Rolling Metal Thread 2010

Anti-fascist bloggers calling me out for booking an Allerseelen tour. I guess they don't know about my Jewish blood (and big nose).

http://rosecityantifa.weebly.com/1/post/2010/12/allerseelen-on-tour-austrian-far-right-musical-project-on-west-coast-tour-playing-support-to-northwest-heavy-metal-act.html

not familiar with this band but pretty sure the general antifa response to learning that wouldn't be "ah right you are, carry on then"

We invite Agalloch to clarify its position towards the far-Right and fascism, and to indicate what precisely it meant by promoting Allerseelen to its audience.

Oh for god's sake shut up.

"fascist-friendly policy"

So, I read the whole "statement" about Allerseelen by the Rose City Antifascists, neither of whom I'd ever heard before. It leaves me provisionally convinced that the latter dislike the former, at least. It doesn't, I think, make a sufficiently strong case that Petak's politics are outside of the scope of social acceptability, so while the authors are probably within their rights in asking questions, it doesn't seem to me that they've established sufficient moral grounds for demanding answers. I am also inherently skeptical of an essay that calls out an artist in detailed personal terms, and then signs the whole thing as an anonymous collective. If you're going to attack a person, directly, to the level of detail of tracking the movements of his "associates", you are stepping into public, and you better do it with your masks off and your own lives open to exactly that much scrutiny. If it were me being called out, I would demand to see names and signatures, and gauge my response as a personal conversation with those individual people, conducted howevever publicly.

That said, though, "Apparently you haven't seen my nose" is not a responsive answer to any question they're asking. "We invite Agalloch to clarify its position towards the far-Right and fascism, and to indicate what precisely it meant by promoting Allerseelen to its audience." is a stiffly but carefully worded sentence. Ignoring it or responding to it are likely to be more productive reactions than trying to treat it like it's obviously and inherently laughable.

A good example response to this sort of thing, though, might be something along the lines of "Transgressive art is often morally challenging, by its nature, and engaging with it, as an audience, is not at all the same as endorsing its internal logic. We are confident that Agalloch's audience are capable of deciding for themselves how to receive and respond to Allerseelen's music."

Oh god antifascists ruin everything. I don't care about Allerseelen's dodgy "militant paganism," and it has absolutely nothing to do with Agalloch. Jesus they act like all these guys are fucking Skrewdriver or something. I invite these fuckwads to kindly stfu and gtfo.

You make very good points Glenn.

And as for taking off the mask, they phoned me from a blocked number at 10:30 this morning to get a statement from me. I refused to be quoted on 6 hours of sleep but told them I was entirely unaware of any fascist connections and that I'd make a personal decision myself after spending a week in the van with Allerseelen (who are also staying at my house.)

I'm anti-fascist in principle too, of course. But I don't see a smoking gun or a strong case in this instance.

Only fascists would want to know who they're talking to on the phone, Nate.

Undoubtedly. And now they've posted my private cel # on some sort of site or list. I'm fielding blocked calls from uppity college students that are demanding to know why I'm promoting a fascist band in Portland.

When I ask them their names and why they are calling from a blocked #, they invariably hang up. The few who have stayed on the line, I've called cowards and victims of propaganda. Sheep I tell you.

Now that I've been labeled a hipster and a fascist, I'm waiting to see what's next. Steampunk? LARPer? How much lower can I go?

Tabletop Wargamer.

Ouch!

(but I do love me some Talisman!)

Don't deny your true nature; I saw that huge collection of painted miniatures and realistic terrain at your house.

I too loved Talisman back in the day.

I found Talisman kind of repetitive, actually -- just seems like going around in circles for hours. But then, I dig Arkham Horror, which some people think is REALLY repetitive. Anyway.

Last nerd post for the moment - I always wanted to play Arkham Horror but my crew weren't Cthulhu guys. And as much as I liked Talisman, I played more Dungeon! than any other boxed game until I got into Civilization in high school.

The original Dungeon was a blast. I've been into Settler of Cataan this year. Talisman goes round and round for sure, but I own so many of the expansion sets that there are a lot of random variables and extra characters to keep it interesting.

Settlers is brutal -- I very nearly had a falling out with one of my friends over that game. I'm actually surprised to find other metal dudes who are into boardgames, but I probably shouldn't be -- the subject matter of a lot of it (fantasy, horror, historical) overlaps, as does the nerd factor.

Haven't played in a while but I'm a Carcassonne enthusiast. Hunters & Gatherers is the best game of the bunch IMO.

Nate I can't believe these dingalings are harassing you. Rude.

i think the issue here is that you are all damn nerds!

I always wanted to play Arkham Horror but my crew weren't Cthulhu guys

You can play Arkham Horror by yourself, y'know.

Also, I'm getting Carcassonne for Xmas. Geek pride!

Kerrang top 20 of 2010
20. Electric Wizard - Black Masses
19. Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
18. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
17. Stone Sour - Audio Secrecy
16. Black Breath - Heavy Breathing
15. High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine
14.Grand Magus - Hammer Of The North
13. Trash Talk - Eyes & Nines
12. Jimmy Eat World - Invented
11. Alkaline Trio - This Addiction
10. Far - At Night We Live
9. Against Me - White Crosses
8. Melissa Auf Der Maur - Out Of Our Minds
7. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
6.Kvelertak - Kvelertak
5. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
4. Bring Me The Horizon - There Is A Hell,Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret
3. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
2. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
1. Deftones - Diamond Eyes

4. Bring Me The Horizon - There Is A Hell,Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret

oof, this album title

I love that Jimmy Eat World album, too, but what the hell is it doing on this list? It has many virtues, but kerranginess is not among them...

that's what I thought while typing it out.
xp

glenn> that kinda thing is what kerrang covers now. It hasn't been a metal mag for 10 years. It covers emo.

I have a soft spot for Jimmy Eat World, but never got around to picking the new one up. Worth it glenn? How does it stack up against the last one?

But I suppose talking about Jimmy Eat World is grounds for dismissal from the metal thread.

Kerrang! list could be a LOT worse, which is to say it's not greatly representative of what's been most prominently covered

*in the mag that is

You can play Arkham Horror by yourself, y'know.

I did not! Will have to add it to the list of things to do.

^real talk! now this is a metal thread.

Here's a measure of how good 2010 was in metal, for me: I've got a provisional draft of my all-metal P&J ballot, and the massive, monumental Triptykon album is currently 13th out of 10.

13th out of 10

some funny math going on here

stats don't lie, man.

I meant that it's a great, important album, and yet there were 12 I rank, in some sense, even higher.

Only one of which is controversial as "metal". (But it's #1.)

New Rose Kemp is a last minute game-changer for my year-end lists.

The Rose Kemp gets better with each listen. I had it at 17 in my top 20 but it's climbing in just the couple of weeks since I made the list. So good.

Not really metal though - it's something else. I'll go with awesome.

Nate should just state that these bands stand beyond any criticism. If any man should attempt to criticize them, he should be thoroughly patronized for his obvious, etc etc.

Anyone can criticize any band. But to call me a fascist sympathizer and trade my private cel # around is not fighting fair. Especially since this group of cowards will not post my comments in response to their specious claims.

I wonder if they realize the irony in their fascist approach to their anti-fascism.

Probably not.

I'm sure they don't. But you certainly nailed the dynamic. Also, Allerseelen stayed at my house last night and they are total gentlemen, frown on the right wing, and are about to go have coffee with me.

I like to make my judgments of character based on first hand experience; not based on internet rumors.

"Hi, I'm Nate, are you guys Nazis?"

Do fascists like one packet of sugar or two?

"would you mind not goosestepping in public please?"

I think it's as funny as you guys do. But the harassment and underhanded tactics this Antifa group is pulling towards me is very real.

Oh, in no way am I trying to make light of your situation, I'd be furious is my private number was all over the place for crazies to call me. But I'm glad your sensibly sticking up for the guys.

Have any of you heard the new Hypnos 69 album, Legacy? Not entirely metal, more of a psych-prog record with stoner touches, but a really great example of when the progressive sound works for me.