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?

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: Original Misfits Reunite w/ New Album and Tour in Mind!

Get ready to crap yourselves, Bellions! It was announced a few days ago that the original members of The Misfits are working on a new studio album and planning a tour to support it sometime in late summer. By original lineup, I mean those present on Static Age. That makes Danzig, Jerry Only, Mr. Jim, and Franche Coma. Weirder yet is the fact that Glenn brought up the idea and set everything up.

Supposedly the album is almost done, and the band was trying to hide the fact that it was in the process of being recorded. Danzig has stated that the new record will be called “Wicked Nights,” which is a super lame name, but whatever. He also said that the tour with be with The Damned and HorrorPops. Think what you want about that.

That's all I know at this point. But sweet!

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