Spins Of The Week: 16 - 22 October 2023

Napalm Death - "Enemy Of The Music Business" (2000, Dream Catcher)

Meshuggah - "Immutable" (2002, Atomic Fire)

Iron Maiden - "The X Factor" (1995, EMI)

Witchcraft - "Nucleus" (2016, Nuclear Blast)

Deicide - "Deicide" (1990, R/C)

Deicide - "Legion" (1992, R/C)

Joe Satriani - "Surfing With The Alien" (1987, Relativity)

Venomous Concept - "The Good Ship Lollipop" (2023, Decibel)

Fates Warning - "Long Day Good Night" (2020, Metal Blade)

Pallbearer - "Heartless" (2017, Nuclear Blast)

Prong - "State Of Emergency" (2023, Steamhammer)

Tiamat - "Sumerian Cry" (1990, C.M.F.T.)

Tiamat - "The Astral Sleep" (1991, Century Media)

Benediction - Grind Bastard (1998, Nuclear Blast)

Daily Thompson - "God Of Spinoza" (2021, Noisolution)

General Smartarsery: King's X, Prong

 Are King's X to progressive metal what Prong are to nü metal?

Random Appreciation Post: Nobody Fucks With Bitchwax!

I think it's almost 20 years since I saw The Atomic Bitchwax in Stockholm (Sweden). They were equally as no-nonsense heavy rock last night! A riff behemoth!

The legend Chris Kosnik

Spins Of The Week: 09 - 15 October 2023

The Obsessed - "Sacred" (2017, Relapse)

Bolt Thrower - "Realm Of Chaos" (1989, Earache)

Savatage - "Edge Of Thorns" (1993, Atlantic)

Bloodbath - "Survival Of The Sickest" (2022, Napalm)

Cemetery Urn - "Suffer The Fallen" (2023, Hells Headbangers)

Tank - "Filth Hounds Of Hades" (1982, Kamaflage)

Marduk - "Memento Mori" (2023, Century Media)

Frank Zappa - various 

Graveyard - "6" (2023, Nuclear Blast)

Witchcraft - "Legend" (2012, Nuclear Blast)

Random Appreciation Posts: In A World Of Compromise Some Don't

It's a shame that Shane does not have any "spectacular" things to say. He has been having spectacular things to play though, and for a while now. 

The public does not get what the public actually needs. Good Shane music through several outlets. No randomness, just commitment.

Be more like Shane!

The Politics Of Ecstasy: Zappa (for EVERYTHING)

Fuck you all!

 

The Politics Of Ecstasy: Uninsurable Disaster Capitalism

https://www.naftemporiki.gr/finance/economy/1514795/k-mitsotakis-apo-deth-odeyoyme-pros-montelo-ypochreotikis-asfalisis-tis-perioysias/

vs

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/21/parts-of-america-are-becoming-uninsurable

The Economist, hardly a publication with Left-leaning tendencies, also had a podcast on this.

I hope whoever is drafting the regulatory framework and policies for this... initiative(?) is doing so in good faith. We're talking about a country without the legal infrastructure or the technical expertise to operate, in theory, mutually beneficial agreements.

Random Appreciation Posts: Peasants of Death - Servants of Death

Caught Vader live last Sunday at the Underworld. 

Had to really try to take a second dose of antibiotics before I went to bed (to try to get some rest after 2 sleepless nights) and left halfway+ through their AMAZING setlist! 

They brought Mauser onstage. 

They thanked their fans in Polish (London has may poles). 

They played a song dating from the "Morbid Reich" (Re-ik) demo ("Chaos"). 

Couldn't fully understand Peter when he was speaking in between songs, but man... I literally cannot think of a more fitting voice for their material. Effortless awesomeness a-la LG Petrov.  

Vader-victors!

Random Appreciation Post: Ca&dle&mass - Gra&vi&tas

- Is "Born In A Tank" in the top-10 Candlemass tracks?

- Fuck off, no way!

- Top-20?

- Absolutely not!

- Top-30?

- Nah, stretching it.

- ...

- ...

- It is bloody great!

- That it is!

- Top-40?

Random Appreciation Post: Sceptre under Shovel under Shit-Soul

When Marduk aren't trying to be edgy-idiots ("Viktoria" sounded a bit empty - in a bad way; "Panzer Division Marduk" is nostalgic but mostly boring) and when they try to filter their idiosyncratic eccentricities (like in the bitter "Plague Angel") they are really good.

I do not think there is a chance for the magnificently titled "Memento Mori" to become my favourite Marduk-with-Mortuus album. However, it certainly feels likely that they nailed the best song title for 2023. 

  Death is Certain. Life is Not.

Random Appreciation Post: Fates Warning - "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray"

This toothache is a bane in my existence.

Standard painkillers don't help. Sleepless night.

So I am doing admin work, deleting emails, saving down documents, doing taxes, feeling so tired, grumpy miserable.

And then I remembered that back in the summer of '98 I had messed up my elbow (playing basketball probably) and I spent a sleepless night that was made transcendentally better by the "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" VHS (and some late night TV videos from Ronnie Scott's).

This dawn is also made better by this unfathomably deep and rewarding album.

Fates Warning are one of the best bands of all time.

(If the pain persists after the visit to the dentist, I'll probably end up not-so-randomly appreciating King Diamond's "Conspiracy" next.)