge part of my musical upbringing. The first record I heard was Streetcleaner back in 1989. I got it for christmas by my parents, and it was an eye opener for me. The massive monotone beats and the scorching guitar mated with that slab heavy bass.
Fast forward to present day. Back in June we got the brilliant Decline & Fall ep, which made me a very happy divorcee. Justin Broadrick has been by my side at every breakup I’ve had, and it seems fitting that Godflesh disbanded when I met my ex-wife, and released new material when we got divorced. My hippie girlfriend Mette with whom I shared 5 years back in the 1990’s was broken up with by me the the mantra “be what you are, don’t fucking care” from Love And Hate In Dub…
And now as the divorce has been dealt with, and I have moved away from my ex and my son, it is very fitting that the first lp I buy in my new home, is the new Godflesh, A World Lit Only By Fire.
I was a bit nervous when I listened for the first time. I was anxious that it might be crap. Luckily, that isn’t the case. I consider this the strongest Godflesh record since Selfless. I like the later records too, but have always had a hard time accepting human drummers in the mix.
From the very beginning feedback of New Dark Ages, I feel happy. The doomy riff on Deadend and the dark beauty of all the following tracks is a highly stimulating experience.
If you haven’t listened to Godflesh before, now is the time.
Go enjoy it on Spotify, and then go buy the record.
http://www.discogs.com/Godflesh-A-World-Lit-Only-By-Fire/release/6161200
Of course in blood red vinyl…
Myrkur – Myrkur
Vær hilset. Ever since I saw Relapse Records promoting this ep, I’ve been intrigued. I’ve also worried that it would be crap. I got the record in the mail today, and I’m happy to say that it is in fact quite good. It even has the potential to grow on me I suspect. I really like the spheric vocals, and the drums (that some people dislike) sounds fine and groovy to me. The songs are good, and the musicianship fine for this old grinder. I might give this ep an extra review later on, when I have had the chance to delve into its depths. The kvtl/vn-kvlt-ness of this record is of no significance to me. I think this is a good black metal record, and I look forward to hearing more from her in the future.
Blockheads – This World Is Dead
At first I bought this as mp3’s, then I bought the cd, and now I have bought the lp. That’s how good this album is. From the opening song Deindividualized though the next 23 perfect grindcore songs to doom-ish closer Trail of the Dead, this is a solid album. Shame on me, but I had never heard of Blockheads before this was released, which serves to prove that I really am in the know about grindcore… That aside, it is always great to learn of new music. And I have a vain hope that this blog sometimes give my readers the urge to listen to unknown stuff. That way I try to give back all the good experiences other bloggers have given me throughout the years.
As a new thing on Vinyllistener, I’ll try to embed a video from the record.
This is pure grind, not many traces of metal, and plenty of sexy breaks. The vocals are varied, and the playing is super tight. I’m crazy about the cover too, very disturbing image – much more so than the usual grim shit.
http://www.discogs.com/Blockheads-This-World-Is-Dead/release/4267853
Nails – Obscene Humanity & Abandon All Life
http://www.discogs.com/Nails-Obscene-Humanity/release/4134543
http://www.discogs.com/Nails-Abandon-All-Life/master/530528
Nails are to me a very anonymous band. I know next to nothing about them, and I’m not curious. But I like these two slabs o’ wax. A lot. Fast and fierce hardcore with elements of grindcore.
I honestly can’t rcall how I heard about them, I guess it could have been in a Decibel Magazine, or a review on the grindtodeath.com blog. But I can’t be bothered to find out.
The anonymity and my disinterest in knowing about the band even stretches to me not knowing to lyrical content or their world view. Things that normally are important to me. But you see, the music does an excellent job in itself, and I’m afraid to break the spell, if I start reading about them. I like the innocence in it, like it was back in the pre-internet days, where you sometimes got a tape in the mail, with music on it, about which you knew nothing – and had no means to gather information about. All you had was a band name and some titles, and that’s the relationship I want from Nails. All dirty fast sex and no emotions. And that is what I get.
About these two records, I like both a lot, but favor Abandon All Life just a tiny bit over Obscene Humanity.
Nothing to see here, please disperse, daddy’s getting fucked.
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Agorapocalypse
I was hugely disappointed when this lp came out. It put me off Agoraphobic Nosebleed for quite a while. But time mellows all feelings, and in recent months I have come to embrace the re-invented thrashy ANb.
The addition of Katherine Katz to the line-up, is a good thing. She sounds all sorts of pissed off, and easily matches the venom of Richard Johnson and James Randall. Scott Hull plays and programs like an evil genius.
I’d really like to go to Maryland Death Fest 2015 and see them live, but I fear my meager funds won’t get me there.
About Agoraphobic Nosebleed; I got into them quite late, I read about them in Albert Mudrian’s excellent book Choosing Death in 2004, and was intrigued by the notion of drum machine grind. Especially since I had plans of my own to make some machine-grind of my own.
The first ANb record I bought was Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope, then Honky Reduction, and then I began collecting their 7”s. Currently I have 26 Agoraphobic Nosebleed releases in my collection, but that includes multiples of their albums (cd/vinyl) and compilations.
http://www.discogs.com/Agoraphobic-Nosebleed-Agorapocalypse/release/1733308
This Is A Record I Want. Episode I: Sete Star Sept – Gero Me
Sete Star Sept – Gero Me
http://www.discogs.com/Sete-Star-Sept-Gero-Me/release/3502525
I have a huge love for 7S7. And especially Gero Me. But I never got around to buy it. I know I’m going to at some point, but for now, I have to make do with the digital version. Bus as I’m deeply addicted to it, I thought I’d make a new sub-blog about records I’d like to own.
This is an intense motherfucker of a record. Short spastic noisy songs, all in Sete Star Sept’s trademark bass/drum/vocal-assault style. It was the first thing I ever heard from them, and that listen spawned an expensive habit of collecting their records, no easy task! Discogs currently have 70(!) releases listed, and I have 13 of these… I have had a little communication with the band about a possible split with my own band, but they politely declined. I haven’t given up hope yet though. They have been a huge revitalizing factor in the shaping of the sound of my band, especially the songs on Gero Me and Visceral Tavern (discussed elsewhere on this blog).
Not much more to say, but
This is a record I want…
Slayer – Show No Mercy
This record is in my opinion Slayer’s best work. Not that I’ve heard it all, mind you, but the punky ferocity on this lp hasn’t been matched by the band in their other works. And as you might have gathered from my previous posts on this blog, I have a certain fondness for having quite a bit of punk in my metal.
I heard this lp for the first time at my friend Ken’s house. We spent many hours obsessing over various records, and i recall Show No Mercy to be one of our absolute favorites. The thing was, that back then in 1985 you only had access to the music you – or one of your friends owned. There was radio, true, but Danish radio have always been more about gumpetung blues rock and weak pop than metal and punk. The only exception was Thursday evening’s Cementmix hosted by Katrine Ring and Alex Nyborg Madsen. I’m sure it was in a Cementmix we heard Slayer for the first time. I remember thinking they had more punch than Metallica. The music was menacing, and unlike anything else I had heard at the time. But it was still catchy and groovy, so instant win.
I had many years where I was disgusted with Slayer, but Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s cover of The Antichrist from Show No Mercy rekindled my old love. The ANb cover can be heard on their split with Halo:
http://www.discogs.com/Agoraphobic-Nosebleed-Halo-Untitled-Raping-The-Raper/master/10970
The reason for me spinning this lp today is that I’m binge watching Californacation, and the main character Hank Moody’s novels are called South Of Heaven, Seasons In The Abyss and God Hates Us All. All names of Slayer lps.
So here I am on a monday afternoon, unable to go to work due to a nasty eye infection, listening to Show No Mercy.
The version I have, is the grey vinyl Back On Black reissue. Strangely enough it is only now I own this record. I should have bought it 30 years ago…
Ghost – Opus Eponymous & Infestissumam
I have taken a long time to get to writing about my love for Ghost. But now I’m ripe.
Ghost is a Swedish heavy metal band. Little is known about the true identities of the members, who guise as Nameless Ghouls (instruments) and Papa Emiritus II (vocals).
They have released two albums, and this entry is about them both.
Opus Eponymous is their first lp. It deals heavily with satanic and carnal matters. The music is incredibly groovy. I read about Ghost when this was released, and gave the record a spin on Spotify. But I wasn’t in the mood for it, and dismissed it as wannabe Mercyful Fate. Then their second lp Infestissumem came out, and I stumbled upon a nifty yellow vinyl edition one day and had some change in my pocket. So I bought it, and was blown away. To be honest, I have always loved music with a satanic edge. I am not a satanist, but as you can see on this blog, I often listen to satanic music. And when I hear mainstream-ish music with satanic messages, I’m sold.
I have also always had a soft spot for bands in disguises, I have loved KISS since Unmasked came out in 1980. So apart from the sexy satanism and the groovy 1970’s heavy rock, the fact that the members are anonymous really makes me happy.
Acoording to my last.fm stats, I’ve listened to Ghost 317 times, and that’s only the digital plays… Baby – Daddy’s HOOKED.
My last.fm: http://www.last.fm/user/Sortebob
Opus Eponymous: http://www.discogs.com/Ghost-Opvs-Eponymovs/release/3818761
Infestissumem: http://www.discogs.com/Ghost-Infestissumam/release/4613550
Jucifer – Throned In Blood
This is some dirty, gritty shit. Very highly recommended. I have been into Jucifer for a few years, I like their very personal take on all things metal and punk. I hope to see the live in Copenhagen some day.
http://www.discogs.com/Jucifer-Throned-In-Blood/release/2232541
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