Marc Maron + Zach Galifianakis = ♥

I can't for the life of me remember who it was, but one of my readers (was it mmrules perhaps? Would make sense if it was) told me ages ago to check out Marc Maron's podcast WTF, in which he interviews fellow comedians. Everyone from Robin Williams to people you've never heard of.

"Sent ska syndaren vakna", as they say. I finally got my thumb out of my ass and checked it out, and now I'm hooked. Favorites so far include the two Louis CK episodes, the Judd Apatow ones, and everything with Patton Oswalt.

And of course this one: Zach Galifianakis interviewed on the set of Due Date. The best part of it? When Zach talks about the 14 year old girl who works on his farm whilst desperately (and unsuccessfully) trying to not sound creepy about it.

(mp3) Marc Marcon - Zach Galifianakis interview
Available on the WTF Podcast.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #110

Yeah, I know I did a Juices Flowing post just yesterday and I usually try to space them out a bit, but whatever. Here's another one.

All y'all fellow Cormac McCarthy devotees out there know exactly what "an inquest concerning teeth" is referring to.

Aight?

(mp3) Metallica - St. Anger
Available on St. Anger (2003)

(mp3) Katatonia - Soil's song
Available on The Great Cold Distance (2006)

(mp3) The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Hate incarnate
Available on When We Are Done Your Flesh Will Be Ours (2001)

(mp3) Earth - An inquest concerning teeth
Available on Hex: Or Printing In The Infernal Method (2005)

(mp3) Alice In Chains - Died
Available on Music Bank (1999)

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #109

(mp3) Retaliation - Sweden will burn to the ground
Available on The Cost of Redemption (2008)

(mp3) Anthrax & Public Enemy - Bring the noise
Available on Attack of the Killer B's (compilation, 1991)

(mp3) Crystal Pride - Song for Jeanne D'Arc
Available on Silverhawk (ep, 1982)

(mp3) Pig Heart Transplant - Conquering the flesh
Available on Hope You Enjoy Heaven (2009)

(mp3) Bon Jovi - Burning for love
Available on S/t (1984)

Åkerfeldt + Wilson = Storm Corrosion

Blabberpenis reports:

The much-anticipated collaboration project between OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt and PORCUPINE TREE's Steven Wilson, tentatively dubbed "Storm Corrosion", has completed writing material for its debut album. Wilson says, "There's still a lot of recording work to do, but this should definitely be out in early 2012."

In fall 2010 interview with the U.K. branch of Roadrunner Records, Wilson stated about "Storm Corrosion", "It's nice to know that what [Mikael and I] always suspected was that when we actually got together [and began collaborating on songs], it was gonna be quite easy. It was also in the back of your mind, thinking, 'Maybe it won't work.' Maybe it [was] just built up so much [in my head before we started writing material], and it was so easy. So easy. And the music was so crazy and so inspiring to both of us. So I think that was good to feel, like, 'It's gonna work.'"

Regarding the similarities and differences between PORCUPINE TREE and OPETH and how they play into "Storm Corrosion", Wilson said, "The funny thing is that the music we're making together is actually nothing like either of us made before. Because I think we both had this idea of this kind of music that we knew we couldn't get our bands to play, but that we both kind of understood where we were coming from. 'Cause we have this kind of passion [for] very experimental, obscure records, almost orchestral in their scope. And we wanted to make a record like that for a long time."

He continued, "It's a long way from metal and it's a long way from anything that, I think, Mikael has ever done, including the 'Damnation' record [from OPETH].

"I think a lot of people thought, 'Oh, it's gonna be like 'Damnation'.' It's not; it's a long way from that, too. And it's actually a long way from anything I've done; [it's] possibly closer to aspects of things I've done, but really quite distinct from anything I've ever [released]. [It's] very orchestral, lots of strings, lots of guitars and vocals, too. Lots of very long songs that kind of go in different directions that you don't necessarily expect them to go in — almost theatrical in a way. And we both kind of admitted to ourselves that there are a lot of fans out there that are probably gonna hate it. But we're doing it for us."

He added, "The one thing we didn't wanna do is get together and do a prog-metal supergroup, which would have been so easy to do — and kind of expected, in a way. And, you know, we might do that anyway one day. But this time around, we thought, 'Let's just do this [kind of] record.'

"Some people will love it and some people will not, and that's OK, because, in a way, I don't think we wanted to just give what was expected, and we're certainly not doing that."

On the topic of the recording process for "Storm Corrosion" and whether Steven and Mikael are self-producing the new project, Wilson said, "It's great, because in many respects, Mikael is the closest I know to someone who is... How do I put this? He's the equivalent of me in his band. He's like the captain of the ship and we kind of understand each other — all the frustrations of being in that position, all the stresses and pressures of being in that situation — so because of that, there's no ego thing at all — yet! [Laughs] But we're both kind of control freaks, in a way, so that's kind of a strange situation to be, where you're working with someone where you don't feel any of those issues and you have that complete trust. So we're just like... [I go], 'Here, you have the guitar. Do something amazing.' And he does. And then I'm like, 'Oh, I've got an idea for that,' and I do some keyboard thing. And he's like, 'That's amazing! I love that.' And so it's really... It sounds like we're kind of blowing each other the whole time... [Laughs] But it's just so much fun. And that's the important thing — I think it's fun. Because there's no ego and there's no pressure. Because people don't know what to expect."

He continued, "We've kind of already resigned ourselves to the fact that we're gonna do something that people are gonna hate, anyway. I mean, I'm exaggerating... I'm sure a lot of people are gonna dig it. But people are gonna be surprised by it.

"We're not giving people what they expect, so there's little pressure, really — there's very little pressure. It's just literally swapping instruments and I'm kind of recording it on my own system."

Although former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy was initially supposed to be part of the project, it now appears that he will no longer be involved.

"To be honest, there's just no room for drums on what we've done so far," Åkerfeldt told Classic Rock magazine last year. "I called Mike up, and he was cool about it. He's got so much going on anyway, and I'm sure we will work together in the future."

Bring it on! Bring it!!

Between this and the upcoming Opeth album, which apparently will sound nothing like Opeth, I don't know which one I'm more excited about.

(mp3) Porcupine Tree - This is no rehearsal
Available on Stupid Dream (1999)

(mp3) Opeth - To rid the disease
Available on Damnation (2003)

To finish things off in style, here's a video of Steven pwning Mikael in a prog quiz:

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #107

I had a bit of a scare yesterday.

I discovered Mediafire.com, which is where I host my files, had overgone a massive software update, and no matter how hard I tried it just wouldn't let me upload any new files. It just told me there was an unexpected error with the uploader, and that I should refresh the page and try again.

I refreshed the page and tried again. Same thing. I think I refreshed the page and tried again about eight times, each of them more agitated and ready to throw the laptop out of the window.

Turned out I just needed to update my old browser. I did so, and everything was fine. Phew.

Just think of how close you were to not getting to hearing this MP3 shuffle today. A terrifying scenario, isn't it?

(mp3) MP3 Shuffle #107 (56 mb)

1. The Cumshots - Conqueror of canyons (2001)
2. Torture Division - Vampire empire (2011)
3. Gadget - Förbrukad (2004)
4. Fear Factory - New breed (1995)
5. Bloodbath - Drink from the cup of heresy (2008)
6. Nile - Utterances of the crawling dead (2009)
7. Evocation - We are unified insane (2010)
8. Shining - Låt oss ta allt från varandra (2007)
9. Moment Maniacs - Haunted (1999)
10. Mongo Ninja - And you will know us by the stench of cock (2010)
11. Nothing More To Eat - Giant octopus of the gulf of Finland (2010)

Pagar por tu música, chingada.

V/A - "We're A Happy Family: A Tribute To The Ramones" (2003)

Yeah, I'm still on that Metallica trip at the moment and find it hard to listen to anything else. Thanks for that, Mick Wall. Seriously, read Enter Night. F-ing brilliant.

Going over every last little bit of Metallica in my collection (including sitting through the painful 18 minutes of bass & guitar solos on Live Shit: Binge & Purge), I stumbled upon a deleted scene on the Some Kind of Monster DVD where the band talked about their contribution to the Ramones tribute We're A Happy Family. I had completely forgotten they were on that one and raided my home in search for it. I eventually found in the back of a closet amidst other records I haven't played for years.

Their rendition of 53rd & 3rd is pretty damn sweet, and I love that Lars sings Dee Dee's verse. That guy has a cool voice, he should do that more often.

Like all tribute albums, it's very hit and miss. Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Pete Yorn and Garbage are completely useless, whereas Marilyn Manson, Eddie Vedder (backed by the badboys in Zeke) and Rancid fare better.

(mp3) Eddie Vedder & Zeke - I believe in miracles
(mp3) Marilyn Manson - The KKK took my baby away
(mp3) Metallica - 53rd & 3rd

Buy it @ Amazon.com

Zep cuvvahs

Let's be honest - as great as they were, Led Zeppelin were little more than a cover band, albeit an unofficial one. Here they are covered by others. Just because.

The one by A Perfect Circle is fucking amazing.

(mp3) Life of Agony - Tangerine
Available on Soul Searching Sun (limited edition, 1997)

(mp3) The Sword - Immigrant song
Available on Split 12" w/ Witchcraft (2007)

(mp3) Nirvana - Heartbreaker (live)
Available on With The Lights Out (compilation, 2004)

(mp3) A Perfect Circle - When the levee breaks
Available on eMOTIVe (2004)

(mp3) Unsane - Four sticks
Available on V/A - Endangered Species (compilation, 1990)

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #108

(mp3) Metallica - Loverman (Nick Cave cover)
Available on Garage Inc. (1998)

(mp3) Swans - Half life
Available on Cop (1984)

(mp3) Einstürzende Neubauten - Alles
Available on Silence Is Sexy (2000)

(mp3) Led Zeppelin - Hots on for nowhere
Available on Presence (1976)

(mp3) Tenacious D - Double team
Available on S/t (2001)

Once upon a time there was a band called Troja...

...who thought it would be cool to put an umlaut above the O and spell their name Tröja. It wasn't cool, only amusing. Especially when they put their logo on t-shirts.

Turns out Tröja has a successor. Ladies and gentlemen, meet German crust metallers Mönster.


Why just call your band Monster when there are umlauts in the world to spice things up?

If you're not Swedish, chances are slim this post made any sense to you.

(mp3) Mönster - Bike song
Available on ...Way Too Late (2007)

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #106

Yesterday I promised you a spectacular Friday mix, and here it is.

The awesomeness of me is getting predictable.

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #106 (55 mb)

1. XII Boar - Train wreck (2010)
2. Coliseum - Crime and the city (2010)
3. Wooly Mammoth - Black spider, red spider (2006)
4. Four Hour Fogger - Pita bread (1999)
5. Black Flag - Beat my head against the wall (1984)
6. Dinosaur Jr - Whatever's cool with me (1991)
7. Cows - Pussy is a monarchy (1994)
8. Division of Laura Lee - Silver ghost (2008)
9. Graveyard - Lost in confusion (2007)
10. Pearls and Brass - No stone (2006)
11. The Hidden Hand - Falconstone (2004)
12. Entombed - Wolf tickets (1998)

Pay for your music.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #107

I just finished tomorrow's Friday mix. It was a piece of cake.

They usually require quite a bit or work, but this one came together completely effortlessly and smoothly. It's like it was meant to be. To do I need to add that it's fucking brilliant?

My only gripe is I don't get to share it with you for another eleven hours! Gah!

Oh well, these will do for now:

(mp3) Dropkick Murphys - Perfect stranger
Available on The Gang's All Here (1999)

(mp3) Watain - Satan's hunger
Available on Sworn To The Dark (2007)

(mp3) Ulcerate - Omens
Available on The Destroyers Of All (2010)

(mp3) Motörhead - Dogs
Available on Rock 'n' Roll (1987)

(mp3) Thrones - The anguish of bears
Available on Sperm Whale (2000)

Stream the new Haunted album

The upcoming Haunted album Unseen can now be streamed in full here. Or you can just download it over here if you don't want to wait til the 25th and don't mind thieving.

It is indeed quite a change from their thrash roots and the metal warriors in camo pants and Affliction t-shirts will hate it. I love that.

I love Unseen too. I'm still not too keen on No Ghost, but the rest is tits. It sounds like Mary Beats Jane lost 3rd album.

Which is nice.

Some Metallica. And stuff.

What do you do when you don't have the time, energy or inspiration to post anything significant? You post some YouTube videos.

I'm 86 pages into Mick Wall's great Metallica biography Enter Night (review here), so I'm on a bit of a Metallica trip at the moment.

Here's a documentary that ain't half bad. Watch it.

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #105

Another Friday, another mix. This one is every bit as good as the other ones.

Fuck, I rule.

I rule so hard.

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #105 (64 mb)

1. Rabbits - Rot (2011)
2. King Travolta - Everything ends (2006)
3. Poison Idea - The badge (1990)
4. Meatjack - One more (2003)
5. Hårda Tider - Bring the ruckus (2009)
6. Bombus - Raised by pigs (2010)
7. Entombed - Wound (1997)
8. Cave In - The red trail (2009)
9. Doomriders - Lions (2009)
10. Amen - Justified (2000)
11. Neurosis - Saturday night holocaust (Dead Kennedys cover, 1987)
12. Godflesh - Jesu (2001)

Pay for your music.

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #106

(mp3) Om - Kapila's theme
Available on Variations On A Theme (2005)

(mp3) Electric Wizard - Another perfect day?
Available on We Live (2004)

(mp3) Mr. Bungle - Pink cigarette
Available on California (1999)

(mp3) Paradise Lost - Shadowkings
Available on Draconian Times (1995)

(mp3) Porcupine Tree - Russia on ice
Available on Lightbulb Sun (2000)

R.I.P. Mike Starr

Rest in peace, you who co-formed Alice In Chains and played bass on the 8th best album of the 90s.

"Former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr has died in Utah, TMZ confirms.

According to police, Starr's body was found in a Salt Lake City home Monday; they were called to the house at 1:42PM. The cause of the musician's death is still unknown.

Born in Hawaii, the 44-year-old rocker was arrested in February for felony possession of a controlled substance. According to Salt Lake City police, Starr had six Xanax pills and six painkillers when he was arrested.

"It's a terrible shock and tragedy," his father says of his son's March 8 passing."


(mp3) Alice In Chains - Confusion
Available on Facelift (1990)

(mp3) Alice In Chains - Got me wrong
Available on Sap (ep, 1992)

(mp3) Alice In Chains - Rain when I die
Available on Dirt (1992)

This bassline > most basslines you can think of

Lady Gaga + In Flames = ♥

Our friend Pallomember has done it again. After mashing up Gaga with Behemoth, Meshuggah and Soilwork, he has now done he same with In Flames.

Perhaps not as seamless as the others (I'd take out Anders' vocals in the verses for example), it's still damn fine work.

(mp3) Lady Gaga & In Flames - Only for the Alejandro

Entoooooooooombed! \m/

A live recording of Entombed pwning ass at the 1997 Hultsfred festival in Sweden. High quality as you'd expect, as this was recorded for public service radio. My tax money helped pay for this. Hell yeah.

Well, I was sixteen at the time and didn't pay taxes but you get my drift.

As you'd imagine, most songs are taken from their fucking excellent fourth album DCLXVI: To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth which had just been released. I have a soft spot for this particular time in Entombed's career, and of the dozens of live recordings I've heard, this is by far my favorite.

It's my favorite Entombed line-up too, with the short-lived rhythm section of Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters, Death Breath, Imperial State Electric) and Jörgen Sandström (Grave, The Project Hate, Torture Division). Nuff said.

Entombed hit the stage in the middle of the night on Thursday the 12th of June (with Night Of The Vampire being played at the stroke of midnight on Friday the 13th - awesome!). If I know the band half as well as I think I do, they'd probably been drinking since noon, so this is exactly as messy, diabolical, decadent, care-free, out of tune and boner-inducingly fucking brutal as you'd think.

A fine example of why Entombed is my favorite band of all time. They perfectly combine the three essential elements I look for in my metal - noise, heavyness and not giving a shit.

(zip) Entombed @ the Hultsfred festival 1997 (75 mb)

1. Parasight
2. To ride, shoot straight and speak the truth
3. Like this with the devil
4. Out of hand
5. Lights out
6. Night of the vampire (Roky Erickson cover)
7. Serpent speech
8. Demon
9. They
10. Hollowman
11. Left hand path
12. Damn deal done
13. Wreckage

The Friday MP3 Shuffle #104

An unusual amount of covers on this week's mix. What's that all about then?

Answers on a postcard.

(zip) MP3 Shuffle #104 (66 mb)

1. 400 Blows - The root of our nature (2003)
2. Mastodon - I am Ahab (2004)
3. Clutch - The soapmakers (1998)
4. Mongo Ninja - Broken cock (2010)
5. Direct Control - Public safety (2009)
6. Butt Trumpet - I've been so mad lately (1994)
7. Cut Here - Cunts (2010)
8. Pearl Jam - Spin the black circle (1994)
9. Big Business - Send me a postcard (Shocking Blue cover, 2008)
10. Killing Joke - The great cull (2010)
11. Thåström - Så kall, så het (Garbochock cover, 2002)
12. Lungfish - Broadcast (1991)
13. The Hellacopters - I want a lip (April Stevens cover, 1998)
14. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Honey bucket (The Melvins cover, 2002)
15. Converge - Wretched world (2009)

Pay for your fucking music.

Happy 25th birthday, Master of Puppets!

And happy 30th birthday, Metallica!

I don't know if they formed on March 3rd 1981. Propably not. But they did form at some point in 1981. Good enough for me.

So happy 30th birthday, Metallica!

(mp3) Metallica - Leper messiah
Available on Master Of Puppets (1986)

Songs That Get My Juices Flowing #105

(mp3) Trap Them - Day fourteen: Pulse mavens
Available on Seance Prime (2007)

(mp3) Bodies In The Gears Of The Apparatus - Big, bad, mean, and nasty
Available on Simian Hybrid Prototype (2004)

(mp3) Devin Townsend - Material
Available on Physicist (2000)

(mp3) Monster Magnet - Dinosaur vacume
Available on Superjudge (1993)

(mp3) Diamond Head - Shoot out the lights
Available on Lightning To The Nations (1980)

Today Is The Day galore (part 2 of 2)

So here's the second Today Is The Day compilation. It's somehow even better than the first one(which you'll find here), as it includes some of their all-time finest work.

How you can not love a band with song titles like Bionic Cock, The Russian Child Porn Ballet and My First Knife is beyond me.

The always reliable Invisible Oranges had a piece about the amazingly fucked up main riff in Mayari back in December. A great read, check it out here.

You want this compilation. You need it. You will download it and you will love it.

(zip) Today Is The Day Mix #2 (72 mb)

1. The man who loves to hurt himself (1997)
2. 6 dementia satyr (1993)
3. Pinnacle (live, 1999)
4. My first knife (1994)
5. Made of flesh (2002)
6. Bugs/Death march (1996)
7. Mayari (1999)
8. Broken promises and dead dreams (2007)
9. The Russian child porn ballet (1999)
10. Temple of the morning star (1997)
11. This machine kills fascists (2004)
12. Miracle (1997)
13. Black iron prison (1996)
14. Bionic cock (1999)
15. Ripped off (1996)
16. Hermaphrodite (1997)

Buy all things Today Is The Day, pucko.