Dispatches from Powerviolence: Top Ten Albums of 2009

It's January, and you know what that means: snow. But it also means we get to post our top ten albums from the year that was 2009. It's pretty much recommended you check these fuckers out, because if we like them, they have to be good. The following are all presented in no particular order.

The Hellion:
01. Goatwhore - Carving Out the Eyes of God
02. Old Canes - Feral Harmonic
03. Behemoth - Evangelion
04. Dying Fetus - Descend into Depravity
05. The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate
06. Tim Hecker - Imaginary Country
07. Gaza - He is Never Coming Back
08. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
09. Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - Living for Death, Destroying the Rest
10. Vader - Necropolis

Old Iron Blood:
01. Born of Osiris - A Higher Place
02. Burnt by the Sun - Heart of Darkness
03. Goatwhore - Carving out the Eyes of God
04. Katatonia - Night is the New Day
05. Suicide Silence - No Time to Bleed
06. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
07. November's Doom - Into the Night's Requiem Infernal
08. Secrets of the Moon - Privilegivm
09. Swallow the Sun - New Moon
10. Vader - Necropolis

Spleen Latifa:
01. Converge - Axe to Fall
02. Magrudergrind - Magrudergrind
03. Graf Orlock - Destination Time Today
04. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse
05. Coalesce - Ox
06. Gaza - He is Never Coming Back
07. The_Network - Bishop Kent Manning
08. Ben Weasel - The Brain That Wouldn't Die
09. The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of Wars
10. Napalm Death - Time Waits for No Slave
.... Honorable Mention:
11. Brutal Truth - Evolution Through Revolution
12. Defeatist - Sharp Blade Sinks Deep Into Dull Minds
13. Rise & Fall - Our Circle is Vicious
14. Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive
15. Dear Landlord - Dream Homes

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Earth Crisis Post Entire Concert Online

Stumbling around the interwebs, I found some news that over at your friendly neighborhood UVTV, footage from an entire recent live Earth Crisis show has been posted online. And just our luck, the video happened to be gnar-embeddable, so you lazy bums don't have to travel too far to get your hungry meathooks on the vid... Oh, and say what you will about EC, their politics, or the vegan/straight edge movement in general, but there is no denying they had some fucking sick records back in the day. Who can deny that live cut of their cover of Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love' from The Oath That Keeps Me Free? That shit fucking slayed tenfold... Honestly, I haven't delved into their newest record yet, so I don't have an opinion on where I stand with this current reformed Earth Crisis, but I'm adding it to my to-do list as we speak... jerks. So anyway, if you're a fan or even just mildly interested, pull up a chair, pop some popcorn, and enjoy the entire show while you floorpunch to your heart's content in the comfort of your own home or office.

Here's the setlist, in case you wanna be a dick and fast forward to your faves:

1. Against The Current
2. All Out War
3. Forged in the Flames
4. Wrath of Sanity
5. No Allegiance
6. Forced March
7. End Begins
8. To Ashes
9. Gommorah’s Season
10. Born from Pain
11. To The Death
12. Firestorm

Also, click thru to UVTV's site for the info to download this footage from iTunes... If that's your thing. Dirty fucks.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Maryland Deathfest Line-Up Posted

....... AND IT BE FUCKIN RIGHTEOUS.

I am seriously beyond jazzed after seeing this massive bit of news... Honestly, I had no idea how last year was going to be topped with the ridiculous line-up they had (Pig Destroyer, Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, Magrudergrind, The Red Chord, Trap Them, Rotten Sound, Weekend Nachos, Cephalic, Victims, Kill the Client, Venomous Concept, Bolt Thrower, Cattle D, Phobia, Birdflesh, etc etc ... just off the top of my head). But it seems the MDF braintank deserves yet another gold medal for bill-filling again this year, as the flyers below clearly show... Rhymes.

Last year was also the first to have indoor and outdoor stages, which helped a lot with not having to be velcro'd between two giant sweaty mouthbreathers in Pestilence and Mayhem shirts for 11 hours straight... so hopefully that stays the same. But holy sharkfuck, even the "pre-party" the night before is insane! All hail the 18 second song!

UGH... I'm seriously counting down the hours... Where to even begin??? Converge, Entombed, Capitalist Casualties, Total Fucking Destruction, Verbal Abuse, Magrudergrind, Trap Them, Birds of Prey, Iron Lung, XBRAINIAX, Pretty Little Flower??? I already have a grind/crust/violence/fastcore/hardcore boner. And it is good.

Official MDF VIII Site

Click the images to see them full size...

Dispatches from Powerviolence: That's Some Heavy Shit, Brah

We here at BFoH love some good old brutality, and we assume you do to. Because of this, I have a prepared a short list of insanely brutal jams to bash your head to. These might be heavy from start to finish, have crazy breakdowns, or just be so fast your they'll make your ears bleed. Of course there are many more intense songs out there, so these are just some off the top of my head, presented in no particular order. So have fun with these bad boys, ladies and gentlemen.

The Acacia Strain - Demolisher
From start to finish, this track with fuck your shit up. Not to mention, the breakdown is one of the best I've ever heard.

Carnifex - The Diseased and the Poisoned
This one will leave your body mutilated when you leave the pit.

Destroyer Destroyer - Horse Drawn
These guys are just completely insane.

Cephalic Carnage - Endless Cycle of Violence
Technical and fast as balls, this jam will make sure your brain doesn't work for the next 48 hours.

Ion Dissonance - OASD
Super technical. Super mathy. Super heavy.

See You Next Tuesday - In the End
Slow and monstrously heavy.

Me and Him Call It Us - Innocent Bystanders Watched in Horror as Peter Jennings Drew His Murder Weapon
Controlled chaos? Um, sort of...

Ani DiFranco - Red Letter Year
My friends, it doesn't get more brutal than trying to listen to this. Trust me.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Small Brown Bike is Back Together

Photo from smallbrownbike.com

I feel bad for sitting on this one for so long. At the beginning of October, Small Brown Bike announced they were getting back together. Not only do they have some shows scheduled, but they also said they are putting together new music, and to prove it, released a 7” with two new songs on it entitled “Composite, Volume One.” The lineup is the original members, so we should all expect the great music we loved from the band before they broke up.

Check out the band's new site here: Small Brown Bike

Dispatches from Powerviolence: The Belly Joins Twitter

Go ahead... I'll wait while you collect your jaw up from the floor.

I know, I know, the Twatter is supposed to be the end of intelligent thought, and yea, yea, we're bending over to the digital social-networking/communication flavor-of-the-week... BUT... over much deliberation in the Belly camp, we've decided we have one thing to say to that... go fuck yourself, ya prick, ya.

This will be a good thing, you will learn to love this, you will thank us in time... Duh, gurl.

How could you not be totally jazzed to get bursts of news/info/pics/whatever-the-fuck-we-want all throughout your day? This is going to be splendid gnarfuck relationship. Trust us. We're professionals.

So! You can now find us on the Twitter here.

So don't forget! Follow the fuck out of us!

http://twitter.com/bellyfullofhell

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.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Napalm Death, Toxic Holocaust, and Trap Them Tour

Looks like Napalm Death, Kataklysm, Toxic Holocaust, Trap Them and Coliseum are going on tour together. If you are in the mood to get your face slayed off, then I would make note of when this tour hits a town near you. Righteous!

04/10: Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
04/11: New York City, NY @ Gramercy Theater
04/12: Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
04/13: Cincinnatti, OH @ Madhatter
04/14: Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
04/15: Sudbury, ON @ Serbian Center
04/17: Worcester, MA @ New England Metal And Hardcore Festival
04/18: Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
04/19: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
04/20: Virginia Beach, VA @ Peppermint Beach Club
04/21: Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox Laundrolounge
04/22: Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
04/23: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
04/24: Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
04/26: Austin, TX @ Emos
04/27: Houston, TX @ Meridian
04/28: San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
04/29: Fort Worth, TX @ Ridglea Theatre
04/30: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
05/01: Phoenix, AZ @ Clubhouse
05/02: San Diego, CA @ SOMA
05/03: Los Angeles, CA @ Key Club
05/04: San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom
05/05: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
05/06: Seattle, WA @ Studio 7
05/08: Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
05/09: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
05/10: Lubbock, TX @ Tequila Jungle
05/11: Tulsa, OK @ Marquee
05/12: St Louis, MO @ Fubar
05/13: Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
05/14: Cleveland, OH @ Peabodys
05/16: Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
05/17: Montreal, QC @ Fourfounes
05/18: Quebec City, QC @ Imperial

Coliseum also has some dates without the other bands, so you might want to check those out as well. For more info check Here.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Converge Reveal Two New Songs Live

So fuckin... I got a camera into the Converge show this past friday... and fuckin... I totally filmed Converge's entiiiiiire set... and fuckin... The entire show was fuckin sick and shit... but fuckin... The totally coolest part of the fuckin night was when Converge played to two new songs in the middle of their fuckin set!!!

More true than funny.

But seriously... Converge/Coliseum/Genghis Tron/Ceremony/Rise & Fall/Pulling Teeth... Fucking righteous. Hands down will probably be this year's best non-festival concert lineup. Anywho, I put up the videos of the two new tracks from Bannon and Co. below, hosted by our good buds over at Metal Injection. This week I will be editing up and rendering out Converge's entire punishingly wonderful set, along with three Coliseum songs, and tossing them to Metal Injection to post up to their site. So be checking there throughout the week for more. As of right now, you can go check out the live vids for "Plagues" and "No Heroes".

Oh, also Cap'n Bannon said live that "these songs don't have names, so fuckin' make 'em up and put 'em on the internet, do whatever you want" ... So I did... And I liked it.

Song #1 - "Squanto on Thundercrack - Part IV (El Requiem Virtuoso)"


Song #2 - "Them Assholes Don't Know Shit About Dick!"


Photo credit - Justina Villanueva

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Coalesce to Release New LP

In 2007, I remember getting wind of the mighty Coalesce getting off their lazy asses and reuniting and then being sooo hella pissed when I realized I would never be in the same city when they were, meaning that I would be missing any and all chances to see a band that I've never had luck catching... Obviously I was MEGA pissed. Pissed enough that I used the word "hella" up there... I honestly thought this was a cruel joke, dangling my potential last chance in front of me by having the Coalesce fellers swing by the NYC area the exact same weekend I was home in Chicago... Pig Destroyer likes to pull that same bullshit repeatedly.

BUT a juicy little detail just came down the pipe, and it's gotten me all sorts of excited in the swimsuit area again. I just got word that Coalesce has finished wrapping up their new album of all new material (their first new full-length in a fucking decade) and has the release date all set for a Relapse Records roll-out... (fuck yea, alliteration!) ... and not only that, but they also set up a European tour this summer to support the June record release. The album is titled Ox and will hit the places wherever people legally buy music these days on June 9th.

In the meantime, enjoy "You Can't Kill Us All" live from their 2007 Detroit reunion:

Dispatches from Powerviolence: 1912 Records Brings the Rock (Cheap!)

Since we aren’t Wall Street CEO’s getting huge bonuses on the government’s money, most of us are pretty broke right now. But just because the economy sucks doesn’t mean we can’t continue to rock. Our buddies at 1912 Records have put together some pretty gnarly deals to help out all those who want to rage economically.

The best way to go would be the $65 “Triumvirate of RockNRoll” package. Ok, so at first you are thinking 65 bucks is still a little steep. Fear not, friends. You are getting a ton of shit from three bands. Count ‘em, three. Which bands? How about The American Black Lung, Long Live the Smoking Gun, and Blues. Plus, you get some label stuff. Now I have your attention, don’t I? Included are albums, shirts, sweatshirts, pint glasses, beer cozies, posters, buttons, etc. Now $65 is lookin’ pretty cheap, ain’t it?

Don’t be a fool. Check this out, ya knuckleheads.


Just look at all that gnarliness you'll be getting!


You can order and get a full list of everything included here:
1912records.com
or
1912records.bigcartel.com

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Fox from See You Next Tuesday Needs Your Help

Alright, it's been a while since we've seen you last, and I apologize from the deep, dark bottom of my cavernous soul. Life got wicked, shits needed to be taken care of... Except the damn apology!

Anywho, we're calling on you loyal Bellions to do some service for a good man... See You Next Tuesday singer Chris Fox requires some surgery, but like most of the ladies and gentlemen that make the music we so much enjoy, he's a little strapped for cash and is unable to afford the operation. Here's the word from the horse's mouth, so find it in your empty chests where a heart is supposed to rest to spare a little change if you can. The Belly has already fronted 20 bucks for the cause, now do your part. Take it away, Fox:

"Let me explain the story of what has been goin' on. The first day we arrived to Europe on this past tour, I noticed my right armpit was a little sore. I felt around and I noticed a hard lump about the size of a marble. Over time it kept getting more painful and larger. I saw a couple doctors while in Europe, and both of them wanted to cut whatever it is out on the spot, but, I couldn't do that because I was on tour and I would have been stranded in some foreign country.

"So, as soon as we landed I went to my family doctor here in Michigan. And he said the same thing, it needs to get cut out. Nobody seems to be sure what it is, the only thing they know it is not is a lymph node because it is too big. This thing is about the size of a golf ball now, so on the outside it looks about the size of an orange. It is very painful. It seems to be pinching off nerves or something because I get shooting pains across my chest and down my arm. Some days I can't even lift my arm up. And for some reason the back of my arm is always numb now. And it fucking sucks.

"Here is my problem. I tour with the band almost 80% of my time, therefore, I don't have a 'real job' to collect health insurance. So I'm pretty much fucked. I do have a job, I'm a tattoo artist, but it's pretty dead at the shop right now so I'm not making much. Not nearly enough to pay for this.

"So I'm on my hands and knees begging for help. I can't refuse this operation, it hurts so fucking bad that I can't stand it anymore. I've lived with this thing for almost two months now. I hate doing this shit because I feel so worthless, and I know times are tough everywhere for most everyone, but I have to ask for help from you guys. It is my last option at this point. I've set up a donation thing through Paypal, but of course the button isnt working. Please just go to Paypal.com and you can just send any amount to my email address, fabrfox@gmail.com from your account. If someone could donate a dollar or a quarter or anything I would be fucking stoked. It would be that much more than I have now. I would love you guys more than I do now and do whatever I can to make it up to you. If you can, please help me."

... How can you say no to a face like this:

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Review Considerations

The Spleen and I realized recently that we never gave a good way for people to send us albums for review purposes. So, if you want us to take a look at your shit and toss a review up here on the Belly, then send us an email at bellyfullofhell2@yahoo.com. We will give you all the info you need after that.

As a little disclaimer: We are not into kissing the asses of bands or labels. We will tell it like it is. If your album is great, then we'll let everyone know that they should check it out. If your album sucks, then we will let the world know that it should be avoided at all costs. If you album is mediocre, then the population will be warned. So hopefully your band kicks ass!

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Bomb the Music Industry! Reveal Details of New Album

Straight from the horse's mouth, sharkfucks... Today in a post on their die*Space page, Jeff clued us all in to some juicy details about the upcoming BTMI record that is apparently less than a month away. Scrambled, as usual, will be available for free download (donations don't give you AIDS, no matter what you heard, so try and be a little giving) on the Quote Unquote Records site, and like their last release, hard copies in CD and LP formats will be released on that forgotten gem, Asian Man Records.

Also, if you're into this kind of thing, you can go check out a track off Scrambled that's on the Quote Unquote 2009 sampler right here. But regardless, Jeff swears it's done and will be posted at the end of the month, and also gave a peak at the album art too, which you can use your peepers on below. Also, he says "It will contain a thirty-four page fanzine featuring ex-members of Latterman. We've met a lot of amazing people through music and a whole mess of them are kickin' mad knowledge about the shit they've learned over the years. From how to change your oil to how to make a decent salsa when it's not tomato season, to even more things printed by people who aren't in Mustard Plug. I'm pretty damn excited about it. So excited that I've been staring at my computer for twenty hours editing it." Sounds pretty sick to me... but as usual, I guess only time will fuck.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Blues Posts Free EP

If it already hasn't hit your fuckradar, the mighty Blues have posted up six tracks in the form of an EP titled Heavy Sci-Fi ready and willing for you to manhandle and rape it into your music catalogue for free (though there is a donation link as well if you're feeling extra saucy)... I haven't fully sunk my teeth into it yet, but right off the bat I notice much more singing from this vicious beast of a band... not that that's a bad thing at all. But lemme immerse myself in it more before I hastily give some sort of review. Regardless, who doesn't love free shit? Hop on it, gurl... and let the rock fuck you.

Click the album cover below to get shot over to Blues' myspace page where you can download the tracks...


And just for shits, here's a live vid of them playing the song "Aeterna Veritas" from this new stuff...

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Trap Them Listening Party/Chugging Contest TONIGHT

So in honor of our release from the shackles of self-imposed hiatus and laziness, I felt it necessary to alert you all to a wonderful shindig going down this evening out the Brooklyn way. One of the Belly's faves, the mighty Trap Them, birthed out their new album "Seizures in Barren Praise" unto the world two days ago (which sadly, the Spleen has yet to get his hands onto, but surely will soon enough, so expect a review in the near future... yes, I'm a douche. But you know that already.) and to celebrate this glorious day, the kind-hearted souls and merchants of destruction over at Deathwish Inc. decided to throw the NYC area a little hoedown... complete with a listening of the album and a chugging contest for prizes (fuck yes.) ... Hopefully we get to pick our poison of choice, cuz I'd rather not have to guzzle down pints of The Urine of Beers (fuckin' High Life), but if doing so could mean a cornucopia of Deathwish swag, mainline that shit straight to my gut.

Welcome back bruisers and losers to carnival of cacophony, and I hope to see all our east coast bare-knuckle bearfights at the Charleston tonight... Let's look at it as an unofficial welcome home party for your prodigal sons, The Hellion and Spleen Latifa.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: We are Fucking Back

Hello, world. Ok, so I know we have been saying we are coming back for quite some time. And we had lied, because we really didn't post much. That's about to change. I know what you're thinking: You assholes are lying again. I don't blame you. But this time I'm serious. Shit, I'm even about to post a new review! That's right, not just a "Heavy Rotation," which I will also post, but a full-on review. That's dedication.

Speaking of reviews, I think we are going to implement a bit of a change in the way those are handled. We have decided to start doing normal reviews so we can cover more albums than those that we would murder for and those that we hate. Don't worry, "So Sick It Hurts" isn't going anywhere. But when we put an album up under that, you better believe that it's the hottest shit you've ever heard. We are talking 10/10, can't stop listening to it, would kill anyone who stole it.

So get ready to get back into the action, because the Belly is rising like a phoenix from the ashes of... laziness.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Spleen has a Quarter-Life Crisis with Against Me!

'Tis true... I am well on my way to becoming that creepy old man I have always dreamed about. And now today, a quarter in, with twenty five long ones under my belt, I shed one tear for the fact that I am no longer eligible for MTV reality shows, leaving my 18-24 demographic behind in a blaze of glory.

Against Me! was one of my crisis gifts... Check out this widget thing below to watch rad realtime footage and photos taken by the band and uploaded to their site instantly and wirelessly while they are currently on tour. If you do some descent slueth work, you can find me making an ass of myself at their photoshoot.

Also, if even more gnarspecial news... The American Black Lung descends on NYC tonight. We love them. Tonight there shall be true raging. Rage with us, or forever hold your peace.

Be excellent to each other... Champagne for my real friends, and real pain for my sham friends.

Keep it wolf.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Keep Stopping By, Ragers!

Over the past few months, there has been quite a surge in the amount of visits Belly Full of Hell has gotten. While a few thousand visits over a couple of months might not seem that big of a deal compared to some other pages, I would like to point out that the Belly is still fairly new and not sponsored in any way. Any visits we get are through our own hard work and all our readers' efforts, and to us, watching the numbers steadily climb each month as more and more people stop by is pretty rad. So keep it up, Bellions, and get some of your lazy rock and roll friends to check us out as well. The Belly makes everyone's life a little more worth living.

Thanks again, everyone.

Dispatches from Powerviolence: Keep Commenting!

I noticed we are starting to get a few comments on the past couple of posts. Keep it up, guys. We want to hear from the people that read this site. The point of it is to create musical discussion, and the only way that you can get involved is by leaving your mark. Say whatever you want: piss us off, agree with us, piss off others that have left comments, agree with others that have left comments. Put up your own heavy rotations under ours. Let us know what you think is kicking ass out there. Seriously, if we weren't interested in what anyone else thought, we could just sit around and argue with each other about music instead of taking the time to post our opinions. It would be ideal to one day approach some sort of community feel, but that won't happen without everyone's contributions. We know that our readers are probably just as gnar as we are and obviously listen to the same shit, or you all wouldn't bother to check the blog, so let it out. Say all that stuff that's been sitting in your mind. Do it to it!

Okay, well I'm going to go get drunk now, so have a bitchin' Saturday.