By Design Warning Signs

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

The heaviest, most haunting, disturbing, and supremely awesome doom metal band ever(Burning Witch) has a new 4xLP and 1xDVD out. Southern Lord has put together a very impressive and thought out compilation of the band's entire discography; two 12" EPs, a 12" single, a live album, and a dvd with two shows. You really can't ask for more.

 

First up is the "Towers.." EP, recorded in 1996 and released as a demo tape. It was later given a vinyl release in 1998 and then a cd release by Southern Lord. "Sea Hag" is my personal favorite, but the whole record is just beyond fucked up and great because of it.

The best release in the tragically short Burning Witch discography is the above "Rift.Canyon.Dreams". This EP was recorded in 1997 and released the following year. Only 500 copies were pressed back then, so until now it has been extremely rare. Songs like "Warning Signs" and "History of Hell (Crippled Lucifer)" are such epic slow heaviness, with some of the most bizarre vocals. This EP is an absolute must for anyone into doom metal, or general weirdness.

"The Bleeder" b/w "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" 12" single. These two tracks were recorded during the "Towers..." and "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" sessions but for whatever reason never made it onto those EPs. As far as I'm concerned both songs are pretty great and up to the standards of the songs that did make it onto the EPs. "The Bleeder" was originally released on a CD split with Goatsnake in 2000, and the above is the only avaiable vinyl release of it. "Rift.Canyon.Dreams" was an unfinished track from the sessions of the same EP, but finished later and released as a split with Asva in 2003. 

"Live at the China Club 1996" captures this legendary band in their infancy, well before they had released or even recorded anything. This show is the second of two with original second guitarist Greg Anderson, and the band played the opening slot for At The Gates and Napalm Death. What I would give to have been at that show! Well I was only 9 years old so maybe its better I wasn't there. Well this is definitely the most raw piece of wax you'll find from these guys, not as perfected as the studio versions.

 No colored or picture discs here, just simple tasteful vinyl. Fittingly minimalist.

The box also has a huge 40 page booklet. Its pretty cool; lots of photos of the band, lyrics, and some seemingly random kvlt artwork. 

 And finally we have the dvd, which is housed in this weird sort of pocket in the booklet. I actually hate this design, I feel like I'm so close to ripping it.

Two fulls performances are included here, which have never been released in any format before. First up is a blurry, grainy, amateurish video of the band's first ever live show in Seattle in 1996. Interesting to see how raw and unrefined this band was in their infancy. I can't seem to find any youtube videos from this dvd, perhaps I'll upload one and edit this post.
The second performance is from a wonderfully low budget cheesy Seattle cable access show called "29 Live". This was broadcast in February of 1997, and it amazes me that this band was ever on television! We find better audio and video quality here, presumably someone got (barely)paid to film this. The band is a lot more practiced and puts on a better show as well.

 

Top 10 Albums of 2011

Its getting to be about that time; the calendars are turned to the last page, Fox News has brought back its "War On Christmas", you can't go anywhere without hearing awful Christmas music, there is even a movie out called "New Year's Eve", and lists of the best albums of the year are popping up everywhere. Because I have no imagination, here's mine.

A note: this is a record blog, so only albums that have been given a proper vinyl release have been considered(that means Blotted Science's newest doesn't get a spot). Further, this is my list of my favorites. No other criteria is considered, so if you want to hear my opinion keep reading.

10. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place 

"The Magic Place" is by far the oddball of this list, one that I suspect few people reading this will be able to get into. Julianna Barwick wrote and recorded this album mostly alone, and it shows. There is very little here, vocals, a few piano or guitar chords, and a ton of effects. Loop after loop is created and intertwined with the other to form an exclusively ambient album. Very different from what I normally listen to, this is music that is not meant to be over analyzed and dissected. Julianna Barwick is best listened to as background music, or as the soundtrack to your own thoughts.

9. Blashphemophagher - The III Command Of The Absolute Chaos

     

Short, chaotic, and tons of riffs! Italy's Blasphemophager deliver an intense blast of black/death metal that will attempt to crush you. I typically don't like death metal, in fact it is my least favorite metal sub genre. I love most of the 80s stuff, but once the 90s hit death metal went to shit. So when I heard about a new death metal album that was among the best of Nuclear War Now!'s lineup this year I was skeptical. Upon hearing this album though, I was immediately swayed. "The III Command Of The Absolute Chaos" is everything a death metal album should be; heavy, aggressive, intense, and chock full of riffs. None of the genre's pitfalls are present here. The vocals manage to be engaging, the riffs varied and interesting, and the production is such that it does not become a muddy wall of noise. While its short, clocking in at just under 34 minutes, this album doesn't leave the listener wanting. Top notch extreme music.

 
8. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

The eleventh album(twelfth if you count the EP "A Change Of Seasons") by prog giants Dream Theater is the first to feature a drummer other than Mike Portnoy. Portnoy left the band last year, and it caused a shitstorm on teh internets. People claimed that Dream Theater would completely suck without Portnoy, others praised the band for plugging the hole of the sinking ship. In April of this year the band announced that Mike Mangini would be Portnoy's permanent replacement behind the drum set. Just a few months later, in September, the band put out "A Dramatic Turn Of Events".
The album is more or less standard fare for Dream Theater, progressive metal as the band helped to define. Some tracks on this album, like the debut single "On The Backs of Angels", are complex heavy prog metal compositions. These songs show off Mangini's skills pretty well, the man can certainly play and Portnoy isn't really missed much. The slower ballads are somehow not as gripping and emotional as those in the band's past though. A solid prog metal album, if not the best in this band's discography; but an average Dream Theater album is better than best album of many.   


7. Krallice - Diotima

In the 1990's American black metal was the punchline of many jokes, Europe was the only trve evil. The last decade saw things start to change with bands like Absu and Nachtmystium making waves in the American black metal scene. Formed in 2008, Krallice is another band from the good ol US of A that proves good black metal can come from the "land of the free". "Diotima" is black metal, not the European misanthropic kind, but an American interpretation which focuses more on atmosphere. Krallice borrow a lot from from progressive music and incorporate it into black metal. They're not the first the band to do this, and not even the best to do it in 2011, but Diotima is an thoroughly engaging piece of black metal that doesn't seek to destroy you. Highly recommended.   

6. Russian Circles - Empros

Beauty. I can't quite put into words how beautiful "Empros" really is. Russian Circles' newest release is layers upon layers of harmony and melody, atmosphere, emotion, and above all a sense of self awareness. This band contains no vocals, yet the music speaks to the listener in very clear language. One could call "Empros" post-rock, but it transcends even that ever transcendental genre. Stop reading this, put this album on, close your eyes, and lose yourself.  




5. Ladytron - Gravity The Seducer

An unusual choice for me, Britain's Ladytron play what can best be described as "synthgaze" or "post synthpop". Think equal parts Depeche Mode and Explosions In The Sky. I personally love 80s snythpop and new wave; the aforementioned Depeche Mode, The Human League, Thompson Twins, Flock of Seagulls, etc. are favorites of mine. So about a decade ago when the genre seemed to get a shot of epinephrin and come back from the dead I was excited. Ladytron was one of the bands leading the charge back then, yet I don't think they really hit their stride until this year. "Gravity The Seducer" is a lesson to all the overdriven guitar amp post rock that seems to be all the rage these days. Beautiful, atmospheric, music can also be very accessible and pop oriented. I wouldn't have believed it if you told me a few years ago, but Ladytron has done it!


4. Opeth - Heritage

One of the biggest names in prog metal, Opeth have had a long and successful career. The band has come a long way from their death metal-ish beginings, evolving into an extreme prog metal band, and then more recently getting more prog and less metal. "Heritage" is the next step in that evolution; there is no metal here. What we have here is 70s style prog rock, like King Crimson and Deep Purple had a baby. I love 70s prog rock, really love it, that genre is right up there with 80s metal for my favorite. So naturally I was not like some Opeth fans who hated this effort simply because it is not metal. "Heritage" is still Opeth, and still awesome. 


3. Symphony X - Iconoclast

Middletown, New Jersey's prog metal powerhouse Symphony X have been going strong since 1994, but 2011 is has been their year for sure. "Iconoclast" is perhaps their best album, well "The Divine Wings Of Tragedy" still beats it by a little bit, and the reaction in terms of album sales and on tour has been among the best the band has ever gotten. This band blends progressive elements with power metal and ballads to form an almost perfect concept album. The conflict between man and machine is the theme to be found here and everything from the imagery, lyrics, and musical dynamics tells that story. 
One of the best singers in metal, Russell Allen's performance is definitely a highlight. He somehow manages to be very technical, yet extremely emotional. When Allen screams "Victory or death!" in the track above, you really feel as if you are being called into battle. Of course the guitar virtuoso, Michael Romeo, is not to be overshadowed and has an amazing performance as well. Above all though, "Iconoclast" is strongest in composition. Every movement in every song plays a part in the overall narrative and the album would be lacking without just a single one. The intertwining of keys, drums, bass, and guitar are superb; its almost as if they were one instrument. A standout among all of the prog that came out this year.


2. Hammers of Misfortune - 17th Street

Hammers Of Misfortune are a strange band. On some level they're just another progressive metal band, and if one were to listen to select tracks from "17th Street", like "Grey Wednesday", that characterization would seem wholly appropriate. That said, this album actually doesn't have a whole lot of metal on it. I hesitate to even call this a metal album. Some tracks sound like 70s rock, something Deep Purple may have written, others are piano ballads that are not even rock in any form. "17th Street" is an enigma; definitely progressive, but progressive what? Well whatever it may be, it works. This album works on every level; the musicianship and composition is top notch, the variety keeps the listener engaged and guessing(you never know what is coming next), and John Hutton's vocals tie this seemingly directionless effort together perfectly.




1. Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

Well this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that reads this blog, I'm a huge Wolves fanboy. I've been a big fan since they debuted in 2006 with "Diadem of 12 Stars", and this release is their best since that one. What we have here is the shining stars of American black metal proving again why they are the most talked about band in the scene, hell maybe even in all of black metal. "Celestial Lineage" is on the surface long winded, atmospheric, trance-like, black metal; but once you really get into it the album is much more. Heavy dissonant riffs under shrieking vocals often transition to beautiful clean melodic lines. Haunting interludes of chants and clean female vocals(provided by the excellent Jessika Kenny), are juxtaposed to blast beats. All of this is done flawlessly, the listener never notices obvious transitions. "Celestial Lineage" creates an ambiance, an atmosphere, which you will get lost in. The most amazing thing about this album is that it was all accomplished by just two people, Nathan and Aaron Weaver, and there is no bass guitar anywhere on the record. A masterpiece and my favorite album of 2011.   

Black Friday was good to me

I didn't pepper spray anyone at Wal Mart and I didn't buy any Christmas presents, but Black Friday was great fro my record collection. It was however, cruel to my wallet. I woke up and headed straight to The Record Store an hour before they opened to wait on line. There were about 5 people when I got there and by the time I was let in the line had grown to 15 or so. Everyone there was cool, no one wanted to take the last copy of something that someone else really wanted if it could be avoided. I promised the guy behind me that I wouldn't take the Doors box set(I didn't want it anyway though). The guy who was first in line took almost all of the releases that the store only got 1 copy of, well except for a really cool one(more on that below). There were a ton of nice releases; box sets, reissues, special releases, and various other cool shit.

The first of my finds is something that I'd been very interested in after hearing one of the songs from it on the radio! Those that know me know that this is very rare, I usually don't listen to radio at all. Two weeks ago though, I just happened to be driving and put on 95.9 the WRAT and heard "Cleaning my Gun".

 

Chris Cornell's "Songbook" is a live album record on his most recent tour, in which the entire stage show comprised of him with an acoustic guitar and his legendary voice. The album features songs from Cornell's solo albums and his other bands; Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog, and Audioslave. Two covers are thrown in as well, Led Zeppelin's "Thank You" and John Lennon's "Imagine". These performances are intimate, emotional, and make you rethink songs you've heard a million times. Needless to say it's awesome! My favorite tracks are Soundgarden's classic "Fell On Black Days" and Audioslave's "I Am The Highway". This is really a lesson in how a live show can be completely captivating with nothing but stripped down, pure music.

The record is pretty standard fare, nothing gimmicky. Two LPs come in a nice gatefold jacket with some cool shots from the tour. Oh and the liner notes are written by Josh Brolin. If you don't know who that is go out and immediately watch the movie "No Country For Old Men"! Brolin praises Cornell's voice and gives other compliments; on some level its really cool that one of my favorite actors is friends with one of my favorite singers.

On to the next(or next 6) finds!

 

Yes, Type O Negative's epic 12x LP boxset "None More Negative". I like to think the title is at least a passing reference to Spinal Tap. This set is definitely one of the coolest pieces in my collection, the entire Type O Negative discography is here. Well with the exception of their last album "Dead Again". Each album has new liner notes which contain quotes from various band members, as well as other commentary that really gives the listener a good understanding of the context for each. 6 albums on 12 LPs, and for not a terrible price!    WARNING SOME PICTURES NSFW!

First up is the debut 1991's "Slow, Deep, and Hard". This is really more of a Carnivore(front man Pete Steele's first band) album, that is to say that this has more in common with that band's two albums than the rest of this band's discography. This album is thrash/crossover with patches of doom and a little bit of the gothic atmosphere that would become Type O's trademark. I like this album, but it's definitely not the best in their discography. With choruses like "I know you're fucking someone else!" how can you not have a good time listening to this?

Following the debut the band decided to record a new album. Except its not actually new at all, just the same songs from last time out; oh but this is live, except its not. Yeah wrap your head around that one! 1992's "The Origin of the Feces" is sort of number 1.5 in their discography, a fake live album. The band re-recorded much of the first album and added fake crowd noise, stage banter, and even a bomb threat to the fake show. Some of the performances here are quite good, others not so much. More often than not this album just makes you go "huh?". Oh yeah sorry for posting that nasty album cover.

 

Now we're getting to the good shit. The third(?) Type O album, "Bloody Kisses", released in 1993. Some might even argue that this is the first proper Type O Negative album. This was huge for the band and the single "Black No. 1" was all over MTV and radio. It seems that they sort of stumbled into fame and success here and never planned it, which is awesome. Slow, brooding, steeped in goth atmosphere and doomy riffs, this is an experience for the listener. Even the cover of Seals & Crofts sickeningly mellow song "Summer Breeze" becomes a harsh doom affair that I'm sure the original composers never felt possible. A really good, unique album.

 

The stand out in the discography of this band is of course "October Rust", well at least for me. The band really had their shit together when writing and recording this album. From start to finish this is an intensely emotional, atmospheric album. One does not simply(tank cat into Mordor) listen, instead you feel this album in your very being. Sonically and lyrically, a masterpiece. 

"Impossible" is how I'd describe the difficulty in living up to "October Rust", and 1999's "World Coming Down" is a shadow of its predecessor. That is not to say that when you drop the needle on this one you'll feel the urge to lift it right back up. Well unless you're one of the other 999 people that picked up this set you won't be listening to it on vinyl. A slow, crushing affair that never lets up on the depressing atmosphere, this album will attempt to destroy you. 

 

The last album in the set is 2003's "Life is Killing Me". A slightly different Type O is found here; faster, less depressing, and frankly easier to listen to. I find myself not getting lost in this album like I do with "Bloody Kisses" or "October Rust", which is not really a bad thing. The big single, "I Don't Wanna Be Me" is actually really catchy and almost fun. This one ranks up pretty high in my opinion of the band's stuff, in no small part to nostalgia. It was at the end of my first year of high school when this album came out and I picked it up on CD. Having only heard a few of the band's songs before this, I was blown away and loved  this album. Because of that I went back through their discography and discovered some great stuff. Later that year I saw the band play live which, to anyone lucky enough to catch them before Pete Steele died last year(RIP) knows, was incredible!

 

All the albums come on this translucent green wax, which is very fitting with the green motif going on throughout the whole package. Plus if you hold the record up and look through it, it makes everything look dull and almost moldy or something. 

 

It came with these Type O slogan stickers too. I guess they're cool, I just never know what to do with stickers. I can't see myself putting "I KNOW YOU'RE FUCKING SOMEONE ELSE" on my bumper or something.

Are First Pressings Really Worth It?

There exists a common consensus among record collectors, well more than one actually. The one that seems to be of interest to almost everyone is the idea that first pressings are far superior to any subsequent reissues. Everyone seems to have an opinion on this, so let me give you mine.

First of all there is no simple answer. For some records the first pressing is definitely more desirable, yet for others the first pressings are no better than subsequent ones(sometimes they're even worse). The arguments are essentially threefold: 1) first pressings have the original mix and master, and therefore sound better; 2) first pressings have the original artwork and aesthetic presentation, thus look better; and finally 3) first pressings are more valuable. I'll explore these each individually.

1) Not always true. Many reissues retain the original mix and master, and are simply just the same record pressed again after the original sold out. Remasters are a different story and approach with caution. Stay away from digital remasters, these are usually just code for compressed and brickwalled pieces of shit. That said, some remastered records sound great. Particularly if the original master was done cheaply, in a rush, or by someone who maybe wasn't quite so talented or misunderstood the vision of the album. Refer to the last post and the Assassin album, it's a reissue/remaster and it sounds great. I also have this reissue, which is not remastered and sounds just as good as the original.

2) A lot of this can simply be personal preference. Yes many reissues have different artwork and come in different packaging, but is this always bad? The answer depends on whether you like the original or not. For instance Type O Negative's live album, "Origin of the Feces" has a cover that is literally the asshole of front man Pete Steele. I just don't care to see once, nor every time I go to play the record; the second pressing has a much different cover. There is also the example of these two records, first pressings in my collection.

Megadeth's debut, "Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good" and Dark Angel's deubt, "We Have Arrived", only have the artwork shown on the first pressings. The Megadeth album has some goofy looking cgi and the Dark Angel album is just a plain black cover with the band's logo. I much prefer the above versions to the subsequent pressings. Aside from poorly done versions of artwork(like those of the early Back On Black reissues), it really comes down to preference.

3) Almost always yes. First pressings are generally put out in limited numbers or only pressed for a certain amount of time, thus meaning they can become quite rare. There is also something valuable about being the "first", which I can't quite put my finger on. Barring reissues that come as part of boxsets, picture discs, or something else that adds to the value, first pressings are more valuable. Now that also means that you'll pay more for these, sometimes a ridiculous amount more. The records originally put out by Deathlike Silence in the early 90s fetch huge sums(hundreds, sometimes more), while other pressings can be had for reasonable prices.

So should you get the first pressing? It all depends and everything above mentioned. I hope this was enlightening, and good hunting.

Why I Love Going To Record Stores

 

Yes this is why I love the act of going into a record store and digging through bins to find gems. The hunt is just so much fun! I was recently in the excellent Princeton Record Exchange  in, you guessed it Princeton New Jersey. There's a reason this place is consistently put on lists of best record stores in the country. It has a huge selection, nothing but high grade records(you won't find anything less than VG), a great staff, and a generally fun atmosphere. I used to go all the time when I lived in Ewing, but now that I'm on the other side of New Jersey I don't get there too often unfortunately. Anyway, I picked up some really cool records and I'm never disappointed when I leave.

 

First up is Assassin's debut album "The Upcoming Terror". A classic of 80's German thrash, and very underrated in that scene. I love Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, and Mekong Delta as much as the next guy; but this band(and specifically this album) are fucking face ripping! This really sounds like the soundtrack to a war, actually given the cover and the imagery associated I imagine and 80's sci-fi movie. Listen to this and tell me it wouldn't be perfect for that scene in "The Terminator" when Reese tells Sarah Connor about the future, and the machines are rampaging all over humanity.

 

Anyway, this pressing is the 2011 remaster on 180 gram vinyl and bonus live tracks as side 4. I usually stay away from remastered records because they sound like shit. "Remastering" is often just code for compression and brickwalling, but this sounds awesome. It's on really cool looking orange wax, with the cover recreated on the label. A great release for sure. 

Up next is another face shreddingly awesome metal album, but not from the 80's German thrash scene.

 

Instead it's local New Jersey prog/power metal favorites, Symphony X and their 2011 album "Iconoclast". Incredible album for those into this style; shredding guitars, really powerful vocals, keyboards, and an overall high level of compositional skill. The wax is grey, which fits with the rest of the imagery. I love the art that Symphony X has on all of their releases, it really draws you into the concept of the album. There's even picture sleeves with even more art!

 

I picked up a used record as well, also from the metal section. Some might debate this one as not being quite metal, but I think it's close enough. 

 

Yep, it's Ratt's classic 1984 album "Out Of The Cellar". Spandex, Aquanet, makeup, some random hot chick, everything you'd expect from this time period and genre. But this also has really well written songs that are more than just radio pop songs. The guitar work is the highlight obviously, but Stephen Pearcy voice is not be overlooked either. Definitely one of the best of the genre. The record is actually a promo copy as you can see, which is cool I guess. The condition is almost perfect aside from two price stickers, but honestly when I pay 3 bucks for a record I don't care about things like that. 

And now for something completely different...

 

Kings Of Leon's 2010 album "Come Around Sundown". I'm sure anyone reading this has heard this band, they were all over the radio with their last album. Not much to say that hasn't been said already, just good old school style southern rock. Like a more laid back version of the first two ZZ Top albums or something, I really like it. I really like the gatefold cover with beautiful picture sleeves as well. 

Good finds, great store, lots of awesome music to keep me occupied for a few days.