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 !!

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.

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

By MaryAnn Bayer

Living in Upstate NY for three years now has been kind of a sad state of affairs for live music, especially of the independent or local variety.  It seems like whenever I attend  a show around my neck of the woods(Saratoga Springs), I have my choice of bars featuring some lame classic rock cover band or a 25 band death metal marathon.  Not that I don’t appreciate death metal, but, c’mon let’s mix it up a little.   Lately, I have had the pleasure of catching a couple of shows organized by Acquired Taste Booking at King’s Tavern in Saratoga Springs that have slowly renewing my faith in the community spirit with some great shows featuring lots of  great local area bands and even a few from far away places. I’ll co-sign that.

Here’s the thing, Acquired Taste is looking for your band to play King’s. I am doing my part to help get the word out on the fun little nights of cool music. If you play in a band and wanna come on and show the ‘Spring’s what ya got, hit up the these folks. So far each show I’ve been to has been an interesting line up with at least one band I want to check out more(Ghoul Poon, Kingsteen) and that’s kind of what I like about going to shows in the first place, to hopefully discover some new gem of a band before anybody else.  Anyway, if you want to be one of these bands/gems, book a show.  Acquired taste is booking out of King’s until New Year’s, hibernating briefly, then on full throttle in March.  I like King’s it’s a cool little old school bar with a super fuzzy and majestic Akita mascot nuzzling all the show goers while bands play.  Get all the real info on King’s Tavern and contacting Shane at Acquired Taste’s Blog. or just hit ‘them up at acquiredtastebooking@gmail.com. Tell your friends(insert joke about friendlessness here).

Kings Tavern, 241 Union Ave Saratoga Springs NY
Located at the corner of East Ave and Union directly across from the Saratoga Race Tracks main gate.

By MaryAnn Bayer

A bands live show is important.  Is there really anything worse than paying your hard earned money to watch a bunch of unenthused, lethargic, poorly dressed, jabronies labor through their set like there is nothing LESS they’d like to do than entertain their audience?  I appreciate showmanship.  I appreciate that art of entertaining the audience, big or small.  I appreciate Slim Cessna’s Auto Club.

From Denver, Colorado,  SCAC play an intense and raucous brand of Southern Gothic-Gospel-Country-Rock n Roll that is equal parts old time tent revival(all they’re missing is the snakes!) and carnival side show.  SCAC has recorded 5 studio albums, all on the stellar Alternative Tentacles label, the newest being this years ‘Buried Behind The Barn’ which is a nice little collection of some older songs, but honestly you could pick up anything from their catalog and I will co-sign it’s quality.

Live, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club is a real, live show! Yup, with a real band playin’ all kind of crazy instruments you probably haven’t seen on a stage in a club in a long while like banjo’s, fiddles, and upright bass!  The band look great, or more so, they all look like a bunch of god fearing’, yodeling,  church folk on a Sunday morning (only their Saturday night was filled with sinnerin’…) ready to do some hearty repenting.  Slim himself, seems to be around 7 feet tall, all gold toothed and southern twang,  telling tales of drunken woe and revelations.  Jay Munly , banjo player and  co-evangelist has an equally riveting appearance, onstage they sing from their pulpit as if they are trying to drill their gospel into the heads of every last non-believer in the joint,  arms thrown around each other, brotherly, seemingly to support the other’s weight if the spirit decided right then to take ‘em away to heaven or other places.  Typically by the end of a SCAC performance, the audience has given themselves over, a bunch of otherwise grumpy, indie, punk, hipster people suddenly has been filled with Slim Cessna’s  Auto Club brand of the Holy Ghost. A hardcore dude’s otherwise folded arms, uncurl themselves to be thrown in the air to testify.   Typically un-movable objects like  night club bouncers have been known to dance and shimmy as if they had been  just healed after a lifetime of Polio or some other old timer malady.  What I am trying to tell you, is if you haven’t seen Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, you need to dig up this treasure. If only real religious services were this inspiring.

Slim Cessna’s Auto club is on tour!!! Find out where here!

Here is an old video for a great song, ‘Hold On’

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out some killer live stuff. Here’s something from the album “Cipher”

Click here to view the embedded video.

I love this one too! ‘Magalina Hagalina’

Click here to view the embedded video.

By MaryAnn Bayer

First things first, Ghoul Poon is not a band. Ghoul Poon is a mondo-bizarro cabal hell-bent on freaking you the fuck out.  Coming from some Upstate NY town where one can easily dispose of an unwanted corpse, Ghoul Poon is industrial/psych  like pre-lollapalooza Butthole Surfers with a visual presentation that leaves me feeling weird, like when as a child I would  have to spend time with my creepy Uncle George who chain smoked and had a huge and mesmerizing porn collection hidden in his closet, that I would always seek out despite it repulsing me. Oh childhood memories…anyway, back to this band of outsiders. The weird feelings are a whole other ball o’ wax.

I’ve spent the last couple of days immersed in Ghoul Poon’s video “100 Psychic Dreams“, a demented sort of  moving collage, as well as  just a few of  this uber-prolific artists’ recordings namely ‘Voluntary Coma’, Bastard Sorcerer’ and ‘Dog Buys Pistol’ all on Lofi Kabuki records. Ghoul Poon also has a bunch of stuff on Sub-Bombin’records home to BOTW alumni Rawhead and Firefighter Font. Since the projects inception in 2007, I count at least 12+ recordings. Holy Motivation!  Dear reader, what the hell did you do with your time today?  While you(okay, me) were blowing bong hits in your dogs face, Ghoul Poon made a movie, booked 3 shows this month, and probably made a country record.  You won’t catch some jaded old hipster with that much creative output, this is clearly a young man’s hustle.

I love that Ghoul Poon seems to be this amorphous beast that is never the same band twice. I’ve seen ’em two times, and one time it was (I think) a  lone guy with keys and video, while recently on another occasion Ghoul Poon was a three-piece.   Both times I thought to myself, “If I was going to have a re-animation/dance party at my local cemetery, Ghoul Poon would definitely provide the musical refreshments.”   I mean, it IS Halloween after all. Pick up the “100 Psychic Dreams”  DVD then head into the woods…

Check out the “100 Psychic Dreams” DVD Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

I like this song.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is a little live stuff  from Northern Lights at a Sleigh Bells show

Click here to view the embedded video.

Upcoming Shows: King’s Tavern Saratoga Springs this Friday 10/22 Sub-Bombin showcase! Rawstrumentals/Rawhead, Ghoul Poon, Sime Gezus and Kingsteen 8PM/$5/21+

By MaryAnn Bayer

I miss the olden days, pre-interweb, when a music fan had to put in some legwork in order to get ‘into’ a band.  Something about all this readily available information, photos, and streaming music just ruins learning about new, cool, bands for me.  Allow me to have a senior moment, I remember having to take a bus into the city to hunt down ‘zines, records, clothes, anything that a young, metalhead would need.  All this easily accessible underground makes me feel icky, cool should be something you  need to seek out,  not something you simply double click on.

I suspect Olympia WA, 5 piece Christian Mistress feels the same way.  With very little internet presence, Christian Mistress are quickly becoming the most talked about band in metal.  Playing a decidedly classic brand of metal ala Diamondhead, Slough feg and a bunch of other bands Metallica covered on the original ’Garage Days’ $5.98 EP but with a powerhouse of a front woman who reminds me a little bit like post- Dio, Rainbow front man, Joe Lynn Turner, and I mean that in a hugely flattering way.

Endorsed  by the  encyclopedia of metal himself, Fenriz of Darkthrone calls Christian Mistress’ brand of thrashy,  American-NWOBHM “Metal played the old way, the exact way we enjoy it ourselves!”

Christian Mistress’ demo cassette, yes, you read that right, sold out quickly on word of mouth alone, which makes me love them even more.   I love that their primitive website simply displays tour dates, contact info, and a few pics. Anything else you want to know, you’ll have to learn by buying the album, or catching them live (currently the band is touring with BOTW alumni The Body and Thrones).  Exactly the way a band of this ilk should be discovered.  I think Fenriz and really, any O.G. hesher would agree.

Christian Mistress’ full length LP “Agony & Opium” on 20 Buck Spin is 6 classic metal tunes for people who love riffs and miss ‘singers’ in metal.  Each tune is killer, no duds in the bunch. My only complaint is the album is too short,  I remedy that by keeping it on a constant loop in my car, where I am able to truly express my love for singer Christine Davis by butchering her vocal stylings with my own tuneless caterwaul.  Seek out some cool music!!

Here’s a sample from the album

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is some live video

Click here to view the embedded video.

By MaryAnn Bayer

So, I cannot pull away from Torche “Songs for Singles” on the always quality laden Hydra Head Records.   It’s right up my alley and really anyone else with good taste should check it out.  The record just sounds triumphant, metallic, and huge and makes me stand up when I’m listening to it. It’s kind of dreamy sounding but the dream is that one where you’re running and suddenly, your in quicksand trudging through the force, and then you wake up with the sheets all twisted… The songs are heavy and really ’full’ sounding,  like at least four members are playing,  but what we have here are three Floridian workhorses, just hammering it out.  I guess Torche was a four piece but, hey, the past is the past, let’s focus on TODAY.  On a few songs, I find myself feeling strangely positive and optimistic while maintaining my ‘metal’.   How did they do that?   Torche makes me move around, while many bands make me stand, bored and sad with my arms folded. “Songs for Singles” is 8 songs and simply, not enough. Lucky for me Torche will be slaying live October 17^th in Northampton, M.A. with the ever majestic High on Fire and equally awesome Kylesa.  Be there or be… eh, who cares what you’ll be really, I’ll be at the show.

Here’s a song from the EP

Click here to view the embedded video.

By MaryAnn Bayer

Hailing from Glens Falls, N.Y., Rawhead makes instrumental hip hop beats; I’ll refrain from any embarrassing attempts at describing this process. I’ll let him tell you. What I can do is tell you why I like his beats, and express why you probably will to. I like the sounds of crackle from REAL vinyl samples throughout the tracks, it kind of immediately relaxes and tells me, “okay, chances are this person has done their home work and isn’t just some Swizz Beats wannabe who hasn’t ever owned a vinyl album, has no reference point and ugh, really, I am just getting too old for that.”  Rawhead’s beats are like a good yard sale, full of old, cool, stuff that was just waiting to be repurposed and made into fresh, new, treasure. Rawhead works with a reverence for music and it shows in the hidden gems he uses for his music, pulling from all over the musical landscape to make homes for orphaned beats.  The Album “Beatwise and Alchemy” on Sub-Bombin‘ records, has occupied my stereo for 2 weeks, easing me into my days and assisting me with my cocktail hour in the evening. A girl can’t always be raging; sometimes even a self-professed ‘Metallion’ needs to get her groove on. I believe you do too…

I tracked the craftsman down and asked a few questions about his process and influences, again in efforts to avoid seeming like a lame.

Here we go, Walk the Skin Poison crowd through making your music,  what you use, how you put it all together, of course keep whatever ‘trade secrets’ ya need, we are just puzzled about the process (Okay, I am the puzzled one!) Teach us Rawhead!

“When I made Beatwise & Alchemy, I used an Akai MPC 2000 XL, which is a classic drum machine/ sampler (from the zip disk era), and sampled vinyl records. A few older tracks on there were made using a different machine, the Roland SP606, but pretty much by the same process.

The basics: I record phrases from records into the MPC, then chop them up into pieces and replay them as a new melody/ phrase/ etc. Next I add a drum beat, using the same machine, with a drum kit constructed the same way… Bass drums, snares, claps, hi hats, etc played to the sampled loops. Then I record into a four track, sometimes adding a baseline or whatever.

Once I had a dozen or so tapes full, I dumped them all onto my computer and from there mixed and mastered them. 28 tracks went on the album, a bunch more are up on my bandcamp site for free download called “B-Sides & Alchemy”.

I’ll basically use anything I have to make music. I don’t think equipment matters if you’ve got the drive to do it. Good equipment can make the process easier though. As long as you enjoy it and have fun.

Reflecting back, I think the choice to use older equipment was a way to pay homage to all those producers/beatmakers who came before me. But it’s also more than that; it was fun learning the machine and using a consistent formula to make an album. It’s quirky, and I lost a few gems when it acted up (but that just taught me to save my work as I go). Also, I enjoy the crackle from the records and the hiss from the tapes. Aesthetics.

For the next Beatwise album, I’ll probably skip the tape and continue using the MPC as before. It’s a great machine. I’ve used a few different samplers and several software programs, and some of them are really great, but there’s nothing like tapping on a real MPC. It’s a really basic and capable machine that gives you an appreciation for the craft of beatmaking. Its limitations (compared to the hi tech digital stuff now) force you to be creative. It’s an art form that only other beatmakers can truly understand, and I find it very relaxing.

That’s not to say I don’t use the digital/ synth stuff. I do, and I enjoy that too. My live set is mostly digital/ synth tones and almost none of it are sampled off records. Just a different mode/workflow.”

What/who inspires you (musical, non-musical, whatever)?

“Inspiration… Hmmm. I grew up listening to all kinds of music, and still do:

Punk (Op Ivy, Bad Brains, Crass, Pennywise, Descendents, etc) to experimental stuff (PiL, Killing Joke, Pigface), Classic Rock, Older Blues, Afrobeat (Fela Kuti, Antibalas), Lotta HipHop (Public Enemy, DITC, Wu- Tang, Madlib, J-Live, ATCQ, Pete Rock, Oddisee, J Dilla), Dub/ Reggae, Dubstep, Funk, Soul, Classical, Fugazi… Whatever.

My favorite producers: J Dilla, Pete Rock, Oddisee, Floyd the Locksmif, Madlib, Diamond D

Other influences: Local cats. Upstate is pretty numb to most original music, and I definitely respect other folks doing their thing around here. It takes alot of work! But, I get real inspired when I see my peeps rock a show. I’m always impressed with my fellow Sub-Bombin friends, past and present. There’s alot of talent brewing in the 518, and it’s only going to grow. It just takes time. I try to make it out to shows as often as possible, even if I can’t stay for the whole show, it’s good to check it out and show love and give support. There’s a lotta younger kids doing music too who need start to step it up and step in and keep building.”

Yeah, Step up all you young bucks!  Okay, last one.  What is your least favorite thing about DJ/Beat/Producer culture?

“Least favorite thing? Meeting shallow people who are doing music too, but don’t lend a genuine ear or support to a person/band unless they think they will get something back from them. They wont go to shows, but are always on the self promoting thing. It’s lame.

The second thing: promoters that don’t pay bands correctly/ don’t seek out new talent/ don’t return phone calls/ only book certain genres. Totally lame.

The third thing: The lack of cool venues for ORIGINAL music. There’s a few, but not many. Saratoga could use something fresh; Glens Falls could use something fresh. No disrespect to those that are doing it, but I think there’s room for a chill spot that’s known for booking different styles of music. Not too big, not too small, not a sports bar, not a dive. But with a decent sound system
I’d love to see more 18+ and all ages shows too.”

Word. Again and again and again!!  It warms an old hipster’s heart to hear that people still care about their local music scene, in the era of MySpace stardom; it’s good that people still care about being grassroots-y. Support DIY music, art, whatever, all of it!

Rawhead has a free download available on Bandcamp. “B-sides and Alchemy” Get it here: http://rawhead.bandcamp.com/

Check out Rawhead and his remix alter-ego Rawstrumentals at http://rawstrumentals.com/

Live Rawhead

Click here to view the embedded video.

By MaryAnn Bayer

I have been in a constant state of fright since The Body came into my life.  Nothing that Count Grishnackh or Fenriz have produced has me more affected than the sound coming from Chip and Lee, just  a couple of guys from Providence via Arkansas. The Body are a two piece at their core, Chip on Guitar and vocals and Lee on drums and samples, with help from a small legion artists contributing everything from “vocal incantations” to sousaphone  these fellows have created the sound of end times.

From the opening chorus of what I only imagine are angels sensing their own slaughter, I was nailed to the floor, riveted and yes, scared.  Doom does not adequately describe The Body. Doom indicates the death or end of something, The Body make you believe that nothing was ever really alive.

The seven songs, nay, curses on “all the waters of the earth turn to blood” released by At A Loss Recordings are crushing, hypnotic,  and dread inducing with vocals that make me the think of the final thirst-destroyed, admonition one pains to scream at their enemy in battle (from the inside of a tornado).  The album was recorded at Machines with Magnets a R.I. arts/recording space, further proof that Rhode Island takes it’s noisemaking seriously.  The photography and layout of  “All the waters …”  perfectly set the tone for the music inside.  The Body are presented to us, heads obscured by some demented primitive headdress, heavily armed and cloaked, against a lifeless landscape.  The inner photo is of hands, offering armament for the upcoming ruin.  Lyrics are included, and I get the feeling that if you read them out loud in front of a mirror, you will totally reap punishment.

This is what evil sounds like.  This evokes something nameless and grim.  Corpse paint and cow’s blood simply cannot create a nightmare like The Body.   Thanks for the bad dreams…

Not a video, but my favorite off the album

Click here to view the embedded video.

And another

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Here is a live clip, hang in there through the darkness at the beginning.

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