The Friday MP3 Shuffle #73

I'm not a big fan of Katatonia, never was. But I cannot get enough of Brave Murder Day (1996) or Sounds of Decay (1997). Why? Because the almighty Mikael Fucking Åkerfeldt from Opeth and Bloodbath sings on them. That's why.

How's that for words of wisdom, G?

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #73 (57 mb)

1. Katatonia - Brave (1996)
2. Grotesquery - The terrible old man (2010)
3. Deicide - Homage for Satan (2006)
4. Labrat - Clint Eastwood is very hard, innit? (2000)
5. Mumakil - Control (2009)
6. Nasum - I see lies (1998)
7. Torture Division - Terroreyes (2008)
8. The Haunted - Leech (2000)
9. Sepultura - Refuse/resist (1993)
10. Anal Cunt - Radio hit (1993)
11. Watchmaker - Conference call immolation (2002)
12. Vorum - Carved in dead flesh (2009)
13. Bolt Thrower - Realm of chaos (1988)
14. Slayer - Spill the blood (1988)

Pay for your music.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #94

(mp3) Elf - Never more
Available on S/t (1972)

(mp3) Bathory - In conspiracy with Satan
Available on S/t (1984)

(mp3) The Old Dead Tree - My friends
Available on The Perpetual Motion (2005)

(mp3) Misery Loves Co. - The drowing man (The Cure cover)
Available on Your Vision Was Never Mine To Share (2000)

(mp3) Monster Magnet - Look to your orb for the warning
Available on Dopes To Infinity (1995)

The worst video ever for the worst song ever by the worst band ever.

Any questions?

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #72

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #72 (53 mb)

1. Karma To Burn feat. John Garcia - Two times (2010)
2. Sonic Youth - Thunderclap (for Bobby Pyn) (2009)
3. Zeni Geva - Autofuck (1993)
4. Abandon - Piles of pigs (2004)
5. Torche - Piranha (demo version, 2008)
6. Will Haven - Dolph Lundgren (2001)
7. Spaceboy - Horses in great open spaces (1998)
8. Harkonen - Standing on the holey soles (2004)
9. Harvey Milk - Barnburner (2008)
10. The Dillinger Escape Plan - I wouldn't if you didn't (2010)
11. Handsome - Left of heaven (1997)
12. Helmet - Like I care (1997)
13. Jesu - Opiate sun (2009)

Pay for your music.

They wouldn't look at your body, they'd all look at your head.

There hasn't been nearly enough Ricky, Stephen and Karl around here lately. This is a little snippet from the first episode of the third series of podcasts.

Stephen brings up the subject of men who walk around in public with their shirts off, which somehow leads Karl to talk about 'avin 'is 'ead put on someone else's body an' that.

(zip) RSK - Head transplant
Full episode available on iTunes.

They rally round the family/With a blog full of skulls

Someone with the fantastic name Slusk has a neat blog right here which is dedicated entirely to skull paintings. Sixhundred and sixtysix skull paintings to be precise.

A brilliant idea and so metal it hurts. He makes a new painting every week, which means the project won't be complete until 2022. That's what I call dedication.

So go there, check it out, and perhaps sponsor a painting or two. Or maybe just admire the fine work.

(mp3) Earth - The bees made honey in the lion's skull
Available on The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull (2008)

(mp3) Capricorns - Drinking water from the skull of a hanged man
Available on River, Bear Your Bones (2008)

(mp3) Old Man Gloom - Skullstorm
Available on Christmas (2004)

(mp3) Mastodon - Crystal skull
Available on Blood Mountain (2006)

(mp3) Cannibal Corpse - A skull full of maggots
Available on Eaten Back To Life (1990)

Brant Bjork galore

Brant Bjork - maybe the coolest cat on the planet. If he was any more laidback he'd fall over and roll down the street like a tumbleweed.

After the massive desert rock compilation a while back I thought I'd give ya'll a bit more insight into the old Kyuss/Fu Manchu desert guru's solo output so far.

His latest album Gods & Goddesses (his ninth) kicks all kind of ass and is probably his best since the 1999 debut Jalamanta. Which was the album that inspired me to make this post in the first place, after watching these two Jalamanta retrospective clips on YooToob.

Everyone much watch them, right now. C'mon, it'll only be 13 minutes of your life and it will make you feel better.





Now that you've watched those, check these songs out, one from each album. And one from the short-lived Ché project which released one album in 2000, from which Bjork plays material in his live shows every now and then.

Then buy the albums, links are provided just below the mp3 link. I know you see them, now click them and exchange some money for some groovy tunes.

Then perhaps go to his website and buy some cool shit. Like this amazing DVD which is 78 minutes of pure desert porn.

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Sun brother
Available on Jalamanta (1999)

(mp3) Ché - Sounds of liberation
Available on Sounds Of Liberation (2000)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - From the ground up (we just stay the same)
Available on Brant Bjork & The Operators (2002)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - I miss my chick
Available on Keep Your Cool (2003)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Good fight
Available on Local Angel (2004)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Moda
Available on Saved By Magic (2005)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Video
Available on Tres Dias (2007)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Freaks of nature
Available on Somera Sól (2007)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Born to rock
Available on Punk Rock Guilt (2008)

(mp3) Brant Bjork - Blowin' up shop
Available on Gods & Goddesses (2010)

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #71

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #71 (46 mb)

1. Entombed - Wolverine blues (1993)
2. Fear Factory - Self immolation (1992)
3. Pantera - Fucking hostile (1992)
4. Burst - Callous (1998)
5. Motörhead - (We are) the road crew (1980)
6. Unsane - Sick (1998)
7. United Mutations - Combat boots (1982)
8. Origin - Disease called man (2000)
9. Voivod - Blower (1984)
10. Immolation - A token of malice (2010)
11. Neurosis - Origin (2007)

Pay for your music.

Shame on you, Dallas Toler-Wade.

I have just been informed that Dallas Toler-Wade, frontman of Nile since 2001, has shaved his head. What the fuck? When did that happen? And why has no one told me about it?

I'm so bummed out right now. Just look at that generic, boring look in the pic above. That's a disgrace. Why choose to look like that when you already have the ultimate look?

I am of course referring to Toler-Wade's majestic Jheri curl skullet.


Why choose to look like Oz Clarke when you can look like a someone who has lived on the streets for a decade and spent most of that time drinking gin and wanking in front of strangers?

You have failed me, Dallas. But most of all you have failed yourself.

(mp3) Nile - Kheftio Asar Butchiu
Available on In Their Darkened Shrines (2002)

(mp3) Nile - Chapter of obeisance before giving breath to inert one in the presence of the cresent shaped horns
Available on Annihilation Of The Wicked (2005)

(mp3) Nile - Laying fire upon Apep
Available on Ithyphallic (2007)

(mp3) Nile - Iskander D'hul Karnon
Available on Those Whom The Gods Detest (2009)

V/A - "Seven Gates Of Terror - A Tribute To Possessed" (2004)

A tribute to Possessed, one of my top 5 favorite death metal bands of all time. If anyone cares, the other four are Death, Entombed, Autopsy and Morbid Angel. Yes, I'm that predictable.

Opeth should probably in there somewhere as well, but they got so many other things than death metal going on so I sort of ruled them out. Bloodbath though is most definitely up there with the best of them. I guess if I made a top 6 they'd be on it. Bolt Thrower would be on a top 7.

But I digress.

These tribute albums are pretty rubbish 99% of the time, but this no doubt belongs firmly in the remaining 1%. Probably because the contributing bands on here are actually good, as opposed to the usual tribute records where you get a dozen bands you've never heard of and just wish it would've stayed that way.

(zip) V/A - Seven Gates Of Terror (link removed upon request)

1. Sadistic Intent - The exorcist
2. Impious - Fallen angel
3. Cannibal Corpse - Confessions
4. Pentacle - The beasts of apocalypse
5. Vader - Death metal
6. Diabolic - No will to live
7. God Dethroned - Satan's curse
8. Absu - Swing the axe
9. Sinister - Storm in my mind
10. Angelcorpse - Burning in hell
11. Krabathor - Evil warrios
12. Houwitzer - March to die
13. Amon Amarth - The eyes of horror

Buy everything Possessed @ Amazon.com.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #93

(mp3) Budgie - Breadfan
Available on Never Turn Your Back On A Friend (1973)

(mp3) Grails - Black sabbath
Available on V/A - Everything Comes & Goes: A Tribute To Black Sabbath (2005)

(mp3) Probot - Silent spring
Available on S/t (2004)

(mp3) Exodus - Metal command
Available on Bonded By Blood (1985)

(mp3) Serj Tankian - Beethoven's cunt
Available on Elect The Dead (2007)

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #70

Congratulations, readers. Your weekend is hereby saved.

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #70 (53 mb)

1. Ozzy Osbourne - The ultimate sin (1986)
2. Metallica - My apocalypse (2008)
3. The Cumshots - What bleeds must be butchered (2009)
4. Grotesque - Spawn of Azathoth (1990)
5. Bleeding Through - Death anxiety (2008)
6. Machine Head - Trephination (2001)
7. Opeth - Demon of the fall (1998)
8. A Perfect Circle - Rose (2000)
9. Deftones - Please please please let me get what I want (1995)
10. Snail - Cleanliness (2009)
11. Kylesa - Motion and presence (2005)

Pay for your music.

The Evening Redness in the West

As a big fan of Cormac McCarthy in general and Blood Meridian in particular, it's hard not to appreciate the hard work Mattias "Indy" Pettersson has put into his series of articles on the excellent blog Ny Moral. Three parts have been published so far, and there's more to come.

Highly recommended reading.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Then go out and buy the book.

(mp3) Lions of Tsavo - Blood meridian
Available on Firelung (2008)

Permission to lulz, sir.

Permission granted, private.

Some of my favorite comedians doing their thing. While you download and chuckle, I'm gonna eat a pizza, get drunk and watch Watchmen. Yes, at nine o'clock in the morning. Because I'm on my fucking summer vacation and that's just how I roll.

"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." - Pete Gibbons, 1999

(mp3) Doug Stanhope - Stuff I should have edited out but didn't
Available on Die Laughing (2002)

(mp3) Maria Bamford - Sexual harassment
Available on The Burning Bridges Tour (2005)

(mp3) Jeffrey Ross - Can I please put my balls in your mouth
Available on No Offense: Live From New Jersey (2008)

(mp3) Jim Gaffigan - Bowling
Available on King Baby (2009)

(mp3) Patton Oswalt - Obama... and time travel... and coolness... and the last racist
Available on My Weakness Is Strong (2009)

(mp3) Brian Posehn - Home protection
Available on Fart And Wiener Jokes (2010)

A bunch of stuff The Love Cow Ov Metal sent me

My dear friend and fellow metal blogger The Love Cow Ov Metal (who doesn't update his amazing blog nearly as often as I should like, by the way) and I have a small habit of sending shit to one another.

By "shit" I mean stuff we're sick of and is just cluttering the place up. This is the latest batch of CDs I got, which arrived about two months ago. Along with a variety of other items, including a condom. The good news is it wasn't used, the bad news is it was too small. I'm told "small" is the only size available in Finland.

First off we have the 2009 EP Apeiron by Welicoruss. Never heard of 'em. According to Metal Archives they are a Russian symphonic black metal band.

Not really my cup of tea, but it's not too bad. If you're into Dimmu Borgir or something along those lines this could be something for you.

(zip) Welicoruss - Apeiron (2009)

The next is more up my alley: the 2008 album Let The Empires Fall by Canadian blackened death metallers Grimbane. Some pretty ripping stuff on here. Not sure why they've put the intros on separate tracks though. That's a bit annoying.

Track #4, Obscurity Reigns is the stand-out for me. Probably because the opening riff reminds me Angelcorpse's Phallelujah, one of the most badass tracks ever recorded. You can find it on my Friday MP3 Shuffle #7, where it sits comfortably next to fifteen other excellent tracks.

(zip) Grimbane - Let The Empires Fall (2008)

Then there's depressive/depressing Australian black metal duo Wither and their self-titled promo disc from 2008.

This type of snail-paced black metal with shoegaze flourishes and post-rock guitars is something I'm usually all over, but it's just not the right time of year to listen to this. The same way I can't listen to Kyuss in the middle of the winter, I can't listen to this in the middle of the summer. It just doesn't fit when I'm sitting here with my shirt off (stop drooling, Love Cow) and a cold drink in front of me.

I'll get back to this in Decemeber when I will surely love the shit out of it.

(zip) Wither - S/t (2008)

I don't know who Dajana Winkel is, but she sure is good at hyperbole and just being pretentious in general. The promo sheet she's written for Sidewaytown's 2007 album Years In The Wall is so exaggerated I'm almost convinced it's a joke.

It starts with "When an oppressed soul seeks salvation and the hungry mind restlessly reaches for the new, the it's time to narrow the present, separating the past from the future..." and it only gets worse from there.

Apparently this is a project by Markus Baltes (who?) from the band Autumnblaze (who?). If you say so, Miss Winkel. Some sort of post-rock with shoegazy stuff in it. Usually something I'd dig, but Sidewaytown just rubs me the wrong way somehow. It's sound like someone got some records by My Bloody Valentine and Explosions In The Sky for Christmas and decided to form a band and missing the point completely. Very atmospheric, but no songs to speak of.

If you're into this stuff, give it a go. Perhaps you'll like it better. Personally, I'll just keep listening to The Constants.

(zip) Sidewaytown - Years In The Wall (2008)

Brown Jenkins' 2007 EP Dagonite was exactly what I needed to rinse my ear of that slimey muck that calls itself Sidewaytown.

Noisy, underproduced doomy black metal with all levels in the red. So trebly it's sure to crack your speakers. Very excellent and very recommended. Why this works in the summer as opposed to Wither is beyond me though.

(zip) Brown Jenkins - Dagonite (2007)

More black metal, this time from Austria. I haven't really had the time to properly listen to this one - Vobiscum's 2007 album Berchfrit - but the album cover and songtitles such as Norland and Mordgang live up to any black metal fan's expectations. They even have the obligatory unintentionally amusing band photo.

Just had a quick listen to it, and Freydregg Ild is a great song. I'm sure there's more goodies to find, I should listen to this more closely one of these days.

(zip) Vobiscum - Berchfrit (2007)

I'm gonna save the worst for last: Zuul FX's 2007 album Live Free Or Die. Overproduced, thrashy industrial stuff (or is that industrial thrash stuff?). This is a promo which has three tracks missing. Thank fuck for that.

Pseudo-heavy riffs, a pseudo-angry singer, pseudo-technical arrangements. A pseudo-record from a pseudo-band.

For pseudo-metal fans only.

(zip) Zuul FX - Live Free Or Die (2007)

Alright, that's it for now.

Keep an eye on your mailbox, Love Cow. You should get a neatly wrapped packet of goodies in the next few days.

So... the new Mastodon EP then

As not enough people know, Mastodon's soundtrack EP for Jonah Hex is out and it is tit-fuckingly good. Which should come as a surprise to no one.

It's like Remission and Leviathan all over again.

Desert Rock galore

(Repost from July 2nd 2009. Of all the mixes I've made on my blogs this is easily in the top 5. It's fucking amazing.)

One year ago today Natasha Shneider died, which was more traumatic for me than Michael Jackson snuffing it, that's for damn sure. Because unlike Wacko Jacko who burned out 20 years ago, Natasha still had much to offer.

For most of her active music career she played in the sadly overlooked band Eleven with her husband Alain Johannes and together they formed what was probably the my favorite musical couple of all time.

The two of them also collaborated on Chris Cornell's magnificent 1999 solo debut Euphoria Morning and played a big part in that album turning out as well as it did. Shneider & Johannes would also frequently work with musicians from the Palm Desert scene, which brings us to today's flawless mix.

I've put put together a zip file of some of my favorite songs by the most important bands of this scene. This is one of the more incestuous music scenes known to man, with everyone playing in a number of bands, to the point where it's sometimes difficult to determine where one band ends and another begins. It's also defined by a remarkably relaxed approach, where the music itself and the creation of it was more important and any rock star dreams. I guess that happens naturally when you live out in the desert and spend most of your days smoking weed and avoiding scorpions.

While a lot of the bands often incorporate elements of any music they happen to like, whether it's blues, pop, surf, psychedelia, Latin, etc., the Palm Desert bands have a common link in the riff heavy bands of the 70s and the punk bands of the 70s and early 80s. A lot of these bands, if not all them, are somehow connected to the mythical studio Rancho De La Luna, situated in the middle of nowhere in the deserts of south east California.

I'll do my best to explain how they all relate to one another.

Eagles Of Death Metal: First appeared on the Desert Sessions album Vol. 3 & 4 in 1998 and consisted of Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Desert Sessions, Mondo Generator) and his childhood friend Jesse Hughes. The debut album Peace Love Death Metal was released in 2004.

Brant Bjork & The Bros: Brant Bjork's music career was kicked off when he played drums in Kyuss between 1989 and 1993, at which point he left and was replaced by Alfredo Hernández (Queens of the Stone Age, Orquesta del Desierto, Mondo Generator, Ché, Brant Bjork & The Bros). He then went solo and became a frontman, releases a number of records.

Orquesta del Desierto: Formed in 2002 and features Dandy Brown of Hermano, Mario Lalli of Yawning Man and Fatso Jetson, and at one point featured Alfredo Hernández. Also featured Pete Stahl (Desert Sessions, Queens of the Stone Age).

Yawning Man: The godfathers of the Palm Desert Scene, forming as early as 1986 and were the main influence for bands like Kyuss. Features Gary Arce (Ten East, Fatso Jetson), Mario Lalli (Orquesta del Desierto, Fatso Jetson) and Alfredo Hernández and once featured Billy Cordell from Unida. Cordell currently plays in Brant Bjork's back-up band The Bros.

Kyuss: The definitive stoner rock/desert rock band, the one who put the place, the scene and the genre on the map. Existed between 1989 and 1995 and featured such Palm Desert alumni as Josh Homme, John Garcia (Slo Burn, Unida, Hermano), Scott Reeder (Unida), Nick Oliveri (Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions, Mondo Generator) and drummers Brant Bjork & Alfredo Hernández.

Fu Manchu: Stoner rock legends in which Brant Bjork played drums between 1997 and 2002. Fu Macnhu now features drummer Scott Reeder who should not be confused with the Kyuss/Unida bassist of the same name.

Hermano: After Kyuss split up, singer John Garcia formed the band Slo Burn. After that fell apart he first formed Unida, and then his current band Hermano which features Dandy Brown of Orquesta del Desierto.

Mark Lanegan: Came into prominence as the singer of Screaming Trees, which for a short while featured Josh Homme on rhythm guitar. Has worked with Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions, Mondo Generator, Masters of Reality etc.

Queen of the Stone Age: Formed by Kyuss guitarist Josh Homme after leaving Screaming Trees in 1997 and the first line up consisted of Screaming Trees bassist Van Connor and Alfredo Hernández. QOTSA has at one point or another featured most people mentioned in this post.

Masters Of Reality: Was formed by singer/guitarist Chris Goss (who produced several of Kyuss' albums) in 1986. Has featured among others Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri and Mark Lanegan.

Mondo Generator: Was formed by Nick Oliveri in 1997 and has featured Dave Catching (Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions, earthlings?, Eagles of Death Metal), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, earthlings?), Mark Lanegan, Josh Homme and Alfredo Hernández.

Desert Sessions: A loosely formed project orchestrated by Josh Homme. Their first release, Vol 1 & 2, came out in 1997 and featured members of Monster Magnet and Soundgarden. On the ten volumes released so far Desert Sessions has, not unlike QOTSA, featured nearly everyone mentioned in this post at one point or any other.

Fatso Jetson: Formed in 1994 by Yawning Man members Mario and Larry Lalli. The band once featured Brant Bjork on rhytm guitar and has been produced by both Schneebie of earthlings? and Chris Goss.

earthlings?: Formed in 1994 and featured Fred Drake, the owner of the aforementioned Rancho De La Luna, until his untimely death in 2002. Also features Dave Catching (who currently runs and lives at Rancho De La Luna), Gene Trautmann (Queens of the Stone Age), Molly McGuire (Mondo Generator, Queens of the Stone Age, Mark Lanegan), and Pete Stahl.

Ché: A shortlived side project formed in 2000 by Dave Dinsmore (Unida), Alfredo Hernández and Brant Bjork. Released their only album Sounds of Liberation the same year.

Nebula: A band formed in 1997 by Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano after they left Fu Manchu. Once featured Scott Reeder (Kyuss) on bass, and now features Rob Oswald (Mondo Generator) on drums.

Ten East: A desert rock supergroup consisting of Gary Arce, Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and others.

Unida: Formed after the split up of Kyuss and Slo Burn, and featured Billy Cordell and Kyuss members John Garcia and Scott Reeder.

Phew! Damn, that was as exhausting as it was confusing. Did you really read the whole thing? Did you make any sense of it? If so, you have my respect.

Ah well, enough of that, let's move on to the music, which to me is the ultimate summer music. Maybe it's the desert thing, but I always felt these bands worked better in the summertime when the sun is burning on your face so badly you can almost feel the desert breeze and the sand in your hair and all you want to do is have some tequila, jam some mellow tunes and watch the sunset.

(zip) Metal Bastard's Desert Rock Collection (81 mb)

1. Natasha Shneider - Intro (2002)
2. Eagles of Death Metal - Only want you (2004)
3. Brant Bjork & The Bros - Gonna make the pony trot (2005)
4. Orquestra Del Desierto - Make fun (2002)
5. Yawning Man - Split tooth thunder (2005)
6. Kyuss - Asteroid (1993)
7. Fu Manchu - Pigeon toe (1999)
8. Hermano - Landetta (motherload) (2002)
9. Mark Lanegan - On Jesus' program (2002)
10. Queens Of The Stone Age - The most exalted potentate of love (2003)
11. Masters Of Reality - Also ran song (live, 2002)
12. Mondo Generator - Four corners (2003)
13. Desert Sessions - Jr. High love (1998)
14. Fatso Jetson - Fucked up & famous (1999)
15. earthlings? - Family Ford (2002)
16. Ché - Blue demon (2000)
17. Nebula - Do it now (BBC Session, 2001)
18. Ten East - Spiritual hangover (2006)
19. Unida - You wish (1999)
20. Dave Catching - Outro (2002)

Buy 'em @ Amazon.com.

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #69

Woooooooooooooooooooo! Friday! Wahooooooooo! July!

Summer! Sun! Drinks! Slappers! Wooooohoooooooo!

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #69 (46 mb)

1. Lions of Tsavo - Chi Chi get the Llello (2005)
2. Entombed - Year one now (2001)
3. Slipknot - Get this (1999)
4. Withered - Drawn black drapes (2008)
5. Slayer - Temptation (1990)
6. Metallica - Dyers eve (1988)
7. Tool - Useful idiot (1996)
8. Mary Beats Jane - Old (1994)
9. Green Jellÿ - Fight (1994)
10. Heiress - Communionist (2010)
11. In Flames - Everdying (1994)

Pay for your music.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #92

(mp3) Tomahawk - Omaha dance
Available on Anonymous (2007)

(mp3) Nirvana - Serve the servants
Available on In Utero (1993)

(mp3) Alice In Chains - Don't follow
Available on Jar Of Flies (1994)

(mp3) Bloody Panda - Circle and tails
Available on Split 12" w. Kayo Dot (2006)

(mp3) Mudvayne - Dig
Available on LD 50 (2000)