By MaryAnn Bayer

If there is a band named Sweden out there, oops sorry dudes, but this is not about you.  This week’s BOTW is a country, not a band and its is SWEDEN.

Lately, if I hear a band and I like it, 90% of the time the band is from Sweden. I’ve been on a pretty steady diet of  old school thrash thanks to my friend George and a couple of  his excellently curated mix CD’s  as well as Fenriz from Darkthrone’s taste making Band of the Week blog.  Both of these trusted sources have turned me on to no less than 3 bands in the last 6 months or so…ALL FROM SWEDEN. Oh and please spare me the history lesson on Sweden and Heavy Metal. Fuck You, I’m not new here . It just seems worth noting that lately if it is punishing, it is Swedish.  Anyhoo, let me just tell you who I am listening to and you can do the same.

Enforcer: This is classic speed metal. Very 80’s, but the non-embarrassing kind.  The album ‘Diamonds’ has not left my car CD player since November.  If ’soaring’ vocals are a problem for you, this may not be your bag.  These guys totally survived a bus crash like this.  So you know they are metal.  I love that this album is on Earache records too.  Here is their video for “Midnight Vice”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ghost I  assure you, if you like heavy metal at all, you will love this band.  Shrouded in mystery, loaded with Satanic messages and even an evil, papal-esque lead singer! Ghost are reminiscent of  a poppier, but equally misanthropic Mercyful Fate and all the good 70’s heavy rock that gave way for metal.   The album is ‘Opus Eponymous’. Just get it…

Here is a live version of ‘Ritual’

Click here to view the embedded video.

Watain These guys probably aren’t news to anyone. By now, everyone has heard about the cows/goat heads and the bloody stink coming off the band during performances, the 2010 Swedish Grammy Nomination (!?!)  the rumors that the singer moonlights in Ghost. hmmm…peculiar indeed…

This is real, spine tingling, black metal.  Darkness. You should be listening to Watain.

Watain: Legions of the Black Light vid

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are a couple of last minute Swedes!! Check out Antichrist!

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you can find anything on them that is!  I know they have a couple of demos one is  called “Crushing Metal” and from what little I’ve heard from some You Tube clips, it is exactly that. Crushing Metal.  Very thrashy but not fun thrash, the angry, devil worshipping thrash. Check out “Virgin’s Blood” below.  If you find either tapes by these guys, hit me up please with a copy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

SteelWing and Malison Rogue, literally heard about both of these bands as I was typing this, Thanks George!  Like I said, I just discovered these two, but I believe my sources picks to be impeccable

Njut och bang huvudet !!

Check this site out, ya sign up for free, then browse thousands of designs for your next ink! You can even save the pic, then come back here, and check it out on your body!

By MaryAnn Bayer

Nails and Other hotly anticipated goodies…

Ugh, I have really been sucking lately as far as keeping this column current. The new year will be different man! The year 2011, I am gonna pull it all together and stop procrastinating, stop all the jack- assing around and get down to the business of telling you what to listen to so you’ll stop embarrassing yourself at the school lunch table…

First things first, YOU MUST LISTEN TO NAILS. 2010’s ‘Unsilent Death’ on Southern Lord records didn’t make it onto my best of 2010 simply because I didn’t own it yet. and for that, I am A Fool!

Listen, In around 14 minutes this album unrelentingly bloodies all your senses. It’s crusty, grindy,  hardcore, metallic and furious and listening to this makes me feel like I did when I was young and saw DropDead for the first time(If you just asked yourself,  “Who is DropDead?”, stop reading right now and do some research!!!). Punishing and Invigorating all at once. You’ll break a sweat just listening to it in your car.   Nails makes me remember why I love heavy music. This is for the pissed. Oh, and the guitar squawks throughout, making me feel like I am recording the album with them…crush me every listen. I should probably mention that So. Cal’s Nails have a little bit of HC pedigree with members having done time in Terror and Carry On, which will be exciting to you if you love ‘Hahd-Caw’ style hardcore.

Check out a couple NAILS ditties here and some live stuff from Bogie’s in September here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Also, 2011 is looking to be a pretty sweet year record wise for metallions.  I got a short list of bands whose albums I can’t wait to get this year, AND hopefully catch on tour…

Primate- Brutal Truth/Mastodon/Despised Super group. There is NO way this is gonna be lame.

Baroness- I wonder what color this album will be titled? Whatever it’s called, it will slay.

Buzzov*en - This one will be devastating and definitely leave a bruise.

Morne – Boston Doom/Crust. I NEED to see this band this year.

I’m a tattoo artist in the greater Sacromento area. I enjoy doing a variety of styles of tattoos. My main goal is to always take a clients idea and try to make it interesting and fun to do, and with a result they are looking for. I’m currently working out of 2 shops, Buckaroo Tattoo where I work mainly as a walk in artist on Thursdays and Fridays. As well im a resident at the Victorian Collective in midtown Sacromento where I work only by appointments.

Look.  I know that a ‘Best Of ‘ column is kind of phoning it in here, a touch lazy.  So I asked a few Skin Poison/Band of the Week alumni  to contribute their picks for 2010 as well so it’s not just my expected top albums/ list of longhairs for 2010.  I got back a little bit of everything. Not one person shared a pick with another. Ah, variety truly is the spice of life!(thought I’d maintain the ‘best of’ cheese factor) Enjoy and check out a few bands, why don’t you?

Me (MaryAnn) Since this is my column, I am taking several liberties and adding a few honorable mentions, quips and notes on a couple things in 2010 that I thought were majestic.

Best Albums :

Kvelertak – Kvelertak  This one just fell onto my record player. Blackened Punk from Norway. Norway played a huge role in my musical 2010.

The Body – All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood.  I mused on this delight in September. Everything I said still applies.

Darkthrone – Circle the Wagons.  I listen to this alone at work while headbanging, howling anthems, and forming heavy metal claws with my hands.  Classic Metal

Grinderman – Grinderman 2.  If you don’t like Nick Cave, and by extension, Grinderman, I don’t like you. Well, I probably won’t.

Barn Burner- Bangers.  Please re-read their August feature.  Canada makes good bands now, I guess.

Tinsel Teeth – Trash as the Treasure.  See July 2010 feature.  I love when a song from this album comes on my iPod at work while co-workers stop what they are doing to ask me quizzically “What IS this band?” I consider that a compliment to the band.

Torche – Songs for Singles.  Everyone loved this album this year.  So do I. Makes me wanna jump offa stuff.  Mused on them in July.

Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini.  Blackened Prog (?), Heavy, Moving, Epic, Norwegian, Viking, Amazing.

Christian Mistress – Agony & Opium.  Picked this up in the fall and told everyone how much I loved it in October.

Best Live Show. TIE

Enslaved

DEVO

Best Album Cover

Black Helicopter -  Don’t Fuck with the Apocalypse.  Raymond ‘Effing Pettibon people.  Period.

Best ‘Reunion’ show

Six Finger Satellite.

Best Movie

MACHETE!

Zach Lazar – Black Helicopter (Band of the week 7/10)

Top shows:
Bottomless Pit, Wereworm -  Cactus Club Milwaukee
Shellac and Helen Money – Middle East down Boston
Fucked Up and Kurt Vile – Middle East down Boston
Sleigh Bells – some SXSW Showcase Austin
Negative Approach – Church of Boston

Shane Sanchez – Ghoul Poon (Band of the Week 10/10)

Albums of 2010:
1. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
2. Raspberry Bulbs – Finally Burst
3. Dead Luke – Cosmic Meltdown
4. Boredoms – Super Roots 10
5. No Age – Everything in Between

Shows of 2010:
1. Gerritt Wittmer & Paul Knowles @ UAG, Albany, NY
2. Sonic Youth @ Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY
3. The Flaming Lips @ Mid Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
4. Holy Fuck @ Camp Bisco, Mariaville, NY
5. Lightning Bolt @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY

Mike Okon – Rawhead (Band of the Week 9/10)

My top 5 albums of 2010:

J-Live, Undivided Attention EP (vinyl & mp3)
Flying Lotus, Cosmogramma
Teebs, Ardour
Phantogram, Eyelid Movies (vinyl & mp3)
Tokimonsta, Cosmic Intoxication EP

Steve Hartwell (SkinPoison.com  Head Honcho)

Some Good Albums from 2010

“Here it is in no particular order”

First Blood – Silence is Betrayal
The Black Keys – Brothers
Danzig – Deth Red Sabbaoth
Kingdom of Sorrow – Behind the Blackest Tears
Without Remorse – The Truth Hurts
Inspectah Deck – Manifesto
High On Fire – Snakes For the Devine
Murderdolls – Women and Children Last
Dax Riggs – Say Goodnight to the World
Black Diamond Heavies – Alive as Fuck

Greg Tebbano – (Firefighter Font)

This reminded me of how few albums/shows I’ve acquired/attended this year, but with that in mind:

Albums of 2010:

1. Deerhunter – Halycon Digest

2. Astrocoast – Surfer Blood

3. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies

4. Crystal Castles – II

5. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening

518 Shows:

1. Mathematicians @ SAW Salem, NY

2. Ghoul Poon, Dan Deacon, Lightning Bolt @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY

3. Titus Andronicus, Hallelujah the Hills, Beware! The Other Head of Science @ Valentines, Albany, NY

4. Angkor What, Ghoul Poon, William Hale, Lovesick Nomads, Birthdays @ UAG, Albany, NY

5. Phantogram @ Skidmore Gym, Saratoga Springs, NY

Recently I came across an online store that I thought was pretty cool. Sure, there are lots of them on the internet, but when I start checkin out the shirts, find one I like, and then see the price, I usually click the close button. I’d never pay 80$ for a t-shirt, plus shipping on top of that. This one was different, cool stuff, good prices, and the website itself had a good feel to it.

The crew over at The Atomic Boutique website have hit the nail right on the head and put together something great with their rockabilly/retro feel merchandise. Since their opening in 2005 they have grown into an international business with many loyal followers, and it’s easy to see why. Men’s and women’s clothing lines designed for the people who won’t step foot inside an Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister store. Tons of novelty and houseware items decorated with the infamous Bettie Page and Johnny Cash images, and home decor for the tattooed, zombie loving crowd. Plus, these guys are getting new products in on a weekly basis, expanding their product lines, and stocking up a larger warehouse for the 2011 year. It’s not just the same old stuff all the time on the website, so keep checkin their site for new products, and follow their blog which offers exclusive sales and upcoming events!

I have been telling my family that I was going to be an artist when I grew up since I was about old enough to hold a pencil. I truly did not think tattooing was the art I was talking about (and neither did they haha…). But some things just work out better than you can plan for. I have been obsessed with making art since around birth or so. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out that tattooing was art until about 18. Growing up I had absolutely no interest in tattoos or tattooing until my best friend basically twisted my arm to get one with her. It was a heart with tribal thorns behind it that we picked right off a sheet of flash on the wall, small enough to fit under a quarter and placed on our hips so we could easily hide it if need be.  That tattoo was definitely nothing mind blowing as far as art work goes, but it seriously changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic but as far as defining moments go, there aren’t many bigger ones I can think of so far in my life. I watched the guy tattoo for the whole 15 minutes it took to complete it and I was convinced that I could do what he was doing. I also had my next tattoo planned before I left the shop. (I’d like to say though something that I am happy didn’t occur to me at the time- of course, anyone in the chair should think that what we are doing looks easy. That comes, as it should, after a lot of practice!) After that experience it took a while for the idea to really solidify in my mind that I could get serious about tattooing, be good at it and really love what I was doing with my life. When it finally did, it took all of one day to gather my artwork into a portfolio and go find an apprenticeship.  I did my first tattoo in October of 2004 at DV8 Tattoo in Concord, California. At that time I was working full time at a hospital doing clerical work to support myself, which I continued to do all throughout my apprenticeship.  Sometime in 2005 I realized that tattooing is not a part time job and if you want to be any good at all you have to dedicate your life to it. So I did that. Since then I have broadened my perspective to keep Art as the center of my life at all times. When I am not tattooing, I am most likely working on art either for an upcoming tattoo or just for personal enjoyment and learning. I also travel all over to tattoo conventions and guest spots, because it keeps me inspired and keeps me on my toes. In addition to that, I continue to get tattooed by people in this industry who I admire and respect. All of this keeps me progressing and interested. I really do love what I do.