Rolling Metal Thread 2014

cool so that cover is just a shock tactic then

and the line "I am the raping n___" is, too.

Fuck that clown.

I am so not even wanting to point this out because fuck defending that dude or even endorsing anything he does by association on any level... but, genuine question here regarding how/why we draw the lines we do. No judgments here on anyone, in all sincerity, but I find it interesting that when I brought up being uncomfortable with "Dismember the Transgender" there were a few people quick to defend the genre's right to offend but then everyone is double-quick to jump all over Whitehead for this album cover.

Obviously I get that Whitehead, as proven time and time again, is a a pretty reprehensible dude on multiple levels, but I do find it interesting that Prostitute Disfigurment gets the pass because it's "expected" in their genre but somehow Lord Mantis is crossing a line.

(and, yeah, I am setting aside the lyrical thing here, just focusing on the cover art)

i remember the dismember convo and iirc there was talk there about 'its just that long tradition of metal shock value,' but seems to me that interview excerpt reveals there's more to it than that in this instance

Oh yeah, that's totally true, hence my second bit there about how awful the dude is, I totally get that as a differentiating circumstance. And again, not calling anyone out here or feeling like I'm personally invested in this in anyway, it's just genuinely interesting to me to see how stuff like this may or may not get reacted to.

I saw Desecration do a song a few weeks ago called "Cunt full of maggots". Don't know which side of the argument that helps.

Had a long chat with Charlie from Mantis, and his lyrics for that song supposedly come from a very dark place from his childhood, he insists it was never supposed to be HIS point of view but that of the protagonist. It wasn't his intent to offend, and I believe him, but offend he certainly did. It was a stupid thing to do.

I'm more offended by his disingenuous pretending he is surprised at the reaction from people.

Or his statements defending Jef saying how he was proven innocent of rape and how folks are still teeing off on him. Didja maybe forget the conviction for domestic violence or the horrifying misogyny that continued to come out his mouthpiece?

I am so not even wanting to point this out because fuck defending that dude or even endorsing anything he does by association on any level... but, genuine question here regarding how/why we draw the lines we do. No judgments here on anyone, in all sincerity, but I find it interesting that when I brought up being uncomfortable with "Dismember the Transgender" there were a few people quick to defend the genre's right to offend but then everyone is double-quick to jump all over Whitehead for this album cover.

Well...speaking only for myself, I'm "okay with" (in the "not finding it any worse than the rest of their catalog" sense) Prostitute Disfigurement calling a song "Dismember the Transgender," basically because it's pretty obvious their intent is solely to entertain. They're a Cannibal Corpse knockoff, no more no less, and frankly "Dismember the Transgender" is a moderately clever title, by death metal standards - I mean, it almost rhymes! Whereas Lord Mantis are just deliberate ugliness on every level, from music (I think their records sound like shit and don't respect them as song/riff-writers) to cover art to the main dude's repulsive comments in interviews. Their work isn't intended to "offend" in a showbiz sense (and by the way, who's being offended? Who's being exposed to a Prostitute Disfigurement album without actively seeking it out?), it seems intended to hurt. So fuck him and fuck them.

Burzum Syndrome

If you're interested in non-metal projects from metal musicians, check out WIFE's What's Between, a moody, bass-heavy abstract-electronica album by James Kelley from Altar of Plagues.

If you're interested in blasting atmospheric black metal, like Deafheaven cleansed of heresies and hipsterness, check out Obsidian Tongue like people said upthread.

If you're interested in what it would sound like if Japanese idol singers fronted a basement black metal band, listen to this: http://open.spotify.com/track/6EOZQsHJE6igRQCEMlycvQ

That Wife album totally surprised me. Well knowing Kelley's adventurousness with Altar of Plagues I shouldn't be surprised, but what a cool little electronic record.

looking fwd to that - AoP was an interesting band

Wife: http://open.spotify.com/album/3lTKrvIC99gcbnXDo7RVah

Also, for somebody who, albeit as a younger person, basically counted the downfall of metal, and popular music in general, from the moment when Body Count got played on 120 Minutes, Headbanger's Ball and Yo MTV Raps in the same week, I find I'm enjoying the new Body Count album pretty well.

I like the WIFE album more than any of the Altar of Plagues records.

it's good, I'm three tracks in - very heavy Junior Boys vibe to me, only removed from the dance floor - like the JBs vs. Chill Out

seeing EHG tonight and I feel like telling non-metalheads about it is like a bullshit Abbott and Costello routine

"what are you doing tomorrow?"
'goin to a show'
"Oh neat, who?"
'I hate God.'
"...well, that's an interesting theological position to take, but that's not what I asked. Who are you going to see?"
'I hate God.'
"Listen, I was raised Catholic so this non-sequitur rant of yours is not appreciated. Now, WHO ARE YOU SEEING TOMORROW?"
'I...HATE....GOD!!!!'
"Ok, you know what, fuck you" (throws wine on shirt)

EHG were sick. i hit the deck three times...no regrets. asshole security guard yanked two folks and started screaming "Y'ALL FUCKIN UP OUR SHIT" cos they got water on the stage. Mike Williams and Jimmy Bower implored them not to throw them out and they didn't and they continued to rock.

so much fun.

The new Incantation...so, so good.

Order From Chaos box set on Nuclear War Now soon. Also reissuing a couple of Moonblood albums legitimately. Wish I was more into metal on vinyl.

What are people's thoughts on the new Hail Spirit Noir? I am enjoying Oi Magoi, and like what I've heard of Pneuma, though they're certainly not the most accessible blend of black metal, psych-prog and occult rock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlg4xzrLP4

I love Oi Magoi quite a bit, but I would - I've got a high tolerance for prog in my metal. Haven't heard any of the others just yet.

That song's pretty cool. I'm unfamiliar with Hail Spirit Noir. Thanks!

oh man Pallbearer last night was fantastic. and as much as it pains me, deafheaven live also really really good, like in a "ok fine maybe i should listen to the album again" way.

Deafheaven live - good. Deafheaven record - not so much.

Glad Pallbearer were excellent; as I've said before, the band always sounded good but the vocals could be spotty. Can't wait for Saturday night!

If the Bandsintown email I got last night is accurate, the upcoming King Diamond tour is actually a King Diamond/Mercyful Fate tour. So yeah, I'll be going to that for sure.

Excellent. Now I know it's okay to like Deafheaven in a live setting at least. I still feel horribly ashamed that I love their two albums, as well. What the hell's wrong with me? I used to have such metal cred. ;-)

I love that new Hail Spirit Noir, and it was my first exposure to them. The chorus for "Demon for a Day" is a little goofy but I guess if you go with that song title, you go all the way.

Also

the upcoming King Diamond tour is actually a King Diamond/Mercyful Fate tour.

new pallbearer song is amazing

Whaaaaa. You don't mean one opening for the other, do you?

This is exactly how it was listed in the email I got:

King Diamond & Mercyful Fate
Best Buy Theatre - New York, NY
Tue, Oct 14, 2014

The only thing worse than finding out that's a typo would be finding out that it's a lineup not applying to the ATL show. Watch us get Volbeat or something.

That bandsintown site is kind of weird: for the show here in ATL, I can pull it up both as a King Diamond show and as a King Diamond/Mercyful Fate show -- and the artist dropdown search menu is clearly user-submitted because one of them (not either of the two I used) lists them as "King Diamond/Merciful Fate." But then using that entry sends me to a bad URL. No idea what's going on. At the very least I think I've cleared some cholesterol from my veins with a blast of adrenalin. Hoo boy.

My nearest venue only lists King Diamond: http://www.olympiamontreal.com/en/event/king-diamond/ If it were a Mercyful Fate tour, someone would have made a big announcement about it.

This is where my cynicism kicks in and I assume that someone, somewhere along the line meant to say "King Diamond (of Mercyful Fate)" and it got lost in transition at some point. Hard to believe this wouldn't be bigger news, unless they were trying to keep it quiet until all ducks were in a row and this snuck out.

Well, the initial email from the tour publicist said something like "very special support TBA," so I think it's legit. Hopefully we'll know for sure soon.

I can't imagine his voice holding up for something like that, now that I think a little more clearly about it.

While I'm here, Norwegian death metal is always welcome in the year 2014. Looking forward to this (Execration):
http://www.bravewords.com/news/224069
(This is not the boring Blood Red Throne kind of Norwegian death metal. This reminds me of a cross between Cadaver and Obliteration. It's got the weird Voivod chords and the witches' sabbath atmosphere.)

welp thanks Amazon for failing to deliver the Incantation and Mastodon albums on release date. bleh.

The Lorn album from last year ("Subconscious Metamorphosis") reminds me of Sonic Youth in places, the same way Below the Lights and The Work Which Transforms God remind me of Sonic Youth in places (and the way I'd hoped, foolishly, that the last Twilight album would remind me of Sonic Youth in a black metal context). Lorn do tend to wander at times, but a high percentage of those hinterland adventures provide decent rewards, so the wandering is welcome for the most part.

new Mastodon rips, I must say

i'm loving it so far. but the real highlight of my night is gonna be when I get to the new Incantation

i heard that, i dunno, it seemed a bit more engaging than the last one, but a little too monotonously doomy?

no such thing in my eyes!

lol at one of the riffs borrowing the melody from "The Godfather" theme on the second track

it's a fine line but I'm personally v into how doomy the new incantation is. the slower parts stand out as some of the more memorable moments on the lp, and as usual, the contrast gives the fast stuff some extra punch too. nice record.

checked out a couple tracks from the new boris record. haven't followed em for a couple years but was taken back by how pop punk/emo the first few tracks were. yikes. was kinda horrified and turned it off p quick.

Is that "Noise?"

yeah

its a pretty incongruous record imo? like it goes from that poppier stuff to a "heavy rain" or "angel" that are pretty coated in sludge

well, didn't get that far but that's encouraging at least