D.O.A.

Well, the holiday season is in full-swing - I've defintiely been enjoying the down-time - and I thought I'd make my year-end post in grand style, so here is the namesake-classic hardcore album of the genre itself.

Let's all be thankful that Chuck Biscuits is still with us, shall we?



(Link will open in new window)

D.O.A. - Hardcore '81



*Ahem*

There will be NO Lo-Res Viscera end-of-year best-of list.

That stuff is all pretty trivial in my opinion - working at a snobby indie/altie record shop for a few years in the past definitely changed the way I LISTEN to music, and it took me some time to figure out (once again) how to feeel confident & find my own voice when it comes to writing about great bands/records that move me.

I'm positive I would bum out a good portion of the blogosphere if I was to post my "Shittiest-and-Most-Overrated-Records-of-2009" list, and so - seeing as how I'm not out to make any new enemies - I'll keep that one to myself (although it would probably read like 57% of Decibel Mag's Best of 2009)...

JOE STRUMMER 1952 - 2002.

Thanks for a lifetime of inspiration, sir.

DOUG STANHOPE.

A fuckin' comedic genius for sure.
98% of the time he's not even riffing, he's just "telling it like it is".

The references & comparisons to the late, great Bill Hicks can stop now, cuz for my $$$, Stanhope is even more "real" - especially when he starts frying on acid halfway through his set...

Your average joe-type for sure, but he's spot-fuckin' on when he spits it.
There's a million rappers out there AIN'T this real, son!

DANE FUCKING COOK HE AIN'T, SO IF YOU THINK HE'S FUNNY - GET THE FUCK OUT!



(Link will open in new window)

Doug Stanhope - The Acid Bootleg

NASUM.

Grindcore is a strange beast for most folks.
In fact, hardly any of my metal-loving friends listen to it as much as I do.
I find it to be very soothing, and - believe it or not - "quite melodic".

The Swedish unit known as Nasum were a force to be reckoned with, and this album by them is one of my favorites of said genre. The production on this one is top-notch - everything sounds so clean. There's a controlled chaos that interjects the madness with some excellent hardcore-fueled riffage. They maintain the energy they have always been known for - along with more vivid tales of human strife - but it's a damn shame that the Tsunami of Xmas 2004 dealt them the final blow in the death of Mieszko.

Thanks for all the great memories, Nasum.



(Link will open in new window)

Nasum - Helvete

*420th. post - just sayin*

FUNEBRARUM.

Been sitting on this one awhile, letting it sink in, or rather I have been sinking into the depths of cold, dank vintage Swedish-style death metal...

While these guys conjure the sprit of greats such as Nihilist / Enotmbed, this AIN'T no retro rehash, brother. This shit stands on it's own like few contemporary bands can do it. It doesn't stop there either, as these guys gurgle & shred in their own unique way.

Each release is solid, and I gotta thank reader Memphis Ben for turning me on to these guys.

Did I also mention that this is a "Daryl Kahan" band?
Yeah, check the Taste of Fear post I did a while back - having Citizens Arrest & Assück on your resume' certainly ain't no joke, son.



(Link will open in new window)

Funebrarum - Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods