en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal The Last.fm journal for Blessedheart. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2010/11/15/41oop5_damnation_festival_2010 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:48:39 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2010/11/15/41oop5_damnation_festival_2010 Sat 6 Nov – Damnation Festival 2010

Leeds University Union, Leeds, United Kingdom
6th November 2010

Originally taking place at Jilly's Rock World in Manchester upon its inception in 2005, before upgrading to Leeds Metropolitan University in 2007 and finally to the University Of Leeds in 2008, Damnation Festival has gone from strength to strength. Despite undergoing a downsizing and a reduction in ticket numbers this year, the event itself was an absolute success.

Having last attended Damnation in 2008 (a stellar lineup which included My Dying Bride, Carcass, Napalm Death and Cathedral, among others), I was eager to discover how the downsizing would impact on the atmosphere in and around the Leeds University Union. It turns out that the large hall previously used to house the Jägermeister Stage was out of bounds, and this year said stage was situated in the more modest room previously used for the Terrorizer Stage. As a result, the Terrorizer and Rock Sound stages were placed in small rooms, essentially the size of a nightclub. However, this did not mean that spirits were dampened. The mood at this year's festival was as vital as it was two years ago, and this is surely down to a strong lineup and an exemplary festival experience.

Now, I'm only one person, and thus was not able to see all the bands. Far from it, in fact! If that were possible then of course I would've taken that opportunity, for the sake of a damn good review, if nothing else! But no, in order to see every band, I would've had to constantly move from stage to stage, at carefully timed intervals, always missing a significant portion of every band's set. That would not have been a problem with certain bands, but there was no way I was missing even a second of Paradise Lost.

After spending some time re-familiarising myself with the university building and making myself feel important in the press area, I made my way to the Terrorizer Stage to watch Colonel Blast (sometimes abbreviated to Clnl Blst). Consisting largely of former members of Onsetcold, Colonel Blast served up a powerful mix of death metal and progressive elements. The band was on top form, with frontman Darryl Jones the obvious focal point, tearing shit up like there was no tomorrow! (There was a tomorrow, incidentally. It consisted mainly of me sleeping.)

To be perfectly honest, I found The Antichrist Imperium - formed early this year by two members of Akercocke - to be thoroughly boring and completely uninspiring. This was especially disappointing after two of my friends had been raving about them, and I had always enjoyed Akercocke. I just wasn't moved at all, and found nothing of interest in the music whatsoever. "Prepare yourself for the prophecy of the satanic apocalypse", says their MySpace. Next!

Actually, 'next' wasn't for another hour or so. I went and bought a veggie sausage roll (and ate it, obviously). I hung out with some friends, then went and hung out with some others. I wandered around and took in the atmosphere, and noticed various Leeds University students wondering who the hell all these sweaty metalheads were, and why they were infringing on their territory. Then I went and met four fifths of Paradise Lost at their signing. Met more friends. Paradise Lost signed a photo for me. Nick Holmes needs a better pen. His signature had nearly disappeared by the end of the night! I felt the need to shake Greg Mackintosh's hand, so I requested this, and my request was granted. Hurrah!

Next, I headed for the Jägermeister Stage for some Sabbat. Featuring at least two metal legends, vocalist Martin Walkyier and guitar/producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap, it was time for a healthy dose of old school metal. Martin led the band through their hits, regularly battling balloons emblazoned with the logo of UK Metal Underground, no less. The man certainly knows how to rally a crowd, and band and audience seemed to feed ravenously on each other's energy. Inevitably climaxing with 'For Those Who Died', the band promised more UK dates in the near future, so go out and see them if you appreciate top quality old school metal! Bands just don't do it like this anymore.

Back on the Terrorizer Stage, Hecate Entroned brought their brand of melodic brutality to Damnation. Guitarist Andy Milnes had already impressed with Colonel Blast earlier, and certainly delivered again with Hecate. I'd seen Hecate in Liverpool only days previously, and based on that experience, their performance this time was a tad more restrained than I was expecting. Still, the material itself is excellent, and was delivered with more than enough quality to keep the fans happy.

Next came the reason I was there in the first place: the mighty gothic metal pioneers Paradise Lost. They were only allowed a one hour slot, and with twelve studio albums behind them, it was not an enviable task to pick a good setlist. Some personal favourites, like 'Gothic', 'Forever Failure' and 'As Horizons End' were absent, but that was to be expected. As it happens, the band managed to cram in about as many of their classics as was feasibly possible. 'Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us', 'Pity the Sadness' and 'As I Die' demanded audience participation, while other highlights included 'Erased', 'The Enemy' and closer 'Say Just Words'. My personal favourite was 'Enchantment'. I was not expecting that one, and it's always been one of my favourites by Paradise Lost, so nice one lads!

Importantly, it was very apparent that the band were enjoying themselves. This is not something that could always have been said about Paradise Lost on stage. Quite the opposite in fact. They are sometimes criticised for being relatively dull and lifeless as a live act, but this was not the case at all this time around. Greg Mackintosh was visibly engrossed in the music, and this was particularly noticeable during 'One Second' and 'The Rise of Denial'. Meanwhile, Nick Holmes' dry Yorkshire humour was on full display. "Back from Damnation, my favourite show in 45 years, Im serious. man & boy.Thanks to all that didn't throw sharp objects at me for been shit", he Tweeted that evening. Nice!

After that, I'd have quite happily gone home. I did want to check out Alcest though, so I did. At least, I went to hear them...I was not able to see them. The Rock Sound Stage was not even a stage as such, as it was barely an inch off the floor. The room was full by the time I got there, and I had to stand at the back. Being a short arse, that meant I couldn't see a thing. Still, Alcest's blend of shoegaze, post-rock and black metal (for want of a better description) did not fail to hit the spot. In fact, it was a great way to end the festivities. Wind down metal! Having said that, I did attempt to watch the remainder of The Dillinger Escape Plan's set, but was whisked off somewhere else. The rest of the evening was spent being very tired and talking to other people about how tired they were. We were all so very, very tired.

Anyway, in conclusion, Damnation is a great day (and night) out in Leeds. It was in 2008 and that hasn't changed since then. I suspect I will be in attendance next year and I suggest you show your face too! This year's downsizing is almost certainly a temporary measure, so any complaints you may have just read above about the Rock Sound Stage presumably won't apply. The University Union is an excellent location, positioned close to Leeds city centre, with a handy shop and an ample selection of band merch available. All in all, not bad for 27 quid!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2010/01/05/3begbi_torture_garden_at_netherton_and_sefton_royal_british_legion,_liverpool,_england_(july_1st,_2008) Tue, 5 Jan 2010 19:30:00 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2010/01/05/3begbi_torture_garden_at_netherton_and_sefton_royal_british_legion,_liverpool,_england_(july_1st,_2008) Tue 1 Jul – Torture Garden, To The Strongest


Edit this setlist | More Torture Garden setlists

A total disaster!

Matt]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2009/11/27/36zhqj_a_chat_with_serotonal... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:16:40 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2009/11/27/36zhqj_a_chat_with_serotonal... Fronted by Darren White, ex-vocalist with Liverpool doom metal pioneers Anathema, Serotonal are one of the few bands playing heavy music on Merseyside. I spoke to four of them on the eve of the release of their debut full-length album, 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope'. First off, I asked them to introduce themselves...



Matt: OK, we're on.

Andy Heath: Andy Heath, bass.

Darren White: I'm Darren White, vocals.

Jon Francis-White: I'm Jon Francis-White, guitars.

Gary Hill: Gary Hill, guitars.

Matt: OK, thanks for that guys...

Darren: (faux Yorkshire accent) And Wayne in't 'ere. Wayne plays drums, an' he's int Yorkshire.

Matt: Oh, Wayne? Oh right...he's from Yorkshire, is he?

Darren: Yeah.

Andy: Mmm.

Matt: OK...well, in a way it's kind of a good thing that he's not here...no disrespect to him of course, but, well...there's questions concerning Liverpool coming up, in particular, so... Anyway, first of all I'd better just ask about the new album. It's your first proper full-length album...you've had demos and EPs out and that before, but this is the first full-length thing you've done. So can any of you go into any kind of detail about what you reckon about the album, how it sounds, how it kinda sums up where you are musically. Any comments on that?

Darren: Yeah, I mean I could sort of say about the lyrics anyway, or what the overall sort of feel of the title and things like that and where it's all linked in. It's called 'Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope'...it's like a double title because 'Monumental' on its own maybe was sort of just too simplistic, and 'Songs Of Misery And Hope' just kind of explains it really, y'know, to people, just makes it more to the point that it is songs of misery and hope really throughout the album...there's dark sounding things, there's really seriously sort of disturbing parts to what's it's about, yet there's always an element of hope throughout, and that's always been the case with what I've written anyway, so it's just a continuation for me. Musically, it's...

Jon: Dynamic...

Darren: Heaviness...

Jon: ...dynamic soundscape of power and grace.

(laughter)

Matt: Mmm. So you got like a range of emotions and sounds going on, it sounds like...

Darren: Yeah.

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: Yeah.

Matt: Is that like a reflection of your personalities, d'you reckon, or your lives?

Jon: Potentially, yeah.

Darren: Yeah...

Jon:...I'd say...

Darren: ...yeah. I mean, I've always felt comfortable playing more melancholic music, you know, or, sort of sides of what's going on inside me head and that you know, or soul or whatever you know, to try and get those negative energies out...the best way is to do it through music I think, rather than going out on the streets and having a fight with someone. Get all your negative energies out like that, you know?

Jon: Do you think the way we like to...you know, I suppose like, you know, looking from the outside type of thing, it's like the music, it moves, and so, the point is like, you know, it doesn't matter how slow or melancholic a melody can be, if it's got, like a pulse in it, you know, I suppose it, you know, if it keeps on moving, you can kind of like, you know, travel with the music a little bit more as well, so...I suppose in terms of atmosphere, it's just, it's always moving. That's the way I see the songs, you know, they breathe, type of thing.

Matt: Yeah...is that something you work hard on when you're working on the songs, to kinda reflect the lyrics in the music, or does it just come more naturally and you just throw it all together and it ends up sounding good, or what?

Jon: I think the lyrics come last, and Daz is probably best explaining that, but my interpretation of the reason why the lyrics come last is like Daz has like, you know, a constructive involvement in, I suppose, like, you know, orchestrating the songs - well, the riffs, ideas, or whatnot - into actual songs. So, I think it works to his advantage when he's writing lyrics, because he's been involved in the movement of the music, and then he can kinda stand and look at it from an objective point of view, with a clearer mind to writing his lyrics. I don't know...would that be an accurate description?

Darren: Yeah, I mean I'll try and write some stuff while we're writing the riffs, or jamming on the riffs, I'll try and sort of, like, get a feel for how I might want to sing on a part but, I feel better once the song is done, and I think it's like, good enough, if you like, y'know, it has to be really right and good, and I have to try and get it as well, y'know. Sometimes with a song, I'll get it immediately. Other times it'll take a while until I get it, and once I'm in it, and I get the vibe of the music, then I can write the lyrics that will try and sort of suit the atmosphere of the song, suit every little different part of the song, and I'm very analytical when it comes to doing that. Even when we recorded it, as Gaz will, no doubt sort of back up, because when we recorded the vocals, the most of them were recorded not in the studio that we'd done the album in but in my 'Rooms Of Doom', (laughter)...which is - as I said before to you - those rooms at the top of me house unrenovated which are away from the street enough because they're high up, but they're totally unrenovated and miserable, so they're the Rooms Of Doom, but we set up a little sort of recording studio in there and Gary done all the recording, and as I say, as Gaz will back up, the amount of times that I'll say "I'll just do another one of them" (laughter)...and it's like time's getting on you know, and like Gaz's got a little bit of a drive to get back home and that like, and I (laughs)...you know...but we got there in the end, you know...we worked really, really hard on doing that.

Jon: I think to say that you've got an analytic ear is an understatement, to be honest... (laughs)

Darren: It's a good thing to have, you know...

Jon: Yeah, yeah, quality control...

Darren: If you're gonna put art out into the public domain, it has to be worthy, you know.

Matt: Yeah...well you take it pretty seriously then.

Darren: Definitely, yeah, yeah...really, I'd feel really disappointed if I put something out, and I felt that there might be a possibility that some people'd say "Oh, you know, he's past it now, you know" (laughter)..."what he done before was great but like look at how sad he is" or "look what he's doing now", you know, that would be the nightmare that people would wonder that, you know. It's one thing if they think it's different than what I've done before and they think, OK, that's a different thing, but if it's just simply not as good as what I've done before then I'd feel really...that I'd failed. Well I wanna obviously improve meself, so everything that we write...I might be a bit over-critical to these guys, because there may be more, sort of, just feeling the happiness of sort of writing and getting something out and then there's me sorta saying, "Oh yeah, but you know..." trying to sort of tighten every little screw and maybe sometimes it's not necessary, you know...

Jon: Putting the breaks on...(laughter)...yeah. It's worth it in the end though...

Darren: But we get there in the end, you know.

Matt: Yeah, sure...so, would you guys say you're perfectionists, or not?

Jon: Yeah. I'd say very fussy, and...yeah. Very fussy.

Matt: And is that a good thing?

Jon: Absolutely, yeah, yeah.

Andy: Yeah, definitely. Frustrating at times, but...

Jon: But it ensures quality control, doesn't it? I mean, as Daz says, elaborating on what he said there, throwing material out just for the sake of it is...it kinda defeats the object of it in the first place if you know what I mean. And I think that's one of the fundamental elements about Serotonal, really, the fact that, you know, we don't have a format and stick to it, do you know what I mean? It's like we all appreciate different genres of music, but, you know, we all agree on one thing, we love heavy music, so there's different elements...sometimes melodic elements, y'know, sometimes really, like, up to date kind of like, y'know, heavy riffs there and it's...as I say a dynamic blend of different elements coming together to form one sound, which I, personally, from someone who's fussy when it comes to listening to music, personally, I find that interesting, the fact that like, you know, we're honest with every song, if you know what I mean. We're not scared of trying something new, we'll just do...as long as it does the song justice, we wouldn't step too far off the rails, we'll keep it within the reason, but, we don't mind like, you know, straying off now and then.

Matt: Yeah, fair enough. OK, I should ask a question that I would ask any band really. It's a bit of a boring question, but it's kind of essential. How would you actually categorise yourselves, musically?

Jon: That's a hard one...

Darren: Really heavy...a really heavy rock band! (laughter)

Matt: Heavy rock?

Darren: Yeah.

Jon: It's hard to say like, you know, when people say to me, like, you know "Just tell us what type of stuff yous do". The only way I can kinda describe it - and it's not even accurate - it's like, you know if you listen to stuff like Massive Attack or whatever, it's got that melancholic pulse, if you like. I'd like to think that some of our more moody stuff has that kind of element. You know, obviously the fuzzy, heavy guitars...y'know, Black Sabbath, I suppose, and, y'know, I suppose the...I dunno, it's hard to explain, but it's like...it's weird, isn't it? How would you categorise our music?

Gary: People categorise it as doom...

Jon: But it's not...

Gary: ...just 'cause Darren was in, you know, doom bands and...but it's...that's just the easiest thing to put it into, but it's not...I wouldn't say it was metal in its...

Jon: Yeah, absolutely...

Gary: ...in a pure form of, like 'balls to the wall' type shit...

Darren: It's got a spirit of all of that, hasn't it? There's a spirit that runs through it that, it's like that...

Gary: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just rock. Heavy rock.

Jon: Yeah, there's something in it for everyone, you know what I mean? That's the way, if you look at the songs across the board, like you know, there's...I feel we've got a way with doing a...you know, a perfect pop song, like 'Wasteland' for example. You know, we've got a way...we've pulled that off like, you know, it wasn't intentional, it wasn't deliberate. There's different elements all the way through it like, and, from like, really gut-wrenching doom outbreaks, to really catchy 4/4 pop numbers...there's everything there like, you know. It's full colour.

Darren: As long as it's got melody...

Jon: Feel.

Darren: ...and feel and emotion, and then, when it's heavy, it's really heavy...but running through it also is...in my head, in my goal for us is that, like, there's a spirit of sort of...trueness...

Jon: Yeah, honesty...yeah.

Darren: ...which is how...I don't know how you can define trueness, but it's like, trying to use valve amps and get an organic sound, trying to sort of like go with the natural sounds, and recording live, if we can, and when we can, and, you know...

Gary: Having a wide boundary and that like...

Darren: Yeah, it's like, without categorising ourselves, but like, at the end of the day, we like to be very heavy, you know, I mean Gary's using...well, they're both using Gibson guitars, and a range of Gibson guitars which are...obviously to people who know, they're gonna make heavy sounds. You know, we're always looking at valve amps, they're always getting obsessed with valve amps and getting louder and heavier. Wayne...we're made up with Wayne's drumkit because his bass drum is massive...(laughter)...and has a real...(imitates heavy bass drum sound)...boom to it, so in rehearsal it just sounds really nice...

Jon: You can feel the air coming out of his bass drum, can't you? When you're standing there...

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: It's great!

Darren: So there's just, like, that sort of pulse running through things and that, you know. I mean I always sort of say, you know, Celtic Frost are a big inspiration for me, and Kyuss, and I can't really think of any others that sort of like, you know, 'cause there's just so much other stuff that I like as well that come into what we do.

Jon: That is the thing isn't it like, you know? I mean we all have our different kinds of music that we like to listen to in personal time and that, but as I say like, we all come from like a predominant, heavy background, so I mean everything we've experienced since like, being nineteen or whatever up until now, I think all them elements, all that learning if you like, comes through in the music that we do. I hope.

Darren: One of the reasons why it's been so easy for us as well, it's like, I'm the oldest in the band, and then you've got Andy who's the youngest, and in between you've got the other guys., and so all the way through, you've got different sort of...different evolution with us as people, and a different, sort of...even though we all like heavy music and we do like metal as well as all the other forms of music we like, there's still those eras that are different, you know like, my era is different to Andy's and that you know and I want him to like some of the stuff that I like and I want him to sort of go "Listen to your heritage" and that you know? (laughter) And at the same time he says to me...

Jon: Get back to the classroom...

Darren: ...you know, "Listen to what's up to date" and that, you know? But then...so he's finding out recently some of the up to date bands he likes, they're now defunct, and there's a new wave coming on through...

Andy: Yeah.

Darren: ...so you know, the younger kids out there...

Jon: See, the funny thing is that there's a lot of contradiction going on, if you like, because a lot of, like, new music if you like, a lot of it does end up sounding like, y'know, you can pigeonhole it, you know what I mean? You can totally pigeonhole a lot of like generic kind of metal bands, if you like, and, I think like, fortunately for us, I believe, because we're not kind of basing our writing material or ideas on new bands, new music or whatever, I think that kind of helps us generate original material...hopefully! (laughs)

Darren: Well there are some new, good new bands out at the moment that I'm discovering...you probably know Pelican?

Matt: Pelican, yeah.

Jon: Don't be plugging other bands Daz!

(laughter)

Darren: Nah, it's alright! Pelican, do you know them?

Matt: Yeah, I know Pelican, yeah.

Darren: Yeah, yeah, been getting into them lately...

Jon: Apparently I need to listen to them.

Matt: You do!

Darren: ...Gaz has got onto Baroness recently, haven't you Gaz?

Gaz: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: And Gaz has always liked Mastodon and that and he's kinda like, turned me onto them a little bit. So you know, we're all learning about, like, new stuff as well from each other as well.

Gaz: Yeah.

Matt: Mmm. So, I mean do you...when you're writing new songs, do you kind of have any pre-determined idea about how you want it to sound, or is it just like...

Jon: Always.

Matt: Always.

Jon: Always, yeah, I mean...it's like, same with Gaz, I mean the type of backgrounds me and Gaz come from, I mean I've been working with Gaz since...God, how old were we when we started writing together? Sixteen, seventeen, something like that...

Gary: Yeah, you were about seventeen, I was eighteen...

Jon: Eighteen, yeah...

Gary: ...nineteen...

Jon: But the way we...I mean at the time we were both in a black metal band together and stuff, and he retired from that black metal band and became the band's sound guy like, didn't ya?

Gary: Retired!

(laughter)

Jon: But ever since then, me and Gaz kinda like started our relationship around about then, and like we had little side projects, little death metal experiments, you know and the way he'd work would be similar to me. He'd go home with his drum machine and record the bass himself, record the drums himself, get the guitars on there, and I'd do the same so we...from me and Gaz's point of view, coming up with the riffs or whatever, we always have an idea of what the drums should be doing, we always have an idea of what the bass should be doing, but I will put my hand on the table and admit, I cannot write a song for toffee. I can write music, but I can't write songs, like, you know and I think that's...you know, it's kind of like a self-helping band like, you know, me and Gaz'll come up with some ideas, we'll play them to each other, you know, we'll see each other's riffs, adapt on each other's riffs, play it 'til we're comfortable, then the drums and bass'll then come in, glue all the bits together and then, you know, Daz'll put his vocals on top after it's been orchestrated, and then, at the end of that process we've got a song, so that's kind of how the writing process works. But yeah, the answer to the question is I always have a pre-determined idea of what the drums and bass should be doing, prior to actually putting the riff out there.

Matt: OK. Well I wanna talk about...Liverpool, I guess...and...

Jon: (laughs) Miserypool!

Matt: Miserypool...

(laughter)

Nice, nice...so am I right in thinking you all grew up in Anfield, or somewhere near?

Jon: Anfield.

Gary: Yeah...

Andy: Kirkdale.

Gary: And Walton.

Darren: And I'm Anfield, yeah.

Jon: Orrell Park, tell the truth!

(laughter)

Matt: OK, so you know...not exactly paradise...

Jon: No.

Gary: No.

Matt: ...if I'm being honest...

Gary: No.

Matt: I mean how d'ya think your upbringing, and where you've been living all your lives, how d'ya think that's actually influenced your music and what you do?

Jon: Well I come from a very scally family like, you know what I mean? Me mum's side of the family are from Kirkby, and me dad's side of the family are from Scotland Road, and, I don't know how, I think Daniel Osbourne in second year seniors changed everything for me by introducing me to Iron Maiden. If it hadn't've been for him I'd probably still be playing footie outside the laundrette...

(laughter)

...so I consider meself to be very fortunate and lucky that I was introduced to music at an early stage.

Darren: I came to Liverpool when I was maybe five or something like that, me family moved to Liverpool, 'cause me dad was originally from Liverpool and he kinda moved back when he left the Air Force, and so up until that point I'd, like, lived in different places, when me dad was in the Air Force, so as a kid I was moving about, and living in different places until coming to Liverpool, and so, even though I feel, like, a bond to Liverpool in that sense 'cause then I was there from that age 'til I was about twenty two, something like that when I left, I do feel that bond with Liverpool, but I always felt like I was not...because I wasn't born in Liverpool, I wasn't a Scouser, and so I always felt, kinda like, that unattached feeling and that, you know? And then I've lived for a few years in Colchester and then I went travelling and I've come back to Liverpool, because of some nostalgic feeling that I had when I came back, and then I...because I wanted to obviously concentrate on doing Serotonal, I had to sorta stay in Liverpool, and...but I still do feel that sort of...

Gary: Can't help it...

Darren: ...one foot is in Liverpool, and appreciates it, but because I've been different places I know that Liverpool has got its like, really annoying bad sides, but I've decided to move back to it, you know, and decided to move back to North Liverpool of all places, to Anfield because, within it, I can see that there's a character and there's a...y'know, I love old houses and there's a...they're all Victorian houses, back to back terraces everywhere, and I see the beauty in all of them through all the litter, the dogshit and the...

Jon: Glass...

Darren: ...and the glass...

(laughter)

...and, you know, some of the boarded up houses, which are beautiful houses...I can see that beauty amidst all the decay, and that was my big influence growing up and that, and while I was growing up seeing the area around me declining and going into decay year on year, you know. When I was a kid, all the shops were open. By the time I left Liverpool, they were all boarded up, windows smashed, if they were still there, you know. Businesses closed down...

Gary: The system had collapsed...

Darren: ...that was what was going on around me as I grew up, and so, you know, that must've had an influence...

Jon: I mean we live, I suppose...it's like the secrets behind Liverpool because Liverpool, when it gets media attention if you like, it's, you know, it gets a lot of positive media attention and it does deserve it because the centre of, the Liverpool city centre...

Darren: I'd say most of the media attention on Liverpool was negative...

Jon: Well no, what I mean is, you know, they have like whole...

Darren: There's a lot of hype that comes from...

Jon: Yeah, there's a lot of hype, but there's also...I mean, I suppose we live in the shadows of that thing if you know what I mean...but having said that, you know I have witnessed a change in Anfield, like Anfield has kind of, like, you can tell it's invested in, but people's minds haven't been changed yet...

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: ...the bad habits still exist like, unfortunately...

Darren: There are people trying to make a change and that...for the better. We'll see...

Gary: Thing is like, the 1% ruins it for everyone else, d'ya know what I mean? It's...

Darren: Yeah...it's always like that...

Gary: ...could be like fifty people and if one person's a bad egg then it just ruins it.

Jon: Yeah, that's it...

Darren: Like if you go to a nightclub, and everyone's in a jovial mood and you've had a good night...

Gary: ...it just takes one knobhead...

Darren: ...but then there's a big scrap...

Gary: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: ...a big fight breaks out...you then think...

Gary: The whole night's ruined, yeah.

Darren: ...What a moody night that was, you know?

Gary: I think that's the same everywhere though, in England...

Darren: Yeah, that is...

Jon: But to be honest with you, like if you look at 'Songs Of Misery And Hope', just to kinda point out what you were on about in terms of the meaning behind the songs...

Darren: It fits in, doesn't it? It sits in.

Jon: ...it's the same with Liverpool...it fits the same. It's like we cling onto the idea of a better way, you know what I mean, even though that means us being scarred by the things that we don't particularly agree with, in society, like...so that's 'Songs Of Misery And Hope' again isn't it like, you know?

Darren: Mmm...but when I come to the city centre in Liverpool, y'know, I love it, I like the...

Jon: Vibrance.

Darren: ...the vibrance of it, yeah, the different sort of interesting sort of shops and different people and that, you know, you get like...you know, not everyone looks the same and that you know, and it's a change from being round Anfield and that, where you get a lot of the scallies and that, you know?

Jon: Funnily enough, there's a saying...not like an established saying but, in Anfield you don't really see students, and we're now starting to see a couple of little students here and there which indicates that potentially, the area's gonna improve! (laughs)...So it's like that kinda, you know, I mean we can't complain, I mean...

Gary: John Moore's gets hold of it and that... (laughs)

Jon: That's it like, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I mean we can't complain, it's like you know, it's, I mean, again, as with Daz, like I grew up in Anfield like, you know, I've got so many memories of being a boy in Anfield, and Stanley Park was my paradise groing up, and I live right by it. So our little area where we live in Anfield, it's...you can't help but feel attached to it, like you know...it's a lovely, atmospheric area, you know...

Darren: The cemetry...

Jon: Yeah!

Darren: ...we always used to go to the cemetry. I used to go to it meself years ago when I was writing lyrics with Anathema and that, and we'd go over there and do band photoshoots...

(laughter)

Darren: ...and then...

Jon: The usual setup...

Gary: Pull faces... (laughs)

Darren: ...and you know, it's true, I literally used to go there, and sit there for a while and that, on me own sometimes. We'd go there together and hang out, and have a few beers and that like, or a smoke and that, but then I'd go there on me own sometimes like, when I was writing lyrics, just to kinda get in the mood and that. And the thing is like, funnily enough, you know, just a handfull of years later, Jon used to walk through there, but with a different vibe in it, you know, he used to have like his...

Jon: (laughs)

Darren: ...long black leather coat and his you know, his black metal music blaring into his headphones...

Jon: Listening to Nåstrond, yeah, with dead long hair, walking through the cemetry on me own...I wouldn't do that now!

(laughter)

Darren: Same cemetry, but just different music...

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: Oh well...so, has this definitely had a noticeable effect on your music, kinda thing, or...

Andy: Yeah...

Matt: ...would you be able to define that effect, or influence?

Jon: I think as an individual, it's kind of helped shape me into being the individual I am, you know, me morals and beliefs and me attitude in general. I think that has, you know, it has contributed towards that, but not necessarily the effect on the music I wouldn't say...

Darren: Well I would say that the 'misery and hope' aspect and that would be, like we just sorta said before that like there is something in there, you know? That we've lived with misery and hope, and we're writing about misery and hope...

Jon: Well we live with misery and hope every day.

Darren: But we haven't consciously gone out like, it's like 'Oh, let's write a concept album about misery and hope'. That's just the way I exist. It's like that in my head and that kinda thing.

Matt: So that's the way you've always done lyrics then...

Darren: Yeah...more or less, yeah...

Matt: So that whole album title, does that kind of, like, reflect your overall approach to music, so it's just...

Darren: Yeah, yeah...

Matt: ...it's not, I mean, it will effect, it'll reflect your future output as well, like...

Darren: I would think so, I don't know how I can shake it off, you know...it'll be different, 'cause I might maybe right about different things and get inspired by different things for different songs, but ultimately that'll just run through it all like a sort of a continual thing and that with little, sort of, alternate avenues of interest but it'll be that that will be the essential theme running through everything. I can't help it, and...which I think actually is what life is like really, you know? We live our lives like that don't we, you know? Sort of battling in our own minds for happiness, while sometimes struggling with unhappiness...negativity and fear, anxiety and all those things that can bog us down, when, ultimately, at the end of the day, if we try and change our way of thinking, consciously change our way of thinking, and to try and be positive, and try and be open and experience things to the fullest, then good opportunities, I think then actually come to you. So it's like...

Jon: Karma...

Darren: ...it's battling between trying to be positive and then getting battered down by negative things and being able to sorta put yourself in perspective and that...

Matt: Yeah...well it sounds like you've got quite a good approach to your music and your lyrics and it seems to reflect life in general and the struggles that we have to go through...the mental struggles, as much as anything else...

Darren: That's it, yeah. I think, you know, and we all go introspective. All of us have that, you know, even when you see someone who looks...who always appears to be ultra confident, running round, always the life and soul of the party, you know, you don't know what goes on in their heads when they go home at night...

Jon: They're the people who have most problems...

(laughter)

Matt: Yeah, well you have to wonder, don't you?

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: Is it just like a front? Or are they hiding something?

Jon: That's it, yeah.

Darren: Yeah, yeah.

Matt: Well you guys all seem quite down to earth...I mean is that the way you see yourselves, or...?

Darren: Well we try to be anyway.

Andy: Yeah...

Jon: Just normal lads at the end of the day just doing music, you know, that's it.

Darren: Mmm.

Andy: Something we love...

Jon: Yeah...

Darren: Yeah...

Matt: We'll see how long that lasts when this album sells millions of copies!

(laughter)

Darren: If it sells millions of copies, I'll...I'll try and eat that glass.

(laughter)

I'll come back here one day and I'll try and eat that glass...

Gary: I'll hold you to that, Daz, you know!

(laughter)

Darren: If we sell millions...I'll go for it.

Matt: Yeah, oh well...

Darren: I don't reckon I'll be eating that glass, however!

(laughter)

Matt: Well not with that attitude, you won't...

(laughter)

Matt: Yeah...well hopefully you will. I hope it sells millions of copies.

Darren: I'll be just happy to play Roadburn Festival in Holland and that like, with some...

Gary: Yeah...

Darren: ...some fellow decent bands who would know how to use valve amps and that and stuff...

(laughter)

Matt: Oh...OK. Well that's the main criteria, is it?

(laughter)

Darren: That's it, yeah, it is! I can't define it any other way really...though I'm not a guitarist, I do appreciate the sound of a nice valve. Gaz has got a nice one at the moment, haven't ya Gaz? Nice new one...

Gary: Yeah, yeah...

Darren: Caused him trouble at first, but he's...

Gary: Yeah, it's sorted...

Darren: ...sorted that out now...

Matt: Teething problems.

Gary: Yeah, yeah...fuse was blown and shit...

(laughter)

Matt: Well I should ask you about future touring plans, have you got any? Are you gonna be touring this album, or...?

Darren: Well we intend to...we intend to. We just have to sort of try and keep avenues open and see which tours we might get offered, or you know, agencies might come to us and that, like you know. We're sort of sending out little sort of signals at the moment, to sort of say to agents that we're open to going on tours if they wanna sort of put us on, so...a support tour would obviously be helpful, wouldn't it? You know, touring with perhaps a more established band.

Gary: That's more...the most preferable...what we'd like to do...

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: Yeah.

Gary: ...a good tour support with someone...

Darren: I mean, Anathema have already offered to take us out on tour, it's just if our record label can come up with the goods, if you like, you know, and get us to sorta be able to actually make that happen, you know.

Matt: Right...oh so it's all down to them, really?

Darren: Really, when it boils down to it, the offer is there, it's just if we can logistically do it. They've given us the opportunity...

Gary: And we have been told, you know, when we signed, that like, there will be tour supports there, so we just have to wait and see.

Darren: Mmm.

Jon: See, the thing is, with the record company, the record company kinda does things behind an iron curtain if you like, and, you know, at the end of the period, they'll let us know what they've done type of thing, so a lot of the time, you know, even though we know that the label is doing things and that like, we...I mean, the only thing we can do at the moment anyway is just like, you know, we've been writing a lot of new material and obviously the anticipation of getting the album out, so, I think our intentions at the moment is to let the album come out, see what feedback is generated from the album...we've already put a couple of feelers out for agents and things like that, but I think, fundamentally, the most important thing for us to do is just carry on and keep the fire burning by writing. So that's kind of like the unintended plan, so to speak.

Matt: Right. So, I mean do you guys think of yourselves as a live band, or a studio band, or...?

Jon: Live band.

Andy: Definitely a live band.

(laughter)

Jon: Love it...we just need the right gigs really you know and...we've had this converstaion before, I mean we've played gigs in Liverpool, and, sadly the gigs in Liverpool have been like, you know, I suppose the most soul-destroying ones because it seems to be hard to bring people out to Liverpool to come and see your band like, you know. I think there is a big trend in Liverpool at the moment and, you know, I suppose we're outside of that trend, and I suppose a minority in our own city in that respect, but I mean, as a band, I think really we've done our fair share of like, you know, playing to thirty people, type of thing, and it would be nice to move up to that next step and play like bigger festivals, or...but we'll see what opportunities are generated as a result of the album release, and take it from there, type of thing.

Matt: Oh well things should start picking up anyway...

Darren: Yeah...

Matt: ...it seems, from what I've read so far in the media that the album's doing OK...critically anyway...

Jon: Yeah.

Andy: Mmm.

Matt: I dunno...I can't say from being outside the band but, it seems like you're picking up some new fans along the way...I dunno.

Darren: Yeah...

Jon: Hopefully like, yeah, I mean we have noticed a subtle...(laughs)...development of interest in the band, like, but it is subtle, I have to say like, but, I mean, you know, when you're used to, like you know, hardly anyone knowing who you are and stuff, and playing these small little gigs and no one knows who you are, it's nice to, you know, like...it kind of answers a lot of questions when we, like for example in Birmingham, you know, we seem to have gone down well in Birmingham. You know, it was quite full, from what I could see and there were...it seemed to be that there were people there interested in what we were doing anyway before we even played so you know, that's feedback in itself in a roundabout way, isn't it?

Matt: Yeah, definitely. I wanna talk a bit about metal in Liverpool. I guess you... well, it's hard to categorise you, as we've said before, but I guess you kinda come under 'metal'...

Jon: Yeah.

Matt: ...'ish, so what do you guys think about the metal scene, or hard rock scene in Liverpool?

Jon: We haven't really felt one have we?

Darren: No, not really, no!

Jon: I know there's bands out there, I mean we rehearse with a couple of heavier bands and stuff, but I mean, you don't really see heavy bands playing that much in Liverpool, do you?

Darren: I know there are some bands who've played in the Korova and that, like, that you may have seen yourself and that you know?

Jon: They weren't from Liverpool though, were they? One was from America...

Darren: No, there were some Liverpool bands...

Jon: Was there?

Darren: ...and there are Liverpool bands who are sort of...have been playing those kinda gigs and that, you know, and I've sorta checked them out...I really, honestly don't remember the band's names at the moment, but I like their vibe, but just sort of, you know, they're not like what I would really go for or get excited about, so I haven't sorta followed them up and seen them again...

Gary: It's mostly death metal stuff, isn't it? That's about it like...

Darren: Yeah...there was one band - I don't remember their name - that we played with in that gig...we played a gig, like, about a year ago with Grief and Trap Them, and they'd sorta travelled over from America but then there was a load of like sorta local bands as well, and Ramesses played, from the south coast and that, and there was a couple of local bands that I thought...

Gary: Dragged Into Sunlight?

Darren: ...'Who are they?'...

Gary: ...Was that one of them?

Darren: Was that it, yeah? There was one band, and I was impressed with them because, like, the time between the bass drum and the snare was particularly long...you know?

Jon: (laughs)

Darren: ...and it was like, you know, this is slower than winter, this is bordering on, like, Sunn O))) speed here, and, y'know, I was impressed with their diligence in being able to sort of, like, resist hitting the snare too early!

(laughter)

...you know, it was like, it was extremely slow, and I had to appreciate it...

Jon: Tantric doom! (laughs)

Darren: Yeah, it's like that in a way, yeah! It's tantric in its essence, that's right.

Jon: Yeah.

Darren: And, you know, so I appreciated them but I don't remember, maybe they were Dragged Into Sunlight, I'm not sure, but none of those bands have really, sort of followed things through if you like, or they've had the same difficulties as ourselves in Liverpool, in which, you know, it's very difficult to sort of get yourself established when you're playing such underground music...

Jon: Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Matt: Well I think...certainly extreme metal...obviously there's the mainstream stuff, you know your Machine Head or whatever, that quite a lot of the kids like these days, but the more extreme, underground stuff isn't very popular round here.

Jon: No.

Matt: Obviously, it's underground, so it's not gonna be that popular anyway, but even considering that, there's just so few people I meet that seem to be into that kinda stuff. I mean why do you think that is...what is it about Liverpool, or Merseyside in particular...?

Darren: I think it's a society thing, to be honest.

Jon: I mean it's quite a 'poser' city though isn't it really, if you think about it, you know? if you look at it, everything's gotta be 'in'. You know what I mean? You see a lot of that, like, you know what I mean? It's like a lot of bands that you see...I haven't really paid that much attention lately so I might be wrong now, me opinion might be out of date, but I mean, you know there's that, like, tight jeans and Winklepickers with, like, Telecasters and Vox amps and that, and, you knowm curly bunheads and stuff, you know, there's a lot of that like and it seems to be...

Darren: I haven't got anything...not that we've got anything against people with Telecasters and...

Jon: No, no, no, not at all, you know...

Darren: ...bunheads, curly bunheads and that...

Jon: ...but I mean it's a trend, it's a trend nonetheless, that's what I'm saying, it's a trend nonetheless...it just so happens that, like, Liverpool is of them cities, you know, a jangly, kind of like, you know, 'beat'...what's the word? You know...'beat...pop' city like, you know what I mean?

Darren: Mmm...

Jon: I don't know whether that's the right terminology to use for that, them types of bands...

Andy: I think it's quite correct...

(laughter)

Darren: But I think that's everywhere...

Jon: It is everywhere...

Darren: ...that's everywhere, you know...it's just...

Jon: ...but Liverpool, predominantly in Liverpool, it's massive in Liverpool, that tight jeans and Winklepicker thing, it is, isn't it? Long trenchcoats and that...

Darren: I don't mind, as long as people go and see live music, I don't really mind what the...

Matt: Yeah that's true, that's true.

Darren: ...what the music is, however, you know, like metal is very underground here and that like...as you said, like, the Machine Head kinda metal is fair enough, you know, you'll have plenty of people will come out the woodwork for that, but, you know, it is fairly underground for a city so large and so appreciative of music...when you get like a fairly decent doom band, you know, just see the turnout being quite low, but that's...ultimately, at the end of the day if you're a band and that, like, then you should just sort of think, alright well the people are gonna come out as long as we play the music well and they enjoy it, that's ultimately all that matters and...

Jon: In comparison...

Darren: ...it's hard to, as a band, to sort of like deal with that, you know...but you just sort of do it and try and stay true to yourselves and hopefully the people then will appreciate that trueness, and then...

Jon: It's a funny thing because our...I suppose our neighbour city, Manchester, if you like...whenever we've played live in Manchester, it's always felt good. You know, it's a...it feels as though people actually come to see ya when you go to Manchester, whereas it's the opposite end of the spectrum here, you know what I mean?

Darren: Mmm.

Matt: So you get a bigger turnout in the audience at Manchester?

Jon: Absolutely...I think so, yeah.

Darren: Mmm...yes.

Jon: There's people there who come to see your band, and they express the fact that they're enjoying your music, which helps a band, you know, that's the element...if you haven't got that, if you've got thirty people in front of you and they're not that bothered, you know, your performance is gonna be limited, to an extent, whereas if you're playing to an audience that are actually there and enjoying it and want more of it, it's gonna encourage the band to, kind of, perform even better. And I think that's the main element, you know, asking the question earlier on, do we...'are we a live band?' We are a live band but, you know, depending on who we're playing to, has an impact and effect on how we are as a live band, you know what I mean?

Matt: Mmm. Er...right...can't really think of anything else to ask...

Jon: (laughs) We've covered it all...

Matt: Well, I dunno if we have, but...

Darren: Oh I could witter on for ages you know, I'm sure Jon...

(laughter)

...Jon could witter on for ages as well!

Jon: I'm in a chatty mood now like, yeah, yeah...it's 'cause I've had a pint!

(laughter)

Darren: On top of something else...yeah.

Jon: I'm everyone's mate now like, you know...

(laughter)

Matt: Oh well, well if anyone's got anything else they wanna say about anything I've asked, or anything, then feel free.

Jon: Yourself?

Gary: No...

Darren: No...can't really think now.

Jon: Rock hard, rock heavy, rock animal!

Andy: It's a 'joint' effort!

(laughter)

Darren: Well it was, it was today, yeah!

Jon: The 'joint' venture!

All: Yeah, yeah...

Matt: OK, is that it then?

Gary: Yeah.

Matt: Anything else?

Jon: Yeah...thanks! Nice one. Cheers.

Matt: No problem. Good to speak to you guys.

Andy: Thank you.

Darren: And to you, yeah.

Matt: And er...yeah, I'll stop.

Darren: We'll do readers' questions next time!



For more information on Serotonal, visit http://www.serotonal.co.uk/ and http://www.myspace.com/serotonal]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/11/14/2a1ee9_a_song_title_questionnaire...only_read_if_you%27re_bored_or_you_enjoy_iron_maiden...or,_ideally,_both. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:31:38 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/11/14/2a1ee9_a_song_title_questionnaire...only_read_if_you%27re_bored_or_you_enjoy_iron_maiden...or,_ideally,_both. As with my last journal entry, I 'nicked' this from my brother ad_nauseam.

Or 'ginger scum' as he's known to the police.

Using only song names from your top artist, answer these questions...

Iron Maiden

1) Are you a male or female?

Journeyman

2) Describe yourself:

Man On The Edge

3) How do you feel about yourself?

The Prisoner

4) Describe where you currently live:

Purgatory

5) If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

Transylvania

6) Who is your best friend?

Iron Maiden

7) Your favourite colour is:

Fear of the Dark (Er...it's black)

8) You know that:

Heaven Can Wait...I guess...?

9) What's the weather like:

Rainmaker

10) If your life was a television show, what would it be called?

The Prisoner.

Oh, wait...

11) What is life to you?

Wasted Years.

12) What is the best advice you have to give?

Be Quick or Be Dead

13) If you could change your name, what would you choose?

The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg. Well, it was either that, Genghis Khan or Charlotte The Harlot.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/08/20/24hpzn_50_questions_about_my_top_50_artists... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:30:36 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/08/20/24hpzn_50_questions_about_my_top_50_artists... I 'nicked' this from my brother (Ad_nauseam, or 'ginger scum' as he's known to the police).

1. How did you get into 29? (Arch Enemy)

I first heard them on MTV2's 'Headbanger's Ball' and wasn't overly impressed. Then I heard them again and was.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? (Radiohead)

You're asking me to transport myself back in time by about thirteen or fourteen years. I may well be wrong but my guess would be Street Spirit (Fade Out)

3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? (Carcass)

Dunno. Probably something about cutting up dead bodies and then microwaving them.

4. What is your favorite album by 49? (Nirvana)

Bleach or In Utero. That band was much better raw.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? (Ulver)

Basically all of them.

6. What is your favorite song by 50? (Foo Fighters)

Razor.

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? (Sepultura)

Hell no!

8. What is your favorite album by 15? (Candlemass)

Probably Tales Of Creation.

9. What is your favorite song by 5? (Dead Can Dance)

Persephone (The Gathering of Flowers). If you've heard it, I don't need to explain why.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? (My Dying Bride)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually they all make me happy in a strange kind of way.

11. What is your favorite album by 40? (Tool)

Lateralus. One of the masterpieces of the 00s.

12. What is your favorite song by 10? (Anathema)

I have no idea. One of their...songs.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? (Faith No More)

None. :-(

14. What is your favorite song by 38? (Suede)

It's a tie between Europe Is Our Playground (not bad for a b-side, huh?), Still Life and Pantomime Horse.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (Marilyn Manson)

'Happy' is a word that I don't throw around lightly.

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? (The Cure)

None, much to my disappointment.

One day...one day.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? (Opeth)

In My Time of Need

18. What is your favorite album by 11? (Pink Floyd)

Without doubt Dark Side of the Moon. Flawless from start to finish.

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? (Iron Maiden)

Er...Eddie.

Seriously, don't get me started on Maiden - we'll be here for hours.

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? (Pearl Jam)

Yes! At Leeds Festival in 2006. 'twas jolly good.

21. What is a good memory involving 27? (Soundgarden)

Not strictly Soundgarden, but seeing Audioslave doing Loud Love and Outshined was pretty spectacular.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? (Alice in Chains)

Hard. Maybe Love Hate Love or Frogs. Wait, no...Get Born Again!

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? (The Sisters of Mercy)

No Time to Cry.

24. What is your favorite album by 18? (Nevermore)

Either Dreaming Neon Black or This Godless Endeavor.

25. What is your favorite song by 21? (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Too hard.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? (Slayer)

I can't remember. Probably either Seasons In The Abyss or Angel Of Death. I'm leaning towards the former.

27. What is your favorite album by 3? (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)

No More Shall We Part. The absolute masterpiece.

28. What is you favorite song by 22? (Radiohead)

Fiendishly tough question. Pyramid Song or The Tourist or There There or How to Disappear Completely.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? (Miranda Sex Garden)

Dunno. Something from Fairytales Of Slavery.

30. What is your favorite song by 8? (The Smashing Pumpkins)

They must have about 500 songs. Leave me alone.

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? (Mediæval Bæbes)

None. I'd love to see them though. That would be magic.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? (Muse)

Yes. Knights of Cydonia of course!

33. What is you favorite album by 12? (Metallica)

...And Justice for All, I think.

34. What is the worst song by 45? (Dio)

One of the cheesy ones from Sacred Heart.

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? (King Crimson)

Either Epitaph or 21st Century Schizoid Man or Red. Or maybe something else. What's it to you anyway?

36. What is your favorite album by 48? (System of a Down)

Toxicity. It came out the week before 9/11. Happy days.

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? (Katatonia)

Nonce.

38. What is you favorite song by 36? (Bruce Dickinson)

Jerusalem.

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? (Pantera)

Maybe Cowboys from Hell or I'm Broken. Or Revolution Is My Name.

40. What is your favorite album by 7? (Cradle of Filth)

Midian[album].

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? (Deftones)

No. You're really asking that question to the wrong person. I just don't listen to that kind of music most of the time!

42. What is your favorite album by 41? (Fantômas)

[album artist=Fantômas]The Director's Cut.

43. What is your favorite song by 24? (Type O Negative)

Haunted, I reckon.

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? (Can)

Discovering them.

45. What is your favorite song by 35? (The Smiths)

How Soon Is Now?, obviously.

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? (Nine Inch Nails)

Only is probably the one that comes closest.

47. What is your favorite album by 4? (Manic Street Preachers)

Either The Holy Bible or This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. Yes I am serious.

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? (Queens of the Stone Age)

Well that could only be Mr. Joshua Homme.

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? (Depeche Mode)

Just Can't Get Enough!

50. How many albums do you own by 20? (Foo Fighters)

All except the first.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/08/03/23kanp_blessedheart%27s_%27best_albums_of_2007%27_thing Sun, 3 Aug 2008 01:19:21 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/08/03/23kanp_blessedheart%27s_%27best_albums_of_2007%27_thing That's right, I'm back with another list of greatness, this time from the year 2007.

Yeah, I know. It's pretty much 2009 now. I don’t always finish jobs in time. Got a problem with that? Fuck you!!!

When Blessedheart sets out to do something, he does it. Eventually.

Last year's (2006) list was tough as I struggled to think of ten albums - live albums, EPs and compilations don't count - worthy of such a lofty accolade as a place in the list. However, this year (2007) was the complete opposite. I have struggled to keep it down to ten because almost every album I have heard from 2007 has been brilliant. I mean, Porcupine Tree's 'Fear of a Blank Planet' didn't even make the final ten. How the hell did that happen? It's an amazing album! Seriously, go and buy it, even if you already have a copy.

Yes, that does say ‘buy’.

By the way, if anything I state in any of the tedious reviews below offends you, that's your problem, not mine.

As I did last year (2006), I'll begin with a few even more pointless lists - sans my comments - just to keep the excitement and anticipation going, like.

Top 5 singles of 2007

5. Manic Street Preachers - 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough'
4. Marilyn Manson - 'Heart-Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand)'
3. Serj Tankian - 'Empty Walls'
2. Brett Anderson - 'Love Is Dead'
1. Grinderman - 'No Pussy Blues'

I bet you're glad you read that. Here's another one.

Albums that might have been considered for my top 10 had I actually heard them (at the time of compiling the list)

Aereogramme - 'My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go'
Björk - 'Volta'
Chris Cornell - 'Carry On' (OK, maybe not that one)
Darkthrone - 'F.O.A.D.'
Devin Townsend - 'Ziltoid the Omniscient'
Electric Wizard - 'Witchcult Today'
Goon Moon - 'Licker's Last Leg'
iLiKETRAINS - 'Elegies To Lessons Learnt'
Martin Grech - 'March Of The Lonely'
Mayhem - 'Ordo Ad Chao'
Neil Young - 'Chrome Dreams II'
Nick Cave And Warren Ellis[artist] - 'The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (Soundtrack)'
Nina Nastasia & Jim White - 'You Follow Me'
Puscifer - 'puscifer'
Rufus Wainwright - 'Release The Stars'
Velvet Revolver - 'Libertad'

And another please, Carol... (only people from the UK and probably Ireland will get this now dated TV reference)

[b]Albums I was hoping to have the opportunity to include in this year's (2007) top ten, but was denied that opportunity because the artists concerned are lazy slackers[/b] (this was meant to be in bold, but it's not working for some reason, and various other formatting things aren't working either. Grr.)

Alice in Chains - '...By Any Other Name'
Amen - 'Money And Christianity And That Kinda Shit'
Auf Der Maur - 'Er...My Second Solo Album'
Black Sabbath - '...By Any Other Name'
Blur - 'Pigs, Politics And Cheese (Er…Graham's Back!)'
The Cure - 'Still Searching For That Elusive...'
Desert Sessions - 'Desert Sessions 11 & 12 (Put That Rice Away, Ronald!/Just For Kicks, Get Me?)'
Doves - 'Up North'
Elbow - '(It's Grim) Up North'
Guns N' Roses - 'See?! Told Ya!!!'
Massive Attack - 'Bristain'
Metallica - 'THRASH! THRASH! THRASH! THRASH!'
Pitchshifter - 'P.S.I.entology'
Pixies - 'Psst...We're Fucking Crazy! Bang!'
Portishead - 'Did We Miss Anything?'
Rage Against the Machine - 'Fuckin' Wit Da System'
The Sisters of Mercy - 'Still Not Gothic After All These Years'
The Verve - '(Seriously, It’s Really Grim) Up North'
Zach De La Rocha - 'One Fist Is As Good As Four'

OK, that's enough for now. Here's the top 10.

10. Type O Negative - Dead Again

Well, well, well. Ain't life grand? At least it is if you're a Christian. Because God loves you. And your children (sometimes literally).

'Dead Again' was released amid 'revelations' that larger than life frontman Pyotr Stalin (Peter Steele) had been 'born again', and gone back to his Catholic roots, largely due to his health issues and the fact that he might die quite soon. I'm not a Christian, and see blind faith as a sign of weakness in a person rather than immense strength. As such, when this all came out, I was like “WTF Peter? I mean, like, WTF? Dude, are you, like, serious?!” Sophie from [i]Peep Show[/i] was like “Pete, what the fuck?!” while Lois from [i]Family Guy[/i] was like “Peeeedaaaaaagggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Anyway, whether or not this is actually true is open to debate, as many of Steele's proclamations can safely be taken with several pinches of salt, but Christian themes make up a disproportionately large percentage of the album’s lyrics, and there are even moments which seem worryingly 'positive'.

Negative? Positive? Dead Again? Born again? WTF?

Don't be alarmed though. If you like your Type O Negative with at least a 95% volume of Negativity, then Dead Again should be a satisfying listen. It's not their best album. It's no 'Bloody Kisses'. It's no 'October Rust'. It's no 'World Coming Down', either, but it's certainly better than the underrated-but-still-hardly-a-masterpiece 'Life Is Killing Me'. I feel that I should mention the stunning 'September Sun' here. It definitely harks back to the band's past glories in the 90s. Not only does it feature a great internal reference in the form of the words 'October thrust', but its epic, reflective and melancholic beauty is redolent of many of the tracks from Type O's 1996 masterpiece. That's about the only truly gothy moment here though. Much of the album is made up of Misfits-like punky numbers like the title track (er, that'll be 'Dead Again', then) and 'Halloween in Heaven' (featuring some woman from some band), in which Steele imagines dead rock stars jamming together in Heaven.

OK, Peter. Whatever.

There are two other main highlights aside from September Sun. One is 'The Profits Of Doom'. Appropriately enough, it starts with some of the most depressive and startling doom riffage you're ever likely to hear. 70 seconds in, Steele starts barking like a man ascended from the dead with an ominous warning. The whole thing is frightening and awesome. It'll send shivers through your innards. Or at least the first three minutes will. Then it gets quite jolly by comparison, recalling early Black Sabbath in their more upbeat moments. Steele and guitarist Kenny Hickey trade vocal turns for a while and then it starts imitating The Beatles while Steele sings about how he loves God. Then he sings 'My soul's on fire' several times in an impassioned, soaring manner. Then it fades out with psychedelic guitar bits. It's beautiful. It's a masterpiece. If it wasn't for the God bits it would be one of the very best songs of the year.

The other highlight is 'These Three Things', in which Steele preaches about the three things that were presumably on his mind when he sat down to right the fuckin' lyric. Is the number 3 significant? Yeah, probably. Anyway, the first of the 'things' happens to be everyone's favourite topic of discussion: abortion. He approaches it from a religious angle, and pretty much states that abortion is murder. And of course, he's probably right, but in 'certain circumstances' it is necessary and 'damned' right appropriate. Anyway, it's not like God's never done any murdering. This whole thing has made me realise that you don't have to agree entirely with a lyric in order to like the song, and I've since found myself disagreeing with other lyrics by artists I enjoy.

As for the other 'things' that Steele discusses in the song, I have no particular issue with them. The riffs are doomy as hell. The guitars after the 6 minute mark touch me in a way that no music has ever done before. I'm not sure how to explain the feeling that it gives me, so I won't bother trying. It's really quite sublime, and it's classic Type O Negative. Extremely powerful stuff.

So, in summary, Dead Again is an excellent album which shows a lot of promise for any future albums that the band may or may not make. I just hope that Peter drops the Christian stuff.

Christian metal ain't cool.

9. Grinderman - Grinderman

I've been running low on time of late (I'm going to die), so I decided to make someone else review one these albums for me. Sorting that out, however, was a long process, and I realised that it would probably have been quicker just to do it myself. Not only this, but by the time this list is actually published, I could theoretically have reviewed it several thousand times over.

So, what I did was this: I decided which albums would make up my top ten. I then decided which album would be reviewed by another unfortunate specimen via a complex series of coin-tossing matches as part of a league, as in football and things. I decided that whichever album finished in 9th position - COINcidentally the position in which 'Grinderman' finished in this top ten - in the league table after all the matches, would be the one. It was Grinderman's self-titled debut. Good album.

I then left the house with a £10 note in my pocket, with which the unsuspecting individual would be forced to buy a copy (they weren't having mine). I walked ten paces in a straight line, then turned left and walked twenty six paces. Then I turned right and walked forty two paces. I continued with this for exactly thirty minutes, alternating between turning left and right as well adding sixteen paces each time. When the thirty minutes was over, I noticed that I was somewhere in Leasowe. I stood there on the spot which the previous thirty minutes had brought me to. I closed my eyes for four minutes (fortunately I was on a pavement rather than in the road). The first person I see when I open my eyes, I thought to myself - as if suddenly making the decision now rather than seven hours earlier - would be the one to do the review.

I opened my eyes.

There were several people staring at me.

Gradually they went about their business, except for a small child. He was still staring. He was 6, apparently. I didn't catch his name, but, taking advantage of the fact that everyone else had disappeared, I pulled out my machete, told him what he had to do and gave him my email address and the note. I also told him that if he told anyone about this, my machete would make sure it was the last thing he would ever use his vocal chords for. He then asked me what a machete was, so I told him it was this fucking really big sharp thing in my hand. He looked scared and ran away crying.

The next afternoon I came across the following review in my inbox. Please note that all links have been added in brackets by myself.

[i]My Grinderman Riview by Michael Bublé (aged 6 1/2)[/i]
[i]
I bort a CD today. It is called Grinderman and it was dun by Grinderman to. I didnt want to by it but I had to but Im not aloud to tell enyone why. Its becaus of a man who looked like jesus. He said that Grinderman has got peaple in it from a band called Nick Cave And The Baddies (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and to make shure that I spelt there names with big leters at the start.I hope I'm doing it right and that jesus gets this becaus i dont know how to do email propperly. My daddy dident no why I bort a CD and he said that CD's are old. I was not suprized that the CD hadpeople from Nick Cave And The Baddies in it becaus they sound like baddies becaus the music is very lowd and angry and reminds me of my daddy when I askd him where my mummy is. It is very noisyu. 2 songs arent noisy. 1 of the songs that is not noisy is called Grinderman (Grinderman) as well but it was scarey in sted of noisy and it nerely made me cry but I dont know why. The othersong that wasnt noisy was called Man In The Moon (Man In The Moon) but that was just boreing but I think grown ups are ment to like it. But the CD is horible and I hated it but I looked at the names of the songsand some of them were wierd like Depth Charge Ethel (Depth Charge Ethel). I asked my daddy what it ment but he said don't you ever say that womans name in this howse again do you here me. Then his face went all red and he was realy angry and I thort he was going to hit me agen but he stoped and fellon the flor and started crying and his voyce was all wobbly like a fat singer. Then I looked at the words on the internet becaus jesus told me to cwote sum words but he didnt say words he said a other word. The words on the CD are wierd and all grown up but one of the noisy songs is axualy sad. Its called No Pussy Blues (No Pussy Blues) and its about when you loose ur cat. Its very sad but they sound angry witch they shuldent becaus its sad. Here are some words from it

"I fixed the hinges on her gate"

That must be a lie becaus if he had then she wuldent of run away. Here is another bit

"I thought I'd try another tack,
I drank a litre of cognac,
I threw her down upon her back"

I dont no what cognac is but I asked my daddy and he said its not for you son buthe said it to quite and I didnt here him so I asked him again and he said it again but this time he showted. And its silly to throw a cat on its back becaus Mrs Spencer said that cats always land omn there feet so I think Grinderman are silly realy. And it also says Marcel Marceau in it and I dont no what that is but my daddy said how the fug shuld I no and stop asking questiuns.

That is the end of my Grinderman riview. I hope that jesus likes it and that he wont hurt me.

fin.[/i]

Kids, eh?

8. Radiohead - In Rainbows

See, that's how good the albums were in 2007. Radiohead at 8? In Rainbows is fantastic. It's right up there with their best, though I honestly think that there's very little between any of their last 5 albums in terms of quality. Of course, this latest album will be remembered for the way it was released - and we could debate that one until the cows come home to roost - but I would like to think that it will also be remembered for being a damn fine collection of songs.

To these ears, it's by far the most upbeat album they have ever released, and, as such, there are no real moments here that are more chillingly beautiful than you previously thought possible - nothing along the lines of 'Exit Music (for a Film)', 'How to Disappear Completely' or 'Pyramid Song'. Album closer 'Videotape' comes pretty close though! Its simple piano refrain is haunting and could quite easily put you in a comfortably melancholic mood. In fact the piano beautifully evokes the death on which the lyrics ponder - drifting away into nothingness, or ascending into Heaven, depending on your beliefs.

But yeah, aside from that it's all very much upbeat, really. 'Bodysnatchers' is reminiscent of 'The National Anthem' in more ways than one. It makes use of very similar eBowed guitar and/or ondes martenot noises, and the lively rhythm section makes you want to dance in that crazy Thom Yorke kind of way. In fact, for the most part it's a very danceable album and it makes you feel OK. Not great, obviously. But OK. At least if you're a miserable bastard like me. There are a couple of fairly orchestrated moments elsewhere, but it's also very guitar based. The axes are probably more prominent overall on In Rainbows than on any other Radiohead album since 'OK Computer'.

If In Rainbows can be thought of as having fallen short in any way of the band's previous releases, it's that it feels unfinished. The 10 tracks are mostly fairly short to be quite honest and I usually like my albums nice and long. However, if you were lucky enough to have received the In Rainbows discbox edition as a late birthday present (thanks Mum, and thanks Dad for telling me what it was before it arrived and spoiling the surprise), then you'll have a further 8 tracks of amazing music, all of which are at least as good as the 10 on the official album. ‘Down Is the New Up’? Blimey! That'll do nicely! Frankly, I would have been quite happy had all 18 tracks made it to the proper album, but then I guess the band wouldn't have had a discbox to sell and they would have lost money overall because of the free downloading.

Anyway, my main point here is that it's a great album (but of course!) but I would have liked it even more had it been a bit longer.

Go out and buy it kids!

7. The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution

[i]"This blues guy I met
That never had a hit
Said you don't gotta be loud, son
To be heavy as shit"[/i]
(The Nightwatchman - 'Maximum Firepower')

Ex-Audioslave and ex/current Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello goes solo, swaps the crazy electric guitar noises for an nylon-strung acoustic which he wears far too high, and starts singing militant folky communist anthems. It's fuckin' fantastic.

The first thing I should say is that Tom clearly can't decide if he wants to be Bob Dylan (protest songs, acoustic guitar, harmonica), Woody Guthrie (warm intimacy), Johnny Cash (deep-ass voice) or Nick Cave (also deep-ass voice). It's bizarre; Tom's singing voice is actually lower than his speaking voice, which proves that he's putting it on. But it's done to good effect. He's clearly nodding to the names above while simultaneously leading us all triumphantly into battle, and he keeps going "Hep!" or "Hup!" at the end of every other verse, just to keep up the enthusiasm.

'Enthusiasm' is the key word here, I feel. Whether you're a commie or not, you can't deny that this is an apathetic world that we live in. Tom is correctly riling us up into a near frenzy, which just happens to be a revolutionary one. If communism frightens you, that's fine. Fight for whatever you believe in instead of sitting on yer arse all day. Not that Mr. Morello would welcome any old regime that had been established in a passionate way. Make no mistake, this is an album for lefties. Proper lefties. If you're left-handed, fine, but that's not enough. If you want to overthrow capitalism, you'll need both hands. If you don't have two hands for whatever reason, contribute something to the cause anyway. I mean, the more the merrier and all that shit. But yeah, you won't like this if you don't sympathise with the fairly extreme left. With RATM, you can ignore the lyrics should you want to. After all they're rapped and not always easy to make out, plus they had that rockin' funk metal thing going on – you could shake your arse to it. With this however, the vocals are at the forefront, and the accompaniment is not so important. You can't ignore the lyrics.

It's all about the lyrics.

For the anti-capitalist, 'One Man Revolution' is a 'feel good' album. It makes you feel that, just maybe, the revolution might actually happen some day. Of course, we all know that it won't, but it might do. These songs are extremely uplifting, which I don't normally like, but they're performed with so much passion and aplomb that I can't help but enjoy them. There are a couple more reflective moments, like 'The Garden Of Gethsemane' and the spine-tingling closer 'Until the End', but even those are filled with a very hard-hitting, powerful and defiant spirit.

One last thing about the lyrics. They're brilliant. The album is packed with highly quotable lines, and indeed entire verses, like the one at the top of this review. Frankly it's worth buying the album just for the lyrics alone. I can promise you that if there's an anti-capitalist bone in your body then you'll be quoting them all day in conversation, or even just entirely out of the blue, seemingly at 'random'. You'll be sitting there in silence with your granny over tea and biscuits, and suddenly you'll say [i]"Yeah, I support my troops. They wave black flags. They wear black masks"[/i] or [i]"3 times I shot the sheriff, and did not spare the deputy"[/i]. It'll go down a treat!

Which is more than can be said for those dodgy 'biscuits' your granny 'baked'.

This was my feel good hit of the summer.

6. Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead

Another solo album from one of those un-patriotic, anti-American terrorist commies - this time it's System of a Down's Serj Tankian.

Yes, Serj is back. He's cut his hair back to 'Toxicity'-era length, his face is pointier than ever, he enjoys wearing a top hat and also, he now has massive hands.

This album was most welcome. Don't get me wrong, I think System Of A Down are great, but one thing in particular has tainted their work since their eponymous debut ('System of a Down'), namely the increasingly frequent vocal contributions of guitarist Daron Malakian. Now, Daron's really pretty good on the guitar. He's great when he's harmonising with Serj. He's great when he's going "SUGAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!" But when he's singing lead...well, he's kinda whiney. Whoever told him he could sing deserves to be severely beaten, frankly (OK, maybe that's a bit harsh, but only a bit). Anyway, I'd much rather listen to Serj's superb vocals. Thankfully, those vocals are all over this album, which can only be a good thing.

'Elect The Dead' sounds quite a lot like System (Of A Down). It's got the metal bits, the melodic bits, the vocal harmonies, the schizophrenic tempo and dynamic changes, and of course the...er...'non-Western' influences. 'SOAD' drummer John Dolmayan guests on some tracks so, technically, 50% of the band were involved in the making of the album. However, the main reason for the similarity is surely that most of that 'System' sound evidently comes from Serj. There are some new elements though. It doesn't all sound like SOAD (Suck Off And Die). There are operatic backing vocals on a couple of tracks by Ani Maldjian, and Serge Gainsbourg proves himself a whiz on the ol' piano, and these are vaguely classical elements which only make the Elect The Dead soup all the more spicy. Er...

The album opens with the masterful single 'Empty Walls'. Actually, the very first thing that happens here is that there's this two-note synth part which plays through three times before the 'band' (well, OK, Serj) comes in. It totally sounds like it should happen four times, not three. I can think of no reason why anyone would want it to play through three times. I mean, if he'd let it play through four times, the album would have been longer and it would have seemed like he'd done more work. So that part is really annoying, but thankfully, the rest of the album (a huge, HUGE percentage) is precisely 100% less annoying. Other highlights include 'The Unthinking Majority', 'Money' (the second best song ever written by that title), 'Saving Us' and 'Beethoven's Cunt', just because it's called 'Beethoven's Cunt', really.

Lyrically, it's typical System Of A Down stuff from Sergei Rachmaninoff, ie very difficult to understand, in terms of meaning. The bits I can understand (Saving Us, for example), I very much appreciate, so I'm sure the rest of it is more than acceptable too, I mean, Sergei Diaghilev is an intelligent guy.

So, whatever the future holds for Corrosion Of Conformity (COC), Sergio Franco has proved himself a superb solo artist in his own right, and will surely continue to make sweet music with himself.

5. The Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist

The following is a transcript of a conversation which took place in a noisy, packed corridor in an American high school, somewhere in America, in September 2007.

Jake: Hey Hank.
Hank: Oh. Hey Jake.

(silence)

So...uh...did you hear that new Kanye West album? 'Graduation'?

J: No.
H: Oh.

(silence)

J: Did you hear that new Smashing Pumpkins album? 'Zeitgeist'?
H: Uh...no.
J: Oh.

(silence)

Well, you should hear it. It's pretty cool.
H: No, they suck.
J: They do not!
H: Uh huh. They do.
J: No.
H: Anyway, didn't they break up, like, years ago? Because they suck?
J: Yeah, they broke up. They got back together again. Well, kinda, anyway.
H: Uh huh.

(silence)

Did they get that blonde chick back?
J: You mean D'Arcy? No.

(silence)

H: What about the Japanese guy?
J: James Iha? Nah.

(silence)

Basically, it's just Billy (Billy Corgan) and Jimmy (Jimmy Chamberlin). It's just them on the album anyway. They got some other guys playing live with them.
H: So, in fact, it's just like that other band that sucked even harder. Swans, or something?
J: Zwan.
H: Yeah.

(silence)

J: Yeah. Kinda is.

(silence)

H: OK. Hey, what time is it?
J: But anyway that's beside the point. The point is that it sounds more like the Pumpkins than the Zwan album (Mary Star of the Sea) did. I guess. I mean, as soon as I heard the drums at the start of the first song, 'Doomsday Clock', I mean, I totally knew the Pumpkins were back, man.
H: Dude, look out there. Looks like it's gonna rain.
J: And then there's all these loud guitars. It's actually pretty awesome! Like, most of the album is really loud and guitar-heavy. I mean there's some less guitar-heavy songs towards the end, but basically it's a heavy rock album. I can't get enough of it. You've heard 'Tarantula', right?
H: ARGH!!! WHERE?!
J: Have you heard 'Tarantula'? The song? It goes like [i]"I want to be there when you’re happy,
I want to love you when you’re sad"[/i].
H: That's Smashing Pumpkins? I thought it was MyChem (My Chemical Romance).
J: Nah. Anyway, so yeah, that one's pretty representative. I mean, y'know, all those rockin' guitars and stuff. 'United States' is fucking awesome, man. It's so epic, and those guitars and drums...I mean it's like the new 'Silverfuck' or something. But then there's 'That's the Way (My Love Is)' which is a little more kinda...laid back, I guess. Still loud though. But I love it 'coz I like to imagine like I'm singing it to...uh...uh...oh, and there's all these crazy vocal harmonies and stuff all over the songs! It sounds kinda like Queen or something. Or maybe Muse. But then it was partly produced by Roy Thomas Baker, and he worked on 'Bohemian Rhapsody', so what can you expect?!
H: Uh huh.

(silence)

J: The lyrics are pretty cool too.

(silence)

It's like...I thought it was all gonna be about Paris Hilton after...
H: Woahwoahwoah...Paris Hilton...what?
J: I said I thought the songs were all gonna be about Paris Hilton and all that kinda stuff after the album artwork leaked, but...wait, do you, like, have the hots Paris Hilton?
H: FUCK YEAH! I would totally eat that pus...I mean, no! Eeeeeeeewwwwww, NO WAY, man! Me?! Paris Hilton?! Haha! Dude, no fucking way. She's a total slut! I mean, she's a real bitch. She's, like, so fucking skinny, and...uh...uh...oh, and her eye! Have you seen that?! What the fuck's the deal with that?! Seriously, Jake…and she’s a junkie…I think…dude, that's fucking gross.

(silence)

Total slut.

J: So anyway, the lyrics kinda are about Paris Hilton, in a way, y'know...it's like...the zeitgeist...it's all about, like, the way things are right now. In...the world, and...with people and...society and that kinda stuff.

(silence)

But yeah, I thought Paris would be more specifically the focus of attention because of the pictures of her in the artwork and stuff.
H: Woah, wait...there's pictures of her in the artwork?
J: Yeah.
H: Uh...oh. Y'know, this album...actually sounds pretty cool. I might buy it.
J: Buy it? But I thought you just downloaded stuff illegally now?
H: Uh...yeah...I…I do. Did. I guess I, uh…guess I kinda changed my mind about that.
J: Oh, OK. Cool.

(silence)

Although, actually, I should just tell ya, they actually released, like, several different versions of the album. Well, I guess it was the record company.

(silence)

H: So?
J: Well, each version has a different extra track or something. And slightly different artwork too, I think.
H: Oh, right!
J: So you'll have to get every version if you want to get all the songs.
H: Yeah.

(silence)

J: And all the artwork.
H: Sure, yeah, got ya.

(silence)

J: So yeah, definitely pick it up, man. And if you like it, maybe you'll get into their older stuff!
H: Uh...hmm. Yeah.
J: I mean I would totally recommend it to you anyway. It's a great album from start to finish. I guess it's kinda like a cross between 'Siamese Dream' and the 'Machina' albums ('Machina/The Machines of God', 'MACHINA II/The Friends And Enemies Of Modern Music'). It's so consistent too. And those extra tracks are cool also. I really dig the song 'Zeitgeist' - it's acoustic and kinda...

(silence)

H: Hey, Jake, why did you stop talking?

(silence)

Uh...Jake? You OK?

(silence)

Oooooohhhhhh, wait, you're checking out that red-haired girl, right?

(silence)

What's her name? Rebecca...something?
J: Morrison.
H: Yeah, Morrison, that's it. Hey, she even has Jim's hairdo!
J: Yeah.

(silence)

The Doors are pretty cool.
H: You said it, bro.
J: Oh my God.
H: What?

(silence)

J: I think...oh God...
H: WHAT?!
J: I think I...Hank, I...I think...I think I...I think...I think...I think...oh, God! I think...I think I...I think I...I...love her...
H: HEY EVERYONE!!! JAKE LOVES REBECCA MORRISON!!!!!!!!!!
Rebecca Morrison: Eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwww...gross...

(244 people point and laugh)

In October 2007, yet another version of 'Zeitgeist' was released. This featured, among other things, yet another 'new track'. This one is called 'Ma Belle'. It's really great. Unfortunately, Jake never got to hear it. He committed suicide by jumping off the school roof shortly after the conclusion of the above conversation.

Fuckin' emo.

4. Machine Head - The Blackening

Machine Head had a lot to prove after 'Through the Ashes of Empires'. That particular platter was a definite return to previous form, with many of the tracks exhibiting the same furious energy and enthusiasm which characterised their early work. So, the band had to prove that that wasn't just some fluke, and were in fact very much in the ascendancy again. While working on the follow-up, the band took great pleasure in boasting about what an amazing album they were making. We kept hearing about how 'epic' and 'heavy' the album was, and how 'stoked' they were with it. A whole lotta hubris, in other words. It was difficult to know whether or not to believe them, but either way, they very much succeeded in generating hype. Then the album leaked and we discovered that Machine Head had been telling the truth the whole time. 'The Blackening' is pretty much a modern metal masterpiece.

Of course, the first track that we heard was the one that had been the cause of a lot of that hype: 'Aesthetics of Hate'. It's about Dimebag Darrell. It's about William Grimm. It's about hate (and, specifically, the aesthetics thereof). It's about METAL. Machine Head took it upon themselves to respond to Grimm's highly offensive and immediately infamous article of the same name, and, in the process, became the spokesmen for metalheads everywhere. Good move. They had to do it. Well, someone had to, and I'm glad it was Machine Head, because I doubt that many other bands could have pulled it off so well, and they've made it so damn heavy and filled with genuine anger that you can't help but respect them for it. OK, so there is a lot of swearing in the song, one of the things that Grimm claimed was wrong with metal. But any song which attempts to 'reason' with Grimm in a way which he may have considered more to his liking would have been a total failure. When Rob Flynn spits out those lyrics, there is a genuine fury in his voice which defies any notion that metalheads are 'semi-human', 'untalented' or unable to express themselves effectively.

Whereas certain past Machine Head material has sounded like they had lost some of their motivation, that conclusion could definitely not be drawn from this. The band have pulled out all the stops and produced a massive metal album of truly epic proportions. Only one of the 8 songs on the disc is under five minutes, whereas two of them stretch past the 10-minute mark, and what's more, those songs aren't even a second too long. The breadth of these songs is worthy of a paragraph in itself - the amount of riffs and themes explored in each track is extraordinary. It's all very passionate and emotionally involved - as all great music is - which means that every song is extremely powerful and hard-hitting. Metallica's masterpiece 'Master of Puppets' was a major inspiration here, so much so that you sometimes think Machine ‘fuckin’’ Head copied the template in the same way that ''tallica' made that album by copying the template of their previous 'Ride the Lightning'. There is no denying that Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets are very similar structurally, and The Blackening is almost like the third piece in the puzzle. Opener 'Clenching the Fists of Dissent' even has the same kind of classically-influenced multi-tracked acoustic guitar intro heard on 'Battery' and 'Fight Fire With Fire'. Not that they're ripping Metallica off or anything. The trademark Machine Head elements - the guitar harmonics, Flynn's soaring vocals, the killer grooves - are all still very much a part of the band's sound. So, with such masterful classic thrash influencing them, it should come as no surprise that the band have created a near flawless album.

If Metallica's new album is half as good as this, they'll be onto a winner.

3. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

After 'With Teeth' (a vastly underrated album) it soon became apparent that we would in fact NOT have to wait five or six years for another Nine Inch Nails record, as had been the previous form. Trent Reznor is now healthy and buffed up. His 'issues' with drink have been resolved, which means that he now has plenty of time to dedicate to his music. What it also means is that he has more of a drive than ever to write about the world around him rather than his more personal demons. As such, 'Year Zero' is a broadly-scoped dystopian vision of the year 2022.

2022 is very near.

[i]1984[/i], [i]Brave New World[/i], [i]Fahrenheit 451[/i], etc. These are the classic dystopian novels, but Year Zero matches all of them. What makes it all the more frightening is that, not only is 2022 fifteen (er...make that fourteen) years away, but the bleak vision which the album presents is already in full swing; if 2022 really turns out this way, it'll be because of what 'our' 'leaders' are doing right now.

So stop reading this shit and go kill the bastards.




























Are you still here?!

Yeah.

So am I.

Year Zero is an extraordinary album. Firstly, it was promoted in what has been described as a 'ground-breaking' fashion. I won't go in to that now though. Read about it at [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Zero_%28album%29#Promotion_and_release nofollow=yes]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Zero_%28album%29#Promotion_and_release[/url] if your memory is really that short. Anyway, the next thing that happened was that people discovered that the CD actually CHANGES COLOUR. Yes, that's right. You open up the case, and it's black (or maybe dark red). Then it gradually goes white when it's heated by, say, oh I don't know...playing it in a CD player.

Freaky.

Also, there might be a TV series or a film on the way. There's a Year Zero game, and who knows what else will emerge...?

My point is that this is quite a vision that Mr Reznor has had, and it should not surprise you to learn that the actual album is totally inspired. It's a very noisy record, but it's also very much song-based. And the songs are all fantastic. I can't really talk much about specific songs, as the album feels more like a complete entity to me, like a lot of Nine Inch Nails stuff. However, my favourite songs are probably 'Capital G', 'The Good Soldier' and 'In This Twilight'. It's all great though, seriously.

Trent Reznor is on fire.

Not literally.

At least, I hope not.

If he is, I guess we'll be hearing about that pretty soon.

Anyway, I cannot wait to find out what he'll do next. (EDIT: Shit, Trent’s done rather a lot since I wrote this!)

If he is on fire though, he'll probably scream next, I reckon.

That's really quite a nasty thought. I'd better stop thinking it.

He's already produced Saul Williams' latest release, an internet-only deal by the totally awesome name of 'The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!' They did what is now known as 'a Radiohead' with it. It's great. If you like Trent and are open to a bit of hip hop, download it for free or download it and pay $5 for it. The choice is yours.

It's a free country.

The Year Zero remix album, 'Year Zero Remixed' - or 'Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D' if you're the modern type - is also well worth picking up.

2. Ulver - Shadows of the Sun

Something big is gonna happen. We don't know quite what, but we're definitely on the verge of something major. Something majorly fucked up, probably.

This is the feeling that some of us have had lately. It seems that Garm is one of those people. 'Shadows Of The Sun' is a staggering and hypnotic album - perhaps even Ulver's best yet - based on tragic themes of pain, loss, death and self-destruction. The whole thing is extremely romantic in a poetic sense. The cover depicts the dark, silhouetted figure of a four-legged beast staring directly at us, with its huge, curved horns encircling the sun, which sets behind it. It's a beautiful image, and it seems to imply that the rest of nature is aware of something that us humans are not. It's like the four-legged beasts know what's going to happen. The sun knows. The mountains and forests know. We're staggering around, desperately trying to fix something, and yet we don't really seem to know exactly what the problem is.

Mankind is responsible for the decline of nature as we know it, and the animal on the album cover knows it. Is it mocking us? Or is it trying to tell us? I don't know, but my money is on the latter.

As ever with Ulver, the album sounds quite unlike anything that they've done before. This time, things are much mellower and more laid-back than on the noisy predecessor 'Blood Inside', which very much suits the subdued lyrical themes. The jazz and classical influences are still very much present, and there's some cool trumpet parts scattered throughout, but generally the album permeates an oddly calming, ambient and yet moody atmosphere which makes for great night time listening. The contributions of the Oslo Session String Quartet greatly add to this.

It's not all original material though. There is an intriguing cover of Black Sabbath's medieval ballad 'Solitude (original - 'Solitude'. I always adored the original. In fact, my first hearing of the song several years ago set into motion my intense love of medieval and renaissance music. So, naturally, I was delighted but slightly concerned when I discovered that Ulver had covered it. I needn't have feared though. It's superb, and probably equals the original. Tony Iommi's flute parts are replaced by a trumpet, which meanders around the original melodies in a jazzy kind of way, and Garm's sublime vocals add a new textural quality to the song while maintaining the all-enveloping mood of Sabbath's version. A job well done.

The press release for 'Shadows Of The Sun' described the album as 'low-key, dark and tragic'.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

I simply cannot recommend this album enough.

1. PJ Harvey - White Chalk

Well.

This was quite a revelation.

Before I heard 'White Chalk', I rated PJ Harvey as merely 'pretty damn good', and occasionally 'great'. This is just something else all together. She's outdone herself by quite some way here.

On 9/11, PJ Harvey won the Mercury Music Prize for her New York-flavoured ‘[album artist=PJ Harvey]Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea’ album. In turn, she achieved the lofty status of being the kind of artist who gets featured on the BBC’s Newsnight Review. That album had a certain commercial tinge to it. White Chalk does not.

This is very much a U-turn for Polly. Gone are the overdriven, bluesy guitars. Gone is the sense that there is an actual band playing the songs. All the songs are piano-based. Harvey’s vocals are totally different; almost unrecognisable, her voice is softer, more delicate and much higher in pitch than we’re used to. In fact, about the only element which remains from her previous material is the ‘challenging’ lyrics. Even in this aspect though, the lyrics seem much more personal. PJ has always said that her lyrics are not autobiographical, and merely tell stories. That was always believable. Listening to White Chalk though, it’s impossible not to wonder. The songs are all so intimate yet intense, and she just seems far too emotionally connected to them to not feel some personal association with what she’s singing.

What is she singing? Well, she’s singing about death, despair, loss, regret, sorrow, and everyone's favourite topic of discussion: abortion. Yeah, so it’s just the kinda depressing crap that most other artists I listen to sing about. Rarely is it so emotionally resonant and cathartic, though. You could stick a pin in the lyric sheet (if there was one) and it would inevitably on some disjointed, heartbreaking passage like:

"I sowed a seed
Underneath the oak tree
I trod it in
With my boots I trampled it down"

or

"Oh grandmother
How I miss you
Under the earth
Wish I was with you...

...If I lay on the earth
Could you hear then
If I lay..."

or

"By the mountain
I feel nothing
For in my own heart
Every tree is broken

The first tree will not blossom
The second will not grow
The third is almost fallen
Since you betrayed me so"

It feels like we weren’t meant to hear these songs, like we’ve walked in on Polly in a small room somewhere, sitting at her piano, quietly singing her songs to herself, mistakenly thinking that she is alone. This stuff is overwhelmingly good.

The album’s title is in fact NOT a reference to the hills of the Peej-ster’s native Dorset (do your homework, Kirsty Wark), but is more to do with the timeless quality of chalk, which is very much echoed in the album itself. It’s all very archaic and Brontëian (er…that doesn’t look right), and thus has garnered plenty of Kate Bush comparisons. The album is extremely evocative, and there is a haunting quality which pervades the work from start to finish. This is probably the most eerie album I have ever heard and there are countless moments which will send chills down the spine of anyone fortunate enough to own one. Also, the songs aren’t masterpieces on their own; you have to hear them all together to get the full effect. It’s a short album made up of eleven short songs, but they all add up cumulatively to make one hard-hitting, unsettling and harrowing cry. Closing track ‘The Mountain’ is very much the culmination of everything that comes before. It’s the most stunning album closer in recent memory. I can say no more on the subject, you’ll just have to hear it. In the context of the album of course!

Fuckin’ iTunes generation.

I yearn for the days of yore, when a piano was all there was, if you were lucky. Your Granny played, and she taught your two sisters. She tried to teach you as well, but you were always too busy helping your dad make something wooden. Then there was your suicidal cousin Margaret. She played. In fact, she didn’t just play traditional songs. No, she was talented and miserable enough to write her own songs, full of creepy chord progressions and evocatively twisty melodies. Extraordinarily, those songs were more or less identical to the ones on White Chalk. It’s almost as if Polly has somehow heard Margaret’s songs from 200 years ago and successfully attempted to pass them off as her own.

This album sounds like Polly Harvey is dying.

It’s not easy listening.

…

That’s it.

Did you read all that?

Go and get a job, you lazy scum. Approximately 7,498 words. Put that on your CV.

…

Like Blessedheart’s ‘humourous’ reviews? Visit http://www.markprindle.com and get some edjakayshun.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/04/14/e8j5_serotonalfall.outthe_elysium_falls Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:33:51 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/04/14/e8j5_serotonalfall.outthe_elysium_falls Serotonal, Fall.Out, The Elysium Falls
Barfly, Seel Street
31st March 2008

Reviewed by Matthew Ford

Liverpool's Barfly showcased three very different bands who played varying shades of rock and metal. All proved themselves at least worth watching and, despite it being a Monday night, plenty were there to see them in action. Arcane Demise - who had been originally been scheduled to play - eventually had to pull out, but it turned out that the bands left on the bill did more than enough to make up for their absence.

First up were The Elysium Falls, who performed here for the first time in public, despite having been a band - albeit with various lineup changes - since 2004. It was a short set, and it was therefore difficult to come to any real conclusions as to the quality of their music. Their experimental rock may have been a little lost on some of the punters waiting for the more metallic strains of the following two acts, but the band had certainly come prepared. The Elysium Falls are already a tight unit and show some promise for the future, incorporating varying styles into the mix.

The second band to perform was Northwich-based Fall.Out, who have already made a name for themselves by gigging around the country with well-established acts such as American Head Charge and Raging Speedhorn, as well as working with metal legend Andy Sneap. Already active for around six years, the band's experience has shaped them into a fine live act (they remain unsigned), and the level of enthusiasm and intensity which goes into their performance almost second to none. Immediately confronting the audience with a furious energy, Fall.Out's music is a relentless attack that mixes thrash and death metal with a slightly more modern approach, as well as throwing in complex, 'technical' elements just for the hell of it - guitarists Hayden and Davey utilised the two-hand tapping technique in dual harmony, while Daz Jones spat into his microphone and pointed frantically at seemingly random audience members. Meanwhile, drummer Ed did an extraordinary job of beating his skins in time despite suffering from bronchitis. This is testament to the level of effort that the band evidently puts in. Even if they're not to your taste, it's impossible to ignore Fall.Out, and they will leave a deep impression.

By the time Serotonal were ready to start their set, a fairly sizeable crowd had amassed. The band initially formed in 2004 and, following modifications to their lineup, are currently a five-piece, and have been building up a worldwide following via the internet. Their frontman is none other than Darren White, original vocalist for scouse death/doom metal pioneers Anathema, as well The Blood Divine and others. This fact alone must have been enough to entice at least a few more punters through the doors of the Barfly, but Serotonal are by no means riding on the coattails of it. Their music speaks for itself, and these musicians have been playing long enough to enable them to concoct an intriguing and potent blend of ambient and electronic influences to compliment the heavy rock and metal at their core. The band's set was mainly comprised of the heavier stuff, particularly noteable in new songs 'Self Control Seizure' and 'Chaosmind', whose strident metallic riffing is perfectly suited to headbanging. Each of the musicians seemed entirely at home on the stage, confidently relishing every moment, and with good reason; watching Serotonal, it is evident that they are a band very much in the ascendant. It's taken them four years, but with a debut full-length album imminent, it looks like they are ready to set the underground alight on disc, as well as on stage. See them live, and you can expect dynamic but concise metal songs, top drawer musicianship, and a bit of in-between song banter. Serotonal are not to be missed.

For more information on these bands, visit the following websites:

http://www.serotonal.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/serotonal
http://www.myspace.com/fallout666
http://www.myspace.com/theelysiumfalls]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/03/17/e8ap_eastern_frontsevered_heaven Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:28:22 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/03/17/e8ap_eastern_frontsevered_heaven Eastern Front/Severed Heaven
Hotel California, New Chester Road, Birkenhead
14th March 2008

Reviewed by Matthew Ford

Since Carcass split and Anathema mellowed, it's been a rare thing for Merseyside to play host to (musical) brutality, but two of the UK's finest unsigned metal bands - Eastern Front and Severed Heaven - went a long way to make up for a seemingly endless line of Beatles rip-offs. Birkenhead's recently refurbished Hotel California - home to the weekly Friday Rock Show - was the scene of some of the most challenging metal music you're likely to witness in the area.

The first band on stage was Ipswich-based Eastern Front, purveyors of 'War Torn Black Metal'. Suitably garbed in corpse paint, leather and spikes, there is no doubting the accuracy of that description, but there is much more to the band than just an image. Their studio recordings are characterised by thunderous drums, angular guitar riffs and throat-destroying vocals. In a live setting, the intensity is amplified tenfold. It's a pleasure to see vocalist Metzger so willfully damaging his vocal chords for the sake of his art, and the acoustic passages serve as a stark contrast to the raw and bludgeoning heaviness which pervades almost all of their set. The songs are full of war-themed imagery, which only makes them all the more hard-hitting. Eastern Front were voted the best unsigned metal band last year by The Metal Underground (www.themetalunderground.co.uk), and it's easy to hear why with the epic 'Blood On Snow' ringing in my ears. The five-piece are about to commence work on their debut album, which, based on this performance, promises to put them up their with the big guns of black metal.

It wasn't long before Severed Heaven brought their brand of 'chuggy' death metal (with ample black metal influence, and some doom too) to the stage. An all-female band based in Leeds, they set out to tear down the notion that metal is for men only. The evidence that women can play it too - for anyone who really needed it - was clearly on display throughout the set. But don't get the wrong idea - it's not just about gender politics, by any means. The music is as menacing as metal comes and, along with the crushing riffs, rumbling bass and rapidfire drumming, the vocals are devastating. Frontwoman Satanica uses the 'death growl' style utilised by countless male vocalists and yet - with certain notable exceptions - it's still very unusual to hear a female vocalist using it, and especially with such genuine defiance and aplomb. Severed Heaven are simply a metal band, and they are a stunningly good one at that. The songs are epic and accomplished compositions; 'The Fallen Flesh of Worthlessness (Purifying Reign)' ranges from a melancholic opening to the brutal chugging which is just made for headbanging. Meanwhile, the likes of 'Soul Desecration' and set closer 'Earth Decayed' are fine examples of variety in both tempo and dynamics. The band promise a hefty gigging schedule throughout 2008, and are currently performing new, as yet unavailable material, as well as their previously established fan favourites. On top of that, they're a tight live unit, so you definitely get your money's worth.

It's hard to see how Severed Heaven couldn't achieve anything they have the desire for and, as with Eastern Front, it's difficult to comprehend why they remain unsigned. However, if this gig is anything to go by, both bands will surely be signing recording contracts, and hopefully soon, as they deserve a wider audience. In the meantime, they need you at their shows. Both are gigging regularly around the north west, and it won't be long before they're back in Merseyside.

For more information on these bands, visit the following websites:

www.myspace.com/easternfrontuk
www.myspace.com/severedheaven
www.severedheaven.co.uk]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/02/07/e85k_metal_survey_for_anyone_who%27s_bored Thu, 7 Feb 2008 16:51:25 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2008/02/07/e85k_metal_survey_for_anyone_who%27s_bored I first saw this posted by demoniac_wrath. I don't normally do this kind of thing, but I am VERY bored, and I can't be bothered going upstairs to shred on my guitar. Some of these questions are interesting and some are really not.

1. What is your favorite metal genre?
I love all kinds of metal, but doom really does it for me.

2. Do you like Lars Ulrich
Let's put it this way: he's a good drummer.

3. Last Album you bought/Downloaded?
Sonic Youth aren't metal.

5. Last gig you attended?
Black Sabbath, or Heaven And Hell, if you must.

6. Last gig you missed?
Can't remember.

7. Favorite American Band?
No idea. Maybe Nevermore.

8. Favorite Norwegian Band?
Probably Ulver.

9. Age you started listening to metal?
12

10. First CD you bought?
I really can't remember what my first metal CD was. Maybe some Pantera or Metallica.

11. Favourite metal filmclip?
I'm not sure of your precise meaning.

12. Favourite metal guy/girl?
I've never really thought about it, and I don't intend to start now.

13. Do you know how to growl like Corpsegrinder?
Yes.

14. Do you own any metal tshirts?
Yes.

15. Are Vinyls releases better than CD ones?
Sometimes.

16. Name your 3 Favourite Death metal bands. (in no order)
Morbid Angel, Death, Napalm Death..

17. Name your 3 Favourite Black metal bands.
Early Ulver, Mayhem, Emperor.

18. Name your 3 Favourite Thrash metal bands.
I'm not a huge fan of thrash, but 80s/early 90s-era Metallica and Slayer were both great. I'm struggling to think of a third great thrash band.

19. Do you believe in Satan?
I don't believe in God, so why would I believe in Satan?

20. Are Metallica Sell outs?
Yes.

21. Do you think Darkthrone sold out when they released a single?
No, don't be silly.

22. Name one song with SATAN in the title?
Homage For Satan

23. Do your parents like metal?
A bit.

24. Is MySpace intensely gay?
MySpace is intensely asexual.

25. Best band you've seen live?
The mighty Iron Maiden, closely followed by the mighty Black Sabbath.

26. Best metal band in your hometown?
There aren't any, apart from my own.

27. Favourite deceased metaller?
I don't have a favourite.

28. Do keyboards belong in metal?
They don't 'belong' in metal, but they can be used to great effect in metal, along with countless other genres.

29. Does the idea of wearing medieval armour and fighting battles arouse you?
Fuck yes!

30. Injuries you've suffered in the mosh?
I hurt my finger watching Slayer. Apart from that, just a few bruises and a bit of stiffness. I've been quite fortunate in that respect so far.

31. Best Australian metal band?
Er...Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

32. What's better, buying a full length or buying an EP?
Buying a full lenght. Obviously.

33. Do you visit Metal-Archives frequently?
Yep...

34. Did you think it ruled when Varg (Burzum) killed Euronymous?
Er...no.

35. Would you kill Dani Filth if given the chance?
Er...no.

36. Do you like short fast songs or long epic songs?
It doesn't matter, as long as it's good.

37. Is Lemmy God?
No. Lemmy is Lemmy. God is nothing. The chump ain't real.

38. Do you support church burnings?
Symbolically, yes.

39. Do you really care about metal these days?
Yes.

40. Who's better, Philip Anselmo or Tom Araya?
At what?]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2007/03/13/e81n_deftonesmnemic Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:26:08 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Blessedheart/journal/2007/03/13/e81n_deftonesmnemic Thu 8 Mar – Deftones

Full review

Ever since Deftones hit the mainstream in 1997 with their sophomore effort ‘Around The Fur’, the Sacramento, California band have been unfairly lumped in with the then-emerging ’nu-metal’ scene. Other acts such as Korn, Limp Bizkit and eventually Linkin Park were finding fame with a mixture of down-tuned guitars and a rap vocal style. Perhaps as much for convenience as for anything else, Deftones were also tagged with the much-derided nu-metal label. The fact is, however, that they were never much like those other bands. Yes, there was occasional rapping, and yes, the guitars were occasionally tuned down, but there has always more to Deftones than meets the eye. The quintet played Liverpool’s Carling Academy to a crowd far more diverse than those who label the band as nu-metal would give them credit for.]]>