By Rob Hughes

My favourite music has two qualities: it is weird and it is cool. It’s not quite enough just being one or the other. The Residents are weird, but they’re kind of obvious about it, don’t you think? Conversely, Motörhead are untouchably cool, but they’re so reliable—you know what to expect when the new Motörhead album arrives. The weirdest thing about Motörhead is how Lemmy has survived all these years.

Dog Shredder, a trio from just over the line in Bellingham, Washington, are the ideal blend of weird and cool. Brass Tactics, their new EP, is a 15-minute burst of chaos and power that transcends what we’d consider “technical metal” and makes a beeline towards the avant-garde. Imagine Ruins (Japan) blasting through a medley of reversed Mastodon riffs, or Lightning Bolt jamming with Atheist. The first two tracks are all blazing guitars and cluster-bomb drums, peppered with multiple WTF moments and mangled rhythms within the instrumental barrage. The sparse vocals are unexpectedly melodic, but are mixed way back and distorted lest you get too comfortable. The third and last track surprises us with a macabre sort of ballad, an organ-led slow dance of the damned to end this brief entertainment. Weird.

After repeated listens, though, the initial disorientation lifts a bit, and the songs’ inner logic and catchiness become evident. Patterns emerge, and moments of rehearsal-room genius float to the surface. The churning end section of “Battle Toad” delivers some serious heaviness, yet it remains defiantly off-kilter. The impossibly manic “Battle Snake” somehow manages to make room for a soaring, almost hymn-like vocal line. Cool.

Such craziness is probably best experienced in small doses (or live—I’m sure they destroy on stage). A full length of this stuff might make me throw up my hands and reach for Music For Airports. I gather that some of Dog Shredder’s previously released material has a different dynamic, which might help flesh out a long player if they’ve got one in the works. Until the band issue a bigger statement, this brief, joyous excursion into total derangement will give you plenty to gnaw on.

Dog Shredder play the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, May 25

(Good To Die Records)

http://dogshredder.bandcamp.com/

By Raymond Westland

Metallic Taste Of Blood is one of the latest projects by Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin. Together with guitarist/composer Eraldo Bernocchi (Obake/Somma), drummer Balazs Pandi (Obake/Merzbow) and keyboardist Jamie Saft (John Zorn/Merzbow) he worked on arguebly one of the best albums of this year. Through some digital magic I was able to speak with three of the four members, namely Colin Edwin (CE), Eraldo Bernocchi (EB) and Balazs Pandi (BP) about the origins of this remarkable musical venture, future projects and the prospects of touring together…

Thank you for doing this interview. I must confess I’m utterly blown away by the s/t Metallic Taste Of Blood album. Are you happy the way it came out?
EB:I’m really happy you like it and the way it came out was a surprise also for me.I really had no idea where we were going as I was following a stream of emotions during the composition and production process.

CE: I’m very glad to hear it speaks to you! I’m extremely pleased with the way the album has developed, it’s been a continually surprising and inspiring journey, and the end result is something very satisfying.

BP: Totally. for me it was interesting to work on this record, because most of the other music i work on is super radical, physically challenging for both listener and player. so it was interesting to not approach composing with blowing the heads / ripping my arms off immediately, and also since i study to play all kind of music, it was amazing that i could use my extended musical vocabulary.

Can you share some insights on how the project came together?

CE: The whole thing came about because of a random trawl I did through myspace (before it became a spam filled waste of time) looking for some interesting music to listen to. I came across a page for Eraldo Bernocchi’s “Parched” duo with Davide Tiso and revisited it quite a few times to hear the two tracks they had put up. I bought the album when it came out and sometime later Eraldo contacted me when he saw it on my playlist.
I knew of Eraldo mainly through his project “Charged” some years before, and also “Somma”, two quite different things, so I was well up for meeting him, one time when I made it to Italy with Porcupine Tree we discussed a possible collaboration.Eventually, I made it over to Tuscany to Eraldo’s studio where we kicked the whole thing off. Eraldo had suggested Balazs as a drummer, I didn’t know of him, but Eraldo played me a few things which left no doubt in my mind that he would be a great choice.
Balazs’s input immediately brought our sketches to life, and despite adding some truly intense and brutal drumming, he was also sensitive enough to leave space in appropriate places. Balazs had in turn suggested Jamie Saft as a keyboard player, I was delighted that when Jamie was invited he responded extremely positively.

Will there be future Metallic Taste Of Blood albums?
EB: I’d like to think yes. I really enjoyed working on his album and working again with he same team could only improve. I’m definitely looking forward to do something new in future with the guys but for the moment lets work on taking possibly on the road this album.

CE: There are no plans as yet, but who knows, we’ll see how things develop, I would certainly be open to any developments and evolving the band.
All the members of Metallic Taste Of Blood come very different musical backgrounds, ranging from prog, freestyle jazz, punk to extreme metal and breakcore.

Was it difficult to find some common language composing-wise? How did you guys manage to achieve that?

EB: No. It wasn’t difficult at all. We are all used to work in different fields and projects.
I think it’s a question of how you lets say “exercise” your mind and brain to handle different inputs and suggestions. Each of us made his own part without any limit and boundaries. We just did what we wanted to do in that precise moment. Things come naturally with an approach of that kind.

CE: As you say, we are all individually known for being in four completely different areas musically, but we’ve all been pretty much equal and had our own space in the creative process, so we were bound to create something unique. However, we didn’t go looking for common ground, the result is the sound of us each finding our own space and contributing to the whole.

BP: Not at all. we found the common language in communication super easily in both playing and post-production.

When composing and recording the material what vision did you have in mind?

CE: We never discussed having any sort of aim or result, it’s rather a case of being instinctive, and the resulting personality mesh of everyone involved. I think we’ve all enjoyed the process and that shows in the album. We have all been able to express ourselves freely without considering a pre-ordained concept

BP: if you mean vision about the outcome there was none from my side. the people i am in this band do all kinds of different stuff, so the only thing i could expect was the unexpected.

Most of the material was recorded back in 2011. Was it frustrating for you guys to wait for almost 6 months before the album actually sees the light of day?

CE:There are so many factors involved in having an album actually come out, so I think a six month waiting time is not too bad.

BE: Totally true. Having an album ready doesn’t mean you can put it out in one week. There’s a lot going on around it.

BP: 6 months is really a small amount of time, most of the music i work on is sitting for like 1 year on the shelf. only records that see the light sooner than 6 months are the live recordings with Merzbow. also don’t forget, there was always constant work on the final mix, so it wasnt 6 months with nothing happening. we were checking out mixes, exchanging ideas so the project was completely vital.

To which extent is Metallic Taste Of Blood a true band versus a musical project?

CE: Metallic Taste of Blood totally sounds the way it does because of the distinctive voices of the individuals involved, to me, that factor defines a “band” rather than a “project”.The term “project” implies having an agenda to make music in a certain context or manner, which hasn’t been the case here at all

BE: I totally agree with Colin. I’ve being doing projects all my life, mainly because. Was refusing the “band” logic but now I’m facing the fact I have not one but two bands, Obake and MTOB…the sum of all individualities determined the album outcome. I’m very curious to see what’s coming next as now we know each other.

BP: since we never talked about this group being an ad hoc one-off studio group i pretty much consider it as a band with a desire to play the material live.

Do you guys have plans to promote the album by touring? If so, where are you going to perform?

EB: Oh yes!

CE: We are hoping to do some live work, that’s something we’ve all had in the back of our minds all along, I think the material should work very well in a live context. There are no firm plans for dates yet, but it’s being discussed.

BP: i think first we need to focus on spreading the word, so when we start to tour people know about the band. touring is hard in itself, you never know which territory will be more into a certain type of music, and if you have music that is not so easy to define, its even harder.

What is next for you guys in terms of touring, various projects and the works?

EB: I’ll work on a remix album of winter garden, the cd I did with Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd, we will record the new Obake by the end of the year, some Sigillum S outputs and much more I can’t right now talk about.

CE: I am working towards completing another solo album, with songs and a vocalist this time rather than purely instrumentals, and also another Ex-Wise Heads album, plus a few collaborations that I hope to be able to share with the world pretty soon.

BP: I go on tour for 2 months in the US. I stopped talking about future plans, since I learned through the years that things can change even last minute. I have a facebook music page, all info will be there for gigs and various recording projects.

Time for the final question. What albums are you really looking forward to this year and why?

EB: Good question…I really don’t know. Too much stuff is coming out at he very same time. I was waiting for the new Killing Joke, which I bought, the Lee Scratch Perry album Laswell just finished, the new Tomahawk …and much more!

CE: The new Prong album, which I’ve just ordered, as I’ve heard good things about it.

Also, InGladAloneness, by Dalis Car, that last thing that the late Mick Karn recorded (as Dali’s Car), the first Dali’s Car album is one of my ‘Desert Island Discs

BP: I have no idea who will release new records, and also lately I listen mostly to 60-70ies music, so I think I rather look forward to explore obscure records never heard from that period than overproduced new music I can’t relate to. I just heard the Red Chord is writing new songs, definitely looking forward to that since they are great friends and a mindblowing band. Also new band of the guys from Maruta will kick ass for sure.

Any final thoughts or remarks?

BP: it’s cold gin time again

By Craig Haze

Constantinople is the debut album from Los Angeles trio Ides of Gemini. Featuring singer/bassist Sera Timms (of Black Math Horseman fame), noted metal and film journalist J.Bennett on guitar/backing vocals, and drummer Kelly Johnson, the band’s first release for label Neurot Recordings is a beguiling blend of the pensive and ethereal. Much like historical accounts of the city of Constantinople itself, this album is shrouded in mystique.

It’s fitting that Ides of Gemini should find a home on a forward-thinking record label like Neurot—founded as it was by members of Neurosis. Ides of Gemini harness that same transformative energy as Oakland’s burliest sons, similarly juxtaposing delicacy and potency, shadow and radiance. Although Ides of Gemini do not indulge in the walls of noise Neurosis frequently purvey—being more sonically aligned to the melancholic avant-doom of Sub Rosa—the band has that very same Neurosis-like ability to simultaneously convey strength and vulnerability.

Constantinople opens with a brief wash of reverb-heavy, glazed black metal on “The Vessel & the Stake”, immediately revealing the album’s desolate flavor. Bennett’s opening riff quickly reduces its velocity, and the fragments of the song are brought together as Johnson’s martial drumbeat and Timms’ exquisite lilt fashion a tune defined by an almost ritualistic temper.

Sera Timms’ vocals lift the lid on that well of inescapable despondency that resides within us all. Only a voice as intoxicating as hers could ever tempt you to open yourself up to your most apocalyptic fears. Whether weaving her entrancements through the phenomenal psychedelic rumble of “Resurrectionists”, or uttering susurrus lyrics on the chamber doom of “One to Oneness”, her captivating vocals provide a framework for the instrumentation, constructing an altar from which she can preach her plaintive sermons.

Although Timms’ vocals bind the album, there is also much to admire in the skillful work of Johnson and Bennett. Johnson’s drumming, restrained throughout the bulk of the album, adds significant, affecting weight. Much like the work of Earth’s Adrienne Davies, the sparsity of Johnson’s beats accentuates her presence. When her sticks hit the skins during the blackened churn of “Reaping Golden”, that percussive depth is felt in concrete terms. Credit for much of the album’s corporeal punch must also must go producer Chris Rakestraw, who also mixed and engineered Constantinople. Mastering duties were handled by James Plotkin, a man who knows his way around landscapes of panoramic doom via his work with Khanate.

Sparseness and minimalism play a large part in Constantinople‘s allure, and the space within the tracks leaves room for darkly spiritual reflection. Bennett’s visceral riffs, which are often tweaked out with distortion, bring poignant mass to the songs—adding flesh to their bare bones arrangements. “Slain in Spirit” is a perfect example of how his slowly grinding and gritty riffs coalesce with Timms’ soaring vocals (and Johnson’s truculent cadence) to transform the tune into a gigantic meditational stomp. While the glacially paced and elegant riffs of “Old Believer” and the shoegaze and ambient thrum of “One to Oneness” are marked by temperance over tempo, Bennett’s work ensures they are ‘heavy’ nonetheless.

The core dynamic of a trio in sync means you are swept away by waves of haunting doom, yet Constantinople never becomes crushing enough to overwhelm you. You may feel like a piece of emotional flotsam, washed back and forth, tantalizingly within reach of safe land. But there’s hope and room to breathe in the glimpses of arcane sentimentality of “Austrian Windows” and “Martyrium”—where wistful threads of a ’70s folk act like Pentangle exist as much as any stripped-back, Pentagram-inspired doom.

Constantinople is constructed of diaphanous threads, but its fragility should not be confused with frailty. Ides of Gemini perceptively balance subtlety with dexterity, appreciating that music with this much emotive potential requires poise and sagacity. Although this full-length is only the band’s debut, its members have clearly drawn deeply from their own histories, and not just in musical terms. Constantinople compels you to leave your heart unguarded. To do so is to be left unnervingly exposed. In life we seek recompense when allowing ourselves to be so emotionally bare, and there is solace to be found in the works of Ides of Gemini because the rewards are infinite.

(Neurot Recordings)

This one’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure. Saint Vitus’ first record in 17 years sees the band with a new drummer (RIP Mondo!), but with the voice of Wino back in the fold for what’s really little more than an EP, seven songs stretching 33 minutes and change—with a pair of instrumentals, to boot! But hey, you know what they say, quality over quantity, eh?

Make no mistake, this is a quality release, vintage Vitus at its finest. Lead-off track “Let Them Fall,” which spawned a slightly-silly music video, carries that same dark, brooding mood as heard on Born Too Late, what with the fuzzed-out Chandler riffs, Wino’s mournful cries, the solid yet understated rhythm section of Adams and Vazquez—and another mondo bizzaro guitar solo from the bearded one’s deadly arsenal. Yup, the gang’s all here…

“The Bleeding Ground” offers another slice of quality Chandler, this one at home amongst the likes of “Shooting Gallery” and “Dying Inside.” Those years away from the recording studio have had no ill effects on his massive tone, to be sure. The man is still very much the engine of this band—which is why it’s just a tad peculiar that “Vertigo,” the first of the two instrumental tunes, features Wino, not Chandler on guitar. (Not that I’m complaining…)

“Blessed Night” is likely the oldest song on this album, as it was a part of their live setlist as far back as last March’s Metalliance tour. A nice, slightly faster-paced teaser, but, as it turns out, far from the best song on the record. I reckon that’s a good thing.

“The Waste of Time” slows things back down; this one’s a real head-nodder with its slinky, slithering pace and pounding drums. The mournful, classical-guitar intro of “Dependence” sets the mood for the penultimate number, another addiction=suicide message that this band relays so well. Instrumental “Withdrawal” is pretty much just squealing guitar feedback, but by then, the damage is done.

As much as I’m digging this record, I’d hate to give it a perfect 10 for being so agonizingly, cockteasingly short. But, y’know, it’s pretty damn close. If you ever enjoyed the Wino era of Vitus, you will definitely dig this.

(Season Of Mist)

This installment of Blasphemous Meals brings you the very best of winter’s warmth from Hellbent for Cooking. These dishes are hearty and fire the soul. Just because winter is over doesn’t mean that heavy food should be eliminated with heavy metal.

Enjoy the following foodie ventures from the Blasphemy Blog test kitchen. Winter may be grim in a headbanger’s world, but spring is pretty cool, so prepare for the season as you warm up to multicultural fare from Sir Lord Baltimore, Trouble and Abigail.

Flounder Filet Oreganato
By John Garner of Sir Lord Baltimore

Let’s face it. I love fish, and if I could be a “pescatarian”, I sure as hell would. Life without beef or poultry wouldn’t be so bad but one without gifts from the sea? I’ll lose my shit if I don’t have my weekly fix of fish! Grilled, baked, fried, smoked or raw – a healthy dose of alternative omega 3 never ceases to satisfy my foodie nature.

How ironic it is, as I once aspired to become a marine biologist… before I failed grade nine science class.

Brooklyn’s all American rockers Sir Lord Baltimore share a simple dish that’s quick to prepare and not too extravagant in flavour. This meal was something I wouldn’t usually gravitate to, as chutneys and marinades to compliment the meat intrigue me. I couldn’t find flounder at my local grocery, thus settled for basa – a white fish native to the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam. It is mild, firm in texture and can be prepared in various ways.

Picture the Oreganato as a breaded fish schnitzel, if you will. Dipped in egg batter before covered with Italian breadcrumb blend and pan-fried in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), the basa remained light in taste despite its crispy exterior.

Garner suggested a side pairing of mashed potatoes and greens, inspiring me to take a spin of my own. Sweet & white potato mash blended with chives topped with fresh ground pepper and spring mix greens with balsamic dressing and mandolin-sliced pear were fresh, healthy accompaniments beside a robust glass of red.

Ronnie Cole’s Turkey Chili
By Ron Holzner of The Skull (ex-Trouble)

There’s nothing more comforting than a lean, hearty chili on a cold winter day and that’s exactly what Ron Cole’s recipe brings to the table with light, tasty turkey and a harmony of spices that hit the perfect note.

An aroma of paprika, cumin, chili pepper and cayenne fill the kitchen as I stir a heaping pot of the ever-reducing mixture. With great jalapeno and green peppers thrown in between a rich tomato paste, a variety of colours bring life to the chili. For extra protein, beans are a must, and this chili called for red kidney – though I prefer black pinto for a more Mexican vibe.

Pairs perfectly with multigrain tortilla chips and a Stella Artois.

War Miso War Soup
By Yasuyuki Suzuki of Abigail

It arrives in a little black and red bowl with a bento box from your favourite sushi place. Piping hot, aromatic and light, its broth is a serving of seaweed -infused comfort food. Miso soup is not only healthy, but a staple in Japanese cuisine. Can you imagine eating unagi maki without it?

Miso is produced with fermented rice, barley, soybeans and salt. It is a seasoning, often in the form of a paste used for a variety of dishes. From fish and meat marinades to soup stocks, it is a versatile ingredient high in protein, minerals and vitaminB12. Studies have also claimed that miso treats radiation sickness.

Yasuyuki Suzuki’s homemade take was earthy and easy to make. This was the first time I have had miso soup with diced taro, a starchy root vegetable similar to turnip. I’m lucky to have access to a great Asian grocer in the GTA that offers a wide range of foreign food products, where I also purchased my fresh and fried tofu. There was a vast selection to choose from!

Preparing Japanese food at home can be intimidating at times, but this miso soup turned out to be as badass as the blackened thrash of Abigail.

The next time you’re inspired by an Asian dish, don’t hesitate to hit up your local Chinatown to get the right ingredients and experience a culinary adventure.

If “the most evil band in Japan” can make a dish this dainty, you can too.

Enjoy responsibly with a shot of draft sake.

Photographs by Frank Mazzuca

By Jay H. Gorania

Dear Teresa Roncon,

I don’t know your current relationship status, so if you are taken, please do not be offended by this love letter. I mean everything I’m about to say with all due respect. I’m writing you in hopes that you are single. If that’s the case, I would like to be your man, or take you out on a date at the very least.

Don’t worry. I’m not a stalker type. Actually, if this doesn’t sound too pompous, I think I’m quite charming. I’m tall, dark and handsome. My nephews always laugh at my jokes, so I think it’s safe to assume I’m funny. And I’m an educated man. Academically, yes, but what I mean by that is that I’m a student of life. I’m a student of the Earth and the universe, and I truly believe that learning is a life-long process. I suppose I might not be the most humble guy out there. LOL

Anyway, I was blown away by your beauty as well as your pleasant and cool attitude when I saw you hosting the Power Hour/Power 30 on MuchMusic in the early ’90s. I would of course have seen the show regardless of your involvement, since I’m a lifelong metal fanatic, but seeing your gorgeous face at the onset of the episodes put a smile on my face every time. More often than not, I taped the shows rather than racing home from high school to catch them, since I was habitually at the gym immediately following my classes. Yes, I do work out.

I do want to bring up the fact that I was at a party once and I had no choice but to defend your honor. You see, some drunk guy had the audacity to call you something I won’t repeat here, and I had no problem with lunging toward him, demanding that he recant his offensive statements. Fortunately, numerous people got between us and we were separated. He did apologize, however. And I didn’t care about everyone getting on my case about “overreacting.”

Sure, at times I might be hard on the outside, but truthfully, I’m a pretty sensitive guy. I have a really big heart. What else can I say about myself?

I love my family and friends. I love to travel. I love spending time on beaches. I enjoy long walks. I can’t live without staring at the stars and the Moon. I really appreciate the simple pleasure in life, too. A nice egg breakfast, for example.

Well, I’d rather not waste too much of your time by rambling now, so I’d just like to say that I think you’re great, and I have no idea where you live now, but if you’re single, I’d love to take you out on a date some time. I promise that you won’t regret it!

Sincerely,

Jay H. Gorania

If the Ottawa event was such a success, it’s because they don’t get doom metal gigs up there every day–or major metal gigs, regardless of sub-genre, for that matter.  It may be the nation’s capital, but they’re several hours from the U.S. border, meaning that unless a band is booking an extensive Canadian itinerary, it’s a little out of the way.  The vibe I got from the Ottawa metal scene is not unlike that when I was growing up in Calgary.  Back then, a major metal band coming to town was a rare enough occurrence that even if you weren’t the biggest fan of, say, Overkill, you’d go to their gig anyways cuz it was still a pretty big deal.

Of course, you can’t overlook the fact that All That Is Heavy had some major champions in the Bradshaws, hosts of the prime-time “Crossing Boredom” program on local college station CKCU.  Bringing doom to the masses at a reasonable hour (7-9 pm Thursdays) gave ‘em plenty of opportunity to plug this gig–which was sponsored by the station in the first place.  Similarly, Montreal is Doomed was the brainchild of local DJ Annick Giroux, she of Hellbent for Cooking fame.  Of course, she also had an ace in the hole in Pagan Altar, who brought a buncha people in from outta town to see ‘em.  I for one did not hear a whole lotta French spoken in Les Katacombes that evening…

Alas, I’m not sure Toronto has that dedicated doomster to plug the shit out of a gig like this.  Even before the CRTC took my baby away, Smokin’ Green aired initially from 12 to 2 and later from 1 to 3 in the morning, and I’d get a lot more callers asking me to play some reggae than the latest Black Pyramid tune.  Not to mention that the only club gig I ever DJ’ed was on 4/20.  Doom definitely isn’t music you can dance to, what can I say?  While I still try to spread the word through Hellbound, it’s not like putting my name on the poster would bring more out people to the gig.

Now, Toronto is a big enough city that we wouldn’t need too many outta-towners to make this gig successful, but it would take a major headliner to drum up any interest.  I know that there aren’t too many people in this town who’d lose their shit over Iron Man and Revelation–the ones that do wouldn’t fill a small room.  Considering that on any given weekend, Hogtown plays host to several big-name touring bands (we’re talking Meshuggah, Decapitated, Anvil, Destruction, Nasum, Vital Remains, Aborted, Warbringer and Baroness all between last Thursday and this coming Monday!), there’s going to be some stiff competition.  And since there aren’t any local doomsters with the deep pockets to fly Cathedral or Electric Wizard out here for a one-off, we’re talking probably either Saint Vitus or Pentagram.

Which brings up another issue: the border.  Word has it that Wino was roughly interrogated over a decades-old drunk driving charge when he came up here with Clutch a few years ago–and as for Bobby Liebling, fuhgeddaboudit!  When it comes to drugs, plenty of people have been denied entry for a lot less than what he’s done.  Ditto Mike IX Williams and Eyehategod.  The closest they’ll ever come to Canada is Upstate NY–in fact, I’ve seen both bands in Rochester…

So let’s say you do land Vitus.  Great!  I’d be all over that like a fat kid on a rainbow made out of Skittles.  These guys haven’t played Toronto (or anywhere in Canada, to my knowledge) since their most recent reunion, so this would probably be a pretty big draw.  Of course, you’re still gonna hafta bust yer balls spreading the word about it.  Remember, this is a one-off gig, so all the underground music and metal sites won’t be getting a press release from the band’s PR agency like they do when said band is on tour.  And if the folks in town don’t know what’s going down, well, they’re not gonna come out in droves, are they?

On that note, you’ll probably wanna get one or two big-name local bands to hedge your bets.  Sons of OTIS and Blood Ceremony would fit the bill, and you’ll probably need them both.  Hell, get Quest For Fire, too.  They’re not really doom, but close enough, and they do have a bit of a following.  After all, there aren’t any other bands in town who’ve been signed to Tee Pee Records.  And while the offer of opening for Saint Vitus might be enticing enough, it helps to have a personal relationship with these bands so you can call ‘em up or even show up at their jamspace and talk them into it if need be.  You know that most of the money will be going to Wino and co, so you’ve gotta get that ironed out with the openers.

And hey, you can’t really call this thing a fest if there’s less than four bands on the bill, so if one of the aforementioned Big Three is a no-go, you’ll need to look elsewhere.  There are at least a couple up-and-coming stoner/doom bands around here with some pretty solid tunes, but these guys couldn’t pack the 460, much less the ElMo, on their own.  You’re probably gonna need a mid-level touring sludge/doom band, someone like Weedeater, Zoroaster or maybe The Gates of Slumber to be on the road at the time, and try to convince them to cross the border.  Of course, this is gonna cost ya even more…

Hey, I’m not about to do the math on this thing, but it certainly won’t be cheap.  Although I’ve laid out the blueprint (and we haven’t even gotten into venues, promotion, etc), I don’t expect anyone to see this through to completion–though you’re always welcome to prove me wrong.

Peace,

Greg

P.S.: Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter and check out my blog!

P.P.S.: My new radio show, Gruesome Tunes, airs Sunday nites from 6 till 8 (Eastern Time) on Grip of Delusion Radio.  Tune in and drop out!

P.M.S.: Acid Mothers Temple is more metal than you!

By Gruesome Greg

Album number two from this Bay Area female-fronted doom trio. Funeral doom this is not—eight tracks spanning less than 36 minutes. From the upbeat (if none too uplifting) chugs and gleaming instro passages of the opener “Ever Hunter” through the piercing, haunted wails and jagged riffing of “Corpse Candles,” this is not your slogging bog-band doom, either. These guys maintain a steady mid-pace for the most part, but don’t let that deceive you: this is a gloomy record, indeed.

Incidentally, these folks played their first-ever gig over in Toronto, and as far as bands from ‘round here are concerned, this sorta sounds like Demontage and Blood Ceremony thrown in a blender, albeit with a bit of a trad/power metal blend that you don’t really hear from either—the bludgeoning “Storm Below the Mountain” probably wouldn’t sound too out of place at one of those Paganfest shindigs. (The title track even refers to pagan gods, so there ya go!)

Alas, even if an attempt to throw labels at this record proves futile, this is pretty decent stuff. Let’s just call it occult heavy metal and give’r another spin…

(Van Records)

RATING: 7.5

By Raymond Westland

One of the most exciting projects of this year is Metallic Taste Of Blood. The name may not sound familiar, but it does contain some of the most talented musicians from the prog, jazz, avant-garde and experimental music spheres, including Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Balasz Pandi (Merzbow, Obake) and Eraldo Bernocchi (Winter Garden, Obake). Let’s see what their self-titled debut album has to offer.

Putting together a couple of virtuosic players in a single group can either lead to total self-indulgent mayhem or something truly mind blowing. With Metallic Taste Of Blood it’s luckily the latter case. The album is an entirely instrumental affair where jazz, industrial, dub, progressive rock, avant-garde and a whole arsenal of other styles meet each other in such an effluent way it’s intimidating and mesmerising the same time. Jamie Saft’s (Masada, New Zion Trio) brilliant keyboard parts gives the music a haunting avant-garde freestyle jazz style. It may be unsettling at first, but his parts give this album it’s edge.

Other key feature is the band’s ability to present an incredible array of ideas within relatively compact songs, thus enhancing the album’s overall accessibility. The members in Metallic Taste Of Blood also restrain themselves from engaging into endless solo spots, a cardinal sin that make many other progressive rock and metal outfits unbearably bloated and pompous. Compositions like “Sectile”, “Glass Chewer”, “Maladaptive” and “King Cockroach” are shining examples of this.

Production-wise there’s nothing to complain about this album. The overall sound is clear, but it’s fortunately not too polished. This strengthens the brooding and frightening undercurrent that makes the music so addictive.

If you crave intelligent, forward thinking, original and downright unsettling music than the self-titled effort by Metallic Taste Of Blood should satisfy your every need. This is sheer musical bliss. Utterly breathtaking!

(Rarenoise Records)

I was beyond stoked to see the complete original Black Sabbath line-up in Dallas (with Pantera opening, no less!) in 1999. Just prior to Sabbath’s set, the female half of a middle-aged couple showed their racist inclination for no apparent reason in the midst of a pleasant conversation. Looking me up and down, obviously noticing my dark complexion, she said, “You’re what they call a transplant.” I believe what she meant was “immigrant” or “foreigner.” I’m not overly sensitive, so it didn’t really bother me.

When the four metal Gods took stage and kicked into their evil hymns, I went berserk, banging my head like a madman. Apparently my behavior was too outlandish for the couple that seemed more at home at a bar with a juke box filled with Lynyrd Skynyrd, the man pulling the woman tightly to his chest as if to protect her. “You’re a weird (F-word) (N-word),” he exclaimed before they quickly walked away.

I can only assume that it’s because I’m physically larger than the average North American male that this is the only time I can recall facing racism in metal. But even though metalheads pride themselves for being outsiders, the underground metal “scene” is in many ways subject to the same norms and patterns of behavior underlying mainstream society. I assume that if I wasn’t bigger than your average dude, I might experience more prejudice. I hope I’m mistaken.

There are obviously pockets of prejudice, naturally, as it is an underground movement that stands at odds with regular society (facilitating the National Socialist Black Metal movement, for instance). Yet that isn’t very prominent. I can’t help but wonder, though: Do visible minorities, of any sort, face prejudice on a regular basis? Dear reader, I’d appreciate your feedback.