Monday, September 23, 2013

XTC - Oranges & Lemons

XTC - Oranges & Lemons
(r) February 28th 1989

Each of the songs on Oranges & Lemons feels out of time, this record employs gobs and gobs of flowery emotion, romanticized in a saccharine aspect.

The record assaults you if your not prepared for it. I should mention this is my first entry into XTC but not the first time I've heard their style. My first taste was with Dear God, and Primus covering Making Plans For Nigel.

The thing for me is it punches you in the receptor. The first half of the record burns many of the notes in my head. I am of the opinion that there is ample amounts of deft craftsmanship, and like Oingo Boingo, the songs do stay with me.

I am of the opinion this is the last real remnant to the modern music era. Like Oingo Boingo, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Tears For Fears, each of these bands went into the next wave with more advanced songwriting skill. Either you understood this evolution, or fought it like tooth and nail from that change set forth.

There is no bullshit, but there is a kind of cynicism at odds with being wide eyed and wondrous. Some of the songs with Orange & Lemons takes a lot of blatant shifts in a kind of out of time era and forces the listener to uncovering the narrative.

Pushing aside the boredom and forcing human spirit to acknowledge age, and various incongruities of life. This album for me is a kind of gateway to middle age, I really enjoy a lot the variances used.

When this was released I wouldn't have appreciated the work, as I was in a much different area when it came to style. In my current state and experience at this stage I'm very aware of this reason. I have a curious thirst and will continue to uncover more of XTC in the future. Thanks for reading.

B.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Gwar - Battle Maximus - Review

GWAR - Battle Maximus - (r)09/17/2013 

I know how I feel about GWAR at this stage. I love this band. I make no apologizes for it. This is a band that has evolved from my first introduction with Scumdogs Of The Universe (1990) in 1993 to Bloody Pit Of Horror(2010) and everything else in between.

I was gutted as a fan in 2011 when the band lost their main guitarist Cory Smoot. I was worried what the band's next steps were going to be. They've alleviated any concern I had and regrouped, energized, intently focused, and Battle Maximus is the result.

Battle Maximus is a heavy tribute to Cory Smoot. Though I am still gutted by his untimely death, he is the rejuvenation GWAR needed to stay relevant with the metalcore, and post-metal crowds during the 2000's decade.

Many of the songs have a different vibe and flair. It is a capable record trying out pastures of prior GWAR lore, which is a good thing. Fusing more of a folkish theme, the record nods and winks to a guitarists guitar touch (if that makes sense). What was left with Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) has evolved very pronouncedly with new member Pustulus Maximus (Brent Purgason).

The record really bites with the knowledge of mortality, where underneath the all the scales, and patterns is a record coming to terms with this arena. There is no retread, this record pushes GWAR in a very deliberate way, kick ass, and don't worry about the aftermath.

It is a fantastic testament for a band which has stayed as current to the times without sacrificing their core objective: be as ruthless, over the top, eager, staying constantly hungry, and entertain for the sake of entertaining.

They will always be a hallmark of that mid 80's punk to cross-over appeal for me. I've been along for the ride closing in on nearly two decades. What keeps it fresh is the balls to wall, take no prisoners attitude employed by frontman Dave Brockie's alter ego Oderus Urungus. Thanks for reading.

B.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Technology Tribulations: A Weird Uncertain Future Ahead Of Us

Technology Tribulations: A Weird Uncertain Future Ahead Of Us

From a distance I've been watching the NSA situation unfold into fragmentation of positioning. Cable TV punditry bickering, cable comedy skits, and all the while the digital machine continues to chug along without missing a breath.

In order to understand the complexities of what is happening, one need to look at the United States as well as the rest of the world in how it monitors and keeps tabs on it's own citizens. Each country does this in some capacity, lets not kid ourselves.

A great deal of this was setup when people started becoming connected to the network i.e. telephones and the such. A lot of what is happening is an unwavering attention to the scary aspects of snooping via anything digitally connected. There is one very critical component people seem to be missing here and it is: this was decided a long time ago.

We all are in the midst of a sea change, what was with regards to being able to control your background information is now gone. Everything is tied intrinsically to some kind of technology. Just look at law enforcement, who've become the implicit trackers, monitoring, and securing any all information on US citizens whether you like it, and know it.

I think the argument more or less is being shaped at how this information is being kept and for what purpose of this information is going to be used for. I won't claim I am knowledgeable to inner machinations of federal, state, or local security, but I understand the need to conduct it because we can't even trust ourselves.

With the advent to the opening up of the internet in the early 1990s, people went nuts for any info they could get a hold of. Want to see what the scope is on XYZ company? Hack into it. Want to change your test scores to reflect a better grade? Hack into it.

There was a level of frontiersman like adventure before people started doing nefarious things to corporate businesses, and private systems. Then something changed, a sort of spying began, locating various infrastructure weaknesses, retrieving and securing those confidential documents. Without one the other couldn't exist.

This isn't just some fly by night operation, this was already decided upon long before Mr. Snowden and others marched out with all the implied nefariousness of snooping on both U.S., and world citizens.

What isn't being discussed is how to look at information in a transparent way. Most people are content with "I have nothing to hide" mantra, but do we? In all essence everything that is broadcasted via laptops, home computers, game consoles, smartphones, Wi-Fi hotspots are traceable if one knows how to do it.

The real conflict for me is having this tug of war component with a somewhat knowledgeable or naive society (depending on who you ask) but the way the machine has been shaped to protect is now often spying on its own citizens for the purpose of future (supposed) incarcerations. In my gut there is something very creepy about how stuff that is being done without knowing who or what is gaining from my info.

I am not a fan of it either. But I am not naive either. When humans invent materials, and or things, it often becomes subverted for those with much bigger agendas. There is a level of unscrupulousness to the whole affair, but I am not losing sleep over any of it.

There is going to be eyes watching everything we do. This is the way of playing with the 21st century information age. Transparency doesn't mean anything if our elected bodies, and judicial systems don't protect the precepts of the constitution. Yet I feel big business interests delude these protections for an argument they get to win, whereas (us) are having to struggle with that profitability off of our online life.

So many angles to look at here, but the way I am understanding it, we are in deep trouble if there aren't system checks and balances in place, because sooner than later someone is going to abuse the system for their own benefit, and everyone else is damned. My two cents on this whole crazy 24/7 watchful eye stuff. Thanks for reading.

B.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Satyricon - Satyricon - Review

Satyricon - Satyricon - (r) 09/17/2013

This will be my third entry into Satyricon's recent work as I found them via online around 2005 via iTunes radio. The song was Black Lava, which griped my attention something fierce. Next up was a song called The Scorn Torrent (Rebel Extravaganza) which was a completely different side that I was unaware of.

Though I was introduced by the first single: Fuel For Hatred (a very cheesy song) somewhat indirectly, didn't resonate as well. Coming back to Black Lava I actually liked because of the shifts and duration.


The capacity of Satyricon either straddles my interest, or ruffles me somewhat. I've had a distinct issue with the over the top blatant prose and attitude employed by them specifically. Their records have a different spin to what is expected of the black metal mantra.

Yet Satyricon are often encased in a confrontational and evasive rockstar attitude. Since Volcano onward each record doesn't balance so much what I liked about the next area of sound. I settled into a lot of ambient, and atmospheric pieces of black metal.

Satyricon are the top of the heap, recognized by their stature, and (depending on who you ask) popularity. They elicit their own novel script of fast, and mean forceful tone. Occasionally the band will touch on scopes of drawn out passages with song structure. Nothing is without its purpose though, but sometimes they can be extremely self reliant, or inclusive into their own narrative and whim.

There has to be a kind of process that artists can take apart with what has come before, and reinvent or re-energize what makes a band who they are. The last few releases in my estimation are pop constructs in each and every precept of the word. They cashed in while there was a kind of interest before things started to putter out.

In the last couple of years, black metal has had this elitist bullshit problem. I've seen and heard all the missives about whether a band is more black metal or not. Whether black metal is being true to its core mission statement, or being a complete sell-out.

I find this to be as asinine and complete without point because art is subjective in a most loose term possible. I as a listener can pick out whether the band is being genuine, or just phoning it in as it were. In no way shape or form have they but with Satyricon I wonder if it is time to rethink this.

Having heard much of the record, this will definitely put a large strain on diehard fans of the band. For me I'm juggling with how different this is. There is power, and the recognition of the band is still in the 'sound' yet what I have heard will take some getting used to.

Like Morbid Angel's Illud Divinum Insanus (2011) record, Satyricon is going to create a lot of friction, and that is okay because as of late black metal needs a major kick in the ass to get out of it's comfort zone. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. Thanks for reading.

B.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Deathspell Omega - Drought

Deathspell Omega Drought EP - (r) 06/22/2012

I am unsure of what is happening at the surface level. The nice mellow beginning morphs into something much darker, sinister, and deeper than I was prepared for. It is an interesting spectacular frame that is part listening to bones being fillet, with a twinge of melody sprinkled about.

Drought isn't meant to be comfortable. It does not serve anything more than to grate upon prior expectations. It will make the listener pay for not being aware of it's own cognition. Thematically the poetry pushes into uncomfortable reflection. I find it to be great work which is expressed in the tome, and craft.

I find this band off the beat, in many ways they elicit a demanding power that rustles forceful philosophic undertones. Just as the EP begins, so it ends. Drought invokes my time in gauging it's intention. I'm stretching myself out there, and I'm glad because this EP has grown on me. Thanks for reading.

B.

Carcass - Surgical Steel - Review

Carcass - Surgical Steel
(r) 09/17/2013


Carcass are a band whom need no real introduction. Either you know of them or your stuck somewhere in the newest generation of metalcore/post-metal scene. Thankfully I am a little more knowledgeable to what the band has done.

What does Surgical Steel offer? It's modern day Carcass without any new avenues of exploration. What you get is more vicious grindcore metal. The only drawback I have with this record is that you could place it side by side with older records and you can listen for similarities of theme, composition, and riffage.

I suppose having this version is better than no version of Carcass. The issue I have with the new record is the long 17 year gap. They don't even have all original members. That is okay because of the players aren't in the same head space in regards to aggressive music.

I do enjoy their signature sound, and that the record has very good meat to it. Yet, Surgical Steel won't retain much of repeated listens for me. But for the average fan who's been chomping at the bit to hear new stuff, this is more for you. Thanks for reading.

B.

Cop Shoot Cop - Release (90's Era)

Cop Shoot Cop Release (r) 1994


A finality of the mid 80s to early 90s first wave of alternative. The album has a punch, bite, and kick to the senses. Underneath glistens unsureness, tepidness, while undergoing internal change. The record has deep thrombotic venom, yet I feel Release's vibe starts strong then loses steam partway through the second half.

I am not faulting the record, but it has a noticeable differences from Consumer Revolt, Ask Questions Later, and White Noise (the last three records) before (this) their swansong or final opus depending who you ask.

There is a lot of clicking, and jabbing at the status quo somewhat, but I gleamed that this album really was upset at having a kind of popularity. Since I was very late to this, I could pick out whether it was a work in progress or just indifferent to it's causation to the music industry's machination as it were.

I felt this record has this premeditated scope, yet it begins to unravel with an internal ideal notion, while seeking something more deep and profound but came up short.

I love this record because it is flawed. The production is sweetly perfected yet it's ugly mostly out of the gloss of annoyance. The entire gist of the song compositions for me is as fierce as White Noise, or Ask Questions Later. Though there is ample amount of criticism about how the band had 'changed' their sound, I believe their component was and had always been there.

Was Release a peak for them? Maybe, maybe not. There are some catchy tracks, but the main thing I keep coming back to is the mix.  I keep coming back to this one. I know it is tricking me, but damn does it work on a subconscious level.  Thanks for reading.

B.


The Leviathan - In Darkness It Crawls - Review

The Leviathan - In Darkness It Crawls
(r) 08/22/2013

The Leviathan - Into Darkness...(Bandcamp)

Something new, yet something familiar. Hailing from Manchester England or UK for most of the state side people, The Leviathan feel familiar but glint a very directly different palate. The band evokes dark wave/black/metal style I like, but also emote something a bit off center from standard fair currently playing.


In Darkness It Crawls has very good production value, the musicians are capable, and applicable to their craft. This record compliments winks to Novembers Doom, Solitude Aeturnus, Watain, Immortal, some Death, and Lacrimas Profrundere. These are great bands to be in thought and reference, yet The Leviathan push the metal flag and I'm glad to have found them by happenstance.

I may sound like I'm inching closer to seeing what the new breed of metal is about, and this seems to alleviate my concerns. In Darkness It Crawls is released independently free from major record labels, seek them out via The Leviathan Bandcamp Site, support the work. Thanks for reading

B.