SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: MANTAR, SAVAGE LANDS, FRONTIERER, ASS TO MOUTH, ROTTEN SOUND, RITUAL FOG, SKAPHOS, THE SWORD, SOLIPSISM, PLAGUEFEVER

 Exceptions to the Rule, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  No Responses »
Nov 162024
 


Mantar photo by Sonja Schuringa/Chantik Photography

I have my second miserable cold in two months, and how are you doing? I’ve been focusing on music that I thought would help blast the snot out of my head. I’ve included a lot of that below. I can’t tell that I’ve really come un-clogged, but it has made me feel better in other ways, including providing catharsis for being so pissed off that the virus has hit me again so quickly.

As you can see, I had time enough to do lots of listening and watching yesterday and this morning. As usual, the music from the 10 bands featured below isn’t all I heard and liked, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I moved some of my choices to tomorrow’s SHADES OF BLACK column, and others I hope I’ll get too somewhere down the road. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: “SENTENCED TO GRIND” BY ASS TO MOUTH

 Premieres  5 Responses »
Jan 102014
 

Something about this Polish band’s name causes it to stick in the memory. The delicacy and gracefulness of the band’s name are matched by the name and cover art of their new album, Degenerate, which is due for release by Selfmadegod Records in February 2014. Last November I wrote enthusiastically about the album’s first advance track (“Under the Razor’s Edge”), and now we have the degenerate pleasure of premiering another song, “Sentenced To Grind”.

This new song is a strafing run of burly, hammering riffs, a high-energy drum attack, and howling/shrieking vocals that will stand your hair on end. And man, it has a powerhouse groove that will keep you coming back for more. This is top-shelf grind from a band worth watching closely. Be sentenced to grind right after the jump. Continue reading »

ASS TO MOUTH: “UNDER THE RAZOR’S EDGE”

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  5 Responses »
Nov 182013
 

I don’t know about you, but I had a great weekend — stupendous live metal on Friday night, a kickass birthday party on Saturday night (not my birthday, but still kickass), and watching the Seahawks stomp the snot out of the Vikings yesterday. I really wasn’t ready for it to end, but Monday has arrived whether I want it to or not (and to be clear, I don’t want it to). There’s really only one way to dive into the cesspool of a new work week, and that’s with ass to mouth.

Hang on a second. Let me try that again, because I forgot to add capital letters the first time.

There’s really only one way to dive into the cesspool of the new work week, and that’s with Ass To Mouth. I became a fan of ass to mouth back in November 2011. Damn, let’s try that again: I became a fan of Ass To Mouth back in November 2011, when our friend Alex Grind To Death Layzell wrote a guest post for our site focusing on Polish grind bands. And ever since then I can’t get enough ass to mouth.

Fuck. I meant I can’t get enough Ass To Mouth. I’ll be getting a lot more ass to mouth in the near future because their second album, Degenerate, will be released by Selfmadegod Records in February 2014. Last night the label began streaming the first advance track from Degenerate, and man, it’s hell on wheels. Continue reading »

POLSKIEGO EKSPORTU

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  9 Responses »
Nov 092011
 

(Today’s first guest post was contributed by UK-based grind wizard Alex Layzell, who shines the spotlight on Polish grind.)

Good day No Clean Singing Collective. Now, Grind isn’t a genre many are fond of, but hopefully this short expose may do something to kindle that flame and spark your interest in what truly is a glorious genre, and for those of you wanting to feast further on such glory, feel free to benefit from my own useless attempt to explore this art form over at Grind to Death.

Today I will be taking you through an informative journey of exploration, with the subject being Poland’s ever so wondrous Grind export. As a country, Poland isn’t really one that immediately conjures up significant Grind prestige. Even amongst devout fans of the genre, naming good Polish Grind bands might press them somewhat. However, there are treasures to be found. Now hold hands and journey with me through the rough and tumble badllands of Poland’s Grind scene. Those with weak heart conditions may wish to abstain, an admonition that goes double for any who don’t like the idea of the musical equivalent of a nail bomb subjecting you to aural punishment.

SQUASH BOWELS

First up are Poland’s woefully underrated purveyors of Gore, Squash Bowels (whose logo is pictured above). Their 2009 Willowtip Records debut Grindvirus is mandatory listening for all — and this is coming from someone who 99% of the time has a deep-rooted loathing for Goregrind. Rather than offer anything explosively truculent, they opt for a slick offering of superior songwriting, bringing the groove to grind, a formula sadly neglected though successfully achieved here through exceptional stylistic hardships — a testament to the band’s punk-driven superiority. It’s contagious and addictive — you have been warned! Continue reading »