GnarVideo of the Week: Every Time I Die - "Wanderlust"

In the immortal words of Thin Lizzy... the boys are back in town.

The Buffalo Shitty Dudes Extraordinaire have just released their first video from their upcoming album, The New Junk Aesthetic... and upon watching it, I am perplexed. Earlier this year, all the articles about ETID's album in the works claimed that they were "going for heavy again, something between Last Night in Town and Hot Damn!, a sound they were unconsciously drifting from with the last two albums, blah bitty blah blah blah"... However! This song sounds strikingly and solidly still in the southern/hard rock/groove/core vibe they seemed to always be growing towards, not really changing the current formula... Although! I will keep a verrrrrry open mind and sit anxiously hoping and wishing that this new album WILL live up to the early descriptions... the descriptions that sent me from 6 to midnight in three seconds flat.

Anywho! The video lies just south of this mini paragraph, and decide for yourselves how you feel about it. Honestly, the film stock treatment to the video footage is pretty rad, I really can't complain... except for some cuts of Keith looking shocked and closing a door that look the same over and over (just wait. you'll see)... Oh, and an interesting sidenote, all the drawn animation portions of the video were done by ETID's own second guitarist, Jordan. He also did the cover art of the new album, which you can see at the end of the vid when Keith puts his hands on his eyes... watch for it! ... Now eat it, fatboy. Enjoy!

Every Time I Die - "Wanderlust"

Featured Live Show: Apocalypse Hoboken at Ronny's

8.20.2009 - Ronny's - Chicago

If you’ve been following this site, you know that I love Apocalypse Hoboken. I’ve been into these dudes since I was in high school, and I don’t plan on getting tired of them anytime soon. So when I heard there was to be a “secret” show at a shitty venue like Ronny’s, I was super stoked. By “secret,” I mean they were added to a bill as “Plus Guest.” Everyone pretty much figured it out right away, especially because Todd posted it all over Spacebook. I figured this would make for a pretty large turnout, but surprisingly not as many people showed up as one would think. I suppose they are waiting for the upcoming shows instead. Why anyone would miss out on an opportunity to see the band play in a setting like Ronny’s is beyond me, but whatever.



Let me tell you a bit about Ronny’s, in case you’ve never been. This place is essentially a dive bar with a garage attached to it. The shows take place in the garage. They seem to have put some drywall up to deaden the noise, so now it feels more like being in someone’s basement. Plus, the sound is super shitty. So basically, seeing a band here is the same as seeing one at your friend’s house party. I like that. It reminds me of all the basement shows I’ve seen or played at. I hate places like the Metro or Congress Theater (both in Chicago). I want the band on my level without bouncers or anything like that. I want them to be able to give and take abuse. I want to pay only $7.

While other bands did play before Hoboken, I’m not going to comment on them because I didn’t really pay attention. I know everyone’s thinking that people who only show up for one band and ignore the rest are assholes. I usually don’t do that. But this night I did, so get over it. I’m getting older, and being close to the bar is important.



Of course AH’s set was fantastic. They played a decent amount of songs off of Now’s Not a Good Time, which is my favorite album. In general, they seemed to play a lot of stuff they don’t usually perform at shows. That works for me. Way to mix it up, guys. The same energy I expect from any Apocalypse show was present, and fortunately Todd kept all his clothes on this time around. I’m not sure how tight they sounded, but that’s because everything was all jumbled together. That isn’t their fault; it was just the room they were in. But really, it didn’t matter how well they sounded. The point is that it was an awesomely fun time, fueled by beer and music that makes my ass dance. Thank you, Apocalypse. I like it when my ass dances.



*Sorry about the shitty pictures. We walked to Ronny’s from my apartment, and it looked like it was going to start pouring at any second so I brought my crappy camera instead of my good one. Deal with it.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Welcome Back, Us

I’m not going to give the usual return of the Belly stuff where we promise to update more and all that, because, let’s be honest, that is kind of turning into a Boy Who Cried Wolf situation. But I am going to put up some new stuff for everyone to check out, and we’ll try to stay on top things a little better. This isn’t a promise; it’s just a statement.

We know you missed us, but we want you to know that we missed us, too.

How 'bout an Interview, Dummy: Josh and Wolf of The Chariot

So Sick It Hurts: Carnifex - "The Diseased and the Poisoned"

It's been quite some time since we decided an album was gnarly enough to warrant a coveted SSIH spot, but I think this release truly deserves it. This album is seriously brutal.

When this album first starts playing, I'm assuming most will think it sounds like every other deathcore disc out there right now. I understand this feeling. That's what I thought, too. But then something starts to click, and the record begins to take off a bit. Things get a bit faster and the guitars start to shred like taco cheese. The growls intensify and the percussion sounds dead on. This is when the listener will probably start to get the idea that this album might be worth the time. It's pretty good. Solid. On par. Then comes the first breakdown.

Seriously, these breakdowns are fucking insane. At the first destructive chug, I was hooked. Carnifex essentially took the essence of real death metal and paired it up with beatdown/moshcore. So when that pit starts, I'm not talking some Norma Jean circle in the suburbs; I'm talking straight-up, terrorizing mayhem. This is the soundtrack to bloody faces and broken limbs.

Like I said, everything else is solid, as well. The band is technical enough to keep you interested and even has dueling screams/growls to mix everything up. When I first heard this, it sounded like a mix between All Shall Perish, The Acacia Strain, and old On Broken Wings with an extra pinch of death metal.

This record has been on constant repeat since I got it. Check it out, but make sure you are ready to rage beforehand.

Check out a live vid of the song "In Coalesce with Filth and Faith":

Old Timers: Dillinger Four - "Midwestern Songs of the Americas"

I heart Dillinger Four. They are one of those bands you can always turn to when you simply want to break it down, especially while drunk. In 1998 they released what I personally believe is their best album. This album, of course, was “Midwestern Songs of the Americas,” and I’m going to tell you why I like it so much, gosh dangit.

This record had everything you could ever want. It was full of energy, yet remained catchy enough to have you pumping your fist to every track. Plus, D4 songs were made for sing-alongs. Or yell-alongs, depending on you look at it. While most of the other D4 albums are pretty good, there was something about this one that just sucked you in. Somehow, most of the songs seemed familiar, even if you had just heard it for the first time. Although, I guess a lot of punk rock could fall into that category, seeing as it is pretty formulaic. But I’m sticking with my statement. Plus, listening to this album would put you in a good mood faster than sucking down a bottle of cough syrup. Think of one bad time you had while listening to this album. You can’t. Unless you count throwing up on that cute girl you were interested in the first time you threw back a few brews in your friend’s garage while his parents were out of town trying to rekindle the love they never had in the first place. But you were having fun before the vomit assault, so I don’t know how much I want to count on that example.

What else do you want me to say? This was straight up guitar-driven punk rock. It was the stuff made for skate videos or for driving around with no point whatsoever. We all listened to Dillinger Four when we were younger. Every punk rocker was into them at some point. Knowing their songs was a prerequisite for punkness. So just play this thing and take a trip back to the time when your parents put a roof over your head, fed you, and your biggest responsibility was figuring out who was going to buy you beer each weekend. Ah, yes, the good old days.

Here's D4 playing "Super Powers Enable Me to Blend in with Machinery." It's a shitty video, but you would be surprised at how hard it is to find a decent video of these dudes.

How 'bout an Interview, Dummy: Trap Them

Your own valiant Spleen Latifa tagged along with the lovable scamps at Metal Injection to help out with their coverage of the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival way out in Worcester, Mass. Though we were barred from shooting any live footage inside the festival (which really blew massively hard cuz Trap Them and Municipal Waste's sets were damn near incredible), we managed to corral together close to about 20+ interviews with some of the bands on the bill. Below you will find one such encounter between myself and two parts of the wall of chaotic sound that is the mighty Trap Them. Enjoy the vid, and head over to Metal Injection for more of them...

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Screeching Weasel to Reform and Play Shows

In honor of this incredible news sent down from the heavens, I'm going to spare you the clever witty wordiness and let the man, the myth, and the legend, Ben Weasel tell you for himself... [editor's note: I am sooo getting the Weasel logo tattooed on my body... take THAT, uptight square society! ... and my mom.]

"I really want to give you the lowdown on the SW re-formation but there's honestly not a lot to say. Legal issues prevented me from doing my own band on my own terms over the past couple of years but thankfully those problems are all resolved now. The kind of stuff happens sometimes. I won't deny that those problems - which were really just the culmination of many years of a lot of other b.s. - left a foul taste in my mouth about SW.

But now that all the headaches are behind me I'm feeling great about it. I'm finally running my own band again and I'm really happy and excited to be back at it. I've got a killer line-up comprised of myself, Danny Vapid, Simon Lamb (the Ritalins), Justin Perkins (Yesterday's Kids) and Adam Cargin (Blueheels) (he's also the new Riverdales drummer) and we've got a great set list. And I'm thrilled to be playing in Texas - places like Houston and Austin were always great for Screeching Weasel in our touring days. We are only playing two other shows in 2009 (in the fall - they'll be announced next month) so we'll hope to see you at one of them"

.... How bout two live vids to wet your whistle?

"Slogans" - (live in Milwaukee)


"Supermarket Fantasy" - (live in some house, I'll put money on 'somewhere in the Chicagoland area')

Important Moments in Powerviolence: Ben and Greg Play with NIN Live

I'm not going to debate the validity of posting about Nine Inch Nails here, cuz a) yes, it's true, I'm not a giant fan, but b) I respect them and their contribution to rock and/or roll. In other words, if I was riding in a car, say in Chicago, with a tiny little blonde girl who loves industrial or an eccentric grad school student jazz session-drummer dude, and one of them put it on, I wouldn't start vomiting all over the interior and clawing viciously at my ear canals. However, I also wouldn't be walking around jamming them in my diePod either... But Dillinger on the other hand, I would give my right eye to. And not only cuz I think I would completely gnarsick with an eye-patch.

So in saying that, I present you with a once-in-a-lifetime coupling onstage at an Australian rock festival. It's no secret that Ben of DEP loves the shit out of Trent of NIN, from his own experimental electronic creations, to covering "Wish" on their Plagiarism EP, and covering it frequently live. But the coincidental shared bill in Australia lead to an opportunity for Trent to pull Greg and Ben onstage to play/sing along with the rest of NIN on "Wish." ... Best fucking part of the whole video? It was shot on what looks to be the sexiest video camera I have ever seen... the Canon 5d Mark II... Enjoy:

Review Your Face Off: Mastodon - "Crack the Skye"

When I got my hands on the new Mastodon, I was mega stoked. Who wouldn’t be? After seeing some of the reviews, I was getting myself ready to take in one of the best releases in a long time. Everyone was shitting themselves over this record. Well, friends, I am sorry to report that this album did not live up to my expectations. I know a million people out there are all going nuts right now saying that I don’t know something good when I hear it, but let me explain.

To begin, I need to point out that this album is a lot different than the albums of the past. Most of the edge from previous releases has been dropped in favor of what most people will likely call a more “focused approach.” Then again, remember how when Metallica started to suck, people said they were becoming more focused? I’m not saying that Mastodon is on its way to the world of suckdom, but I am saying that focus doesn’t always make for a better result. The ambition is certainly present on this album, and I give them all the credit in the world for that, but I am just left wanting more. On this release the band is purely progressive metal. The harsh vocals are completely gone, and there are obvious Pink Floyd influences present, among other heavy hitters in the progressive rock and progressive metal worlds. It’s also a lot catchier than anything they have done before. That can be good or bad, depending on how you want to look at it.

There is nothing wrong with Mastodon wanting to pursue an even more progressive sound than before. They do a good job of it. However, they do not do the best job of it. While all the major publications are going to be hailing this as one of the most important metal albums in some time, we need to remember that Mastodon is not an underground band anymore, and many of these magazines aren’t aware of what lesser known bands are doing. So to them, this is mind-blowing, but to a lot of people immersed in this type of music, other bands have already done much better and will continue to. While this record is an enjoyable listen, it doesn’t really hold up to an ISIS album for example. Perhaps an even better comparison would be to Between the Buried and Me’s “Colors,” which was fairly astounding in its progressiveness, but still managed to keep a huge amount of heaviness.

So while I was hoping I could place “Crack the Skye” into the “So Sick It Hurts” category, I simply can’t. It is by most standards a very good album, but it just lacked the punch I was hoping for.


Here is the video from "Divinations." You need to wait through some crap at the beginning. Another point, notice how this is shown on some TV Guide channel. What's the deal guys?