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?



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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!



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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.



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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.



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Funebrarum - Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods

PESTILENCE.

A lesson in SHRED from these Dutch Thrash-masters!

Lots of cool riffs & solid drumming to be found here; the vocals are pretty standard fare for the day, and while the bass is killer too, it could have used a boost in the mix - just my opinion. Overall, this is an amazing record for the genre - one that I haven't been able to stop listening to (again) as of late.

Did I just write a review?

(No, but I will tell you that Santa is bringing me a new "axe" for the yuletide season coming up shortly, and I plan to start working on my chops - this record will be a point of reference along the way).



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Pestilence - Malleus Maleficarum

MALEVOLENT CREATION.

You pretty much know that you're gonna get a beating when you throw on a Malevolent Creation CD, but with Envenomed, prepare to receive the most vicious attack from their vast arsenal!

While "Retribution" may be the "classic" of their prolific output, it is THIS recording I keep going back to.
I feel that this may be their most adept lineup - their level of brutality at the time of this recording was relentless, to say the least.

Enjoy the savage violence that could only culminate from a band whose roots were sown in the NY Death scene prior to becoming kings in their own right upon migrating south to the FL Death scene...



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Malevolent Creation - Envenomed