A blog dedicated to all things heavy, groovy and generally kick-ass. No boundaries, no regards for particular trends. Everything featured here is just what we dig at the time.
We’ve had a couple of brief video clips from grind
overlords-in-waiting Wormrot in the past, but nothing on a truly professional
scale. Until now. That’s because Singapore’s finest have now
got a befitting video for ‘Breed to Breed’, taken from the ‘Noise’ EP that was released for free
last year
The video’s concept is one I still haven’t
fully got my head around, but it features a young lady placed a video tape into
a TV/video combo, then staring somewhat blankly at the three figures in boiler
suits with monitors for heads, as the lyrics to the song flash up on the TV.
Occasionally it cuts to their faces seen on the three figures, partially hidden
by bunny masks, screaming along to the words. Yep, I just tried to describe
that video and quite possibly failed to do it justice. Its pretty much a
mindjolt. Still, at just over a minute long, its still a cracking video, so all
that is really necessary is to turn the volume up loud and let the song blow
your head clean off. Just try not to blink – 62 seconds isn’t a
long time.
The last three or four years in Van Valen's history have been relatively sedate compared to all the rehab, the acrimony, splits, reunions and fights that preceded this later chapter in their career. However tumultuous and public these events have been, Van Halen have not so much bounced back as they have carried on without a care, much like their touring strategy, which seemed focused on their home country. After all the rumours, the will they, won't theys, have they and haven't they's, Van Halen are back with their first album in 14 years, with ultimately defining vocalist David Lee Roth leading the line - the first album he's recorded with the band since rejoining VH back in 2007.
Any regular visitor to our site will know my appreciation for metal-themed cake, especially as I received a Slayer cake on my 27th birthday, so it goes without saying that any well-executed metal cake deserves its due as far as I'm concerned. So when this spot-on creation of an Immortal/Abbath cake started doing the metal newsrounds a few days ago, its only fair that we share it around. Take a bow Jessica Blavatsky of SlaytaniCakes!
1. It is one of the largest districts in the Ukraine, home to the city of Donestk.
2. A meteorite fell there in 1974.
3. A good number of the results when searching for 'Gorlovka' link to mail order dating/bridal sites. Crikey.
Thankfully, we're not here to discuss any of those points, or the district in general. In actual fact, we're here to talk about the beer, Gorlovka Imperial Stout, brewed by the Acorn Brewery in Barnsley, the town which is twinned with Gorlovka and presumably where the ale gets its name from.
This release actually combines two EPs ('Black Circles' and 'New Demons'), released in 2011 and 2009 respectively by Milwaukee rock trio Disguised as Birds, but Phratry Records have now put the two together for a vinyl release. Despite their combination, it does still feel slightly like two separate releases podged together, but that's only a minor complaint.
So this video has been around a while now, but that's not going to stop me discussing it. It beats a far cry from other vids that I've covered in previous posts, in so much that its just a performance video. But if you ever needed reminding of Van Halen's effortless cool and swagger, 'Tattoo' will leave a permanent mark.
David Lee Roth might have kept the masses waiting for this moment for some time, but from the moment he appears, even wearing a flat cap and devoid of the long blond hair of the golden days, he still has a flamboyant streak in his fancy footwork and suave moves. It feels just like a Van Halen vid from the 70s and 80s, with Eddie Van Halen occasionally leaning round to look into the camera singing 'Tattoo, tattoo' with a beaming smile. The feelgood factor is definitely back.
One listen to 'Tattoo' and you'll be hooked. The chorus is real catchy and you'll probably be back for more. Just drop the sceptic in you. I went out and got the new album, 'A Different Kind of Truth', just last week. I hadn't cared much before but maybe, just maybe, the good times are back.
2012 marks Mark Lanegan's 27th year in the music business and he shows no signs of slowing down, given his many collaborations with the likes of Soulsavers, The Gutter Twins, Isobel Campbell and more, yet 'Blues Funeral' is the first new album from his solo moniker, the Mark Lanegan Band since 2004's 'Bubblegum'. That effort oozed swagger and cool, but 'Blues Funeral', Lanegan's seventh solo record. is a little more eclectic, still retaining 'Bubblegum's verve but calling in influences from many of Lanegan's solo and feature outings.
The first thirty seconds of this video for 'Hank is Dead' are ominous. Why are three men standing naked in the shower? And why are they giving each other acknowledging looks? It's rather worrying. YouTube, I didn't sign up for this! Thankfully, the two on the left are delivering an invitation to an air guitar battle to this very song. And over the remainder of the vid, there's plenty air widdling, high kicks and poses from everybody wanting to be a part of Red Fang.
I wouldn't say this is their best video - 'Wires' takes that crown - but its still an incredible song from one of the best new rock bands around. Ask me to choose between these and the Black Spiders and I honestly would be unable.to choose. We need more of this sort of rock 'n roll. It's loud, dangerous, ugly and raucous, exactly as it should be. It's for those reasons why we exist, and why proper rock remains well and truly alive.
Wowzers! We passed 10,000 hits for the site, and in just under nine months! I never actually thought we'd hit the 10,000 mark so quickly. Thanks to everyone who's ever visited and supported We Must Obey! As a show of my appreciation, here's some High on Fire. Stay heavy!
Jeff Tandy from independent thrashers Birth A.D. has apparently 'just realised' that his band will be in Liturgy's home town of Brooklyn, New York, and indeed home of their frontman, and self-styled black metal philosopher Hunter Hunt-Hendrix. Quite maturely, Tandy called out Hendrix to a fight, via a Facebook page entitled 'Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, Come Fight Me!' The page was full of brash statements from Tandy, consisting of further callouts, insults and mock images of what he's apparently got in store for Hendrix, with plenty of non Liturgy and Hendrix fans baying for the transcendental visionary's blood. Here's what Tandy said:
Nobody - well, at least nobody I know - expects much from Therapy? these days. They pretty much earned their crust in the 90's, with songs like 'Screamager' and 'Trigger Inside' making them a bit of a household name for a while, before they faded out of the mainstream consciousness. They'll always have a loyal following, but I bet even they would tell you that things recently just haven't been the same. Indeed, I found 'Crooked Timber' to be lacking, the sound of a band who hadn't necessarily given up, more just doing what they please - which isn't a bad thing in itself - it just struggled to impress.
The walls will shake, bowels will quake, and vomit may well be the order of the day from the unearthly rumble that will ensue on this tour.
Monday 11th June - The Ritz, Manchester
Tuesday 12th June - Koko, London (w/ Nurse With Wound)
Thursday 14th June - Melkweg, Amsterdam, Holland (w/ Aluk Todolo)
Friday 15th June - Fort 8, Hoboken, Belgium (w/ Aluk Todolo)
Saturday 16th June - Gaite Lyrique, Paris, France (w/ Aluk Todolo)
Sunday 17th June - Hellfest, Clisson, France
The guys at Witch Hunter Records have been hyping this one up for a while on the social networks, and upon listening, it would appear they have damn good reason to. Solihull/Walsall noise merchants Black Veins have returned with '...And Hell Followed', the follow-up to their self-titled demo, and boy will it beat the living crap out of you.
One of the first things that will hit you about Ozzy Osbourne upon the beginning of this documentary is that he cuts a very different figure to how the general public and mainstream media portray him. He's seen working out prior to a show, attending a surprise 60th birthday party in Vegas and posing for photos with fans in Nova Scotia. Firstly, its cool to see someone of his status still more than willing to sign autographs 40+ years into his career. Secondly, and tellingly - doesn't he look well?
Morning all. Yes, normal service resumes today. Thank you for all your patience, and thank you who have been commenting on my posts for your kind words. New post from 12:00pm. It's been stewing for a week or two but its still worth reading, even if not totally topical any more. Stay heavy!
These days I'm very much a family man and a lot has caught up with me trying to juggle fatherhood with writing for the blog and starting a new job. I haven't been able to update the blog as often lately and recently I haven't had any time at all. There's plenty to material to go at and ready to edit and publish, submissions are also at a healthy level But there has been no time presently for me to keep up to publishing it and to keep on top of it at all. Therefore, there will be no new posts this week - just while I aim to let things reorganise themselves. I'll have plenty of new stuff to read shortly, so do keep checking back, or like us on Facebook which is often the first place to find out about a new post from us.
I'd also like to say thank you again for continuing to visit We Must Obey. We've now surpassed 9,000 hits and the big 10K can't be far away. The success of the site has continued into 2012 and that wouldn't be possible without your readership and indeed some of your incredible comments. I'll endeavour to keep our flag flying high. I just need some time to recharge my batteries.
Evoking the spirit of UK hardcore/crust punk, Fukuoka, Japan's Nemesis are a new band bursting out of the far eastern country in a blaze of anger and nihilistic fury. Their debut EP, 慟哭 (Dou-Koku)', is four tracks of lo-fi produced crusty hardcore punk, delivered with ferocious snarl and bite - their vocalist doesn't half sound like he's gargling battery acid when he screams. It doesn't possess the most excellent execution of this style, but the passion for it appears undeniable. Dou-Koku is an enjoyable riot, and well worth casting eyes and ears eastward for.
Peter Clegg
Most distros have sold out, but you should still be able to obtain a copy of '慟哭 (Dou-Koku)' here
I’ve just switched jobs in
a move that will saw me chop my commute time by at least two thirds. Clearly
this is going to leave me little time to digest, say, a Dream Theater album in
full. I headed into the new job full of optimism, suffice to say I’m less
likely to get bedded down in the negativity that I often did in my now previous
job and because my commute will no longer last an hour, I doubt I’ll get the
chance to be in reflective mood very often. I’m not ashamed to admit that at
times over the last couple of years, and indeed for a significant part of 2010,
I felt pretty low. But what it taught me was the true value and power of music.
I’ll take you back to a
late September’s morning in 2009. My job had relocated, and I had no choice but
to follow it, quadrupling my commute time in the process through the one viable
route from my home town. This consisted daily of a 10-minute walk to the train
station, a 22-minute train journey (when running to schedule) to Morley, near
Leeds, and then a 20-25 minute walk to my place of work (in reverse, the walk
to Morley rail station was 20 minutes, with a 25-30 minute train journey). I
didn’t exactly get off to the best start – I ended up running back to grab my
mobile phone which I’d left behind, only to leave my walking directions from
the middle-of-nowhere rail station to work at home. I just about reached my
local rail station in time. I switched on my MP3 device as I reached the
platform, the train arriving shortly afterwards. The first song? 16’s ‘Throw in
the Towel’. How apt. Because if I’d have seen the person I was about to have
become right there and then, I could well have turned around and not boarded
that train. Hence, my life changed temporarily for the worse.
But that single moment
changed the way I looked upon music, be it metal or not, and how it impacted
upon me. Quite literally, it was becoming a soundtrack. One night, all the
trains were cancelled and I had no option but to take the long slog back home
on the bus. As my quickest passage of transport home, I suddenly felt isolated
and headed back up the hill to Morley town centre to catch a bus. I normally
left Morley at 6:22pm on a good night. Today I was leaving at 7:15pm at the
earliest, to return home for around 8:30pm. I’d left work in a shitty mood and
that just made things worst. The song I heard shortly just as the bus pulled in?
Andrew W.K’s ‘You Will Remember Tonight’. I’ve had many rough experiences with
abysmal public transport since but for that song to appear during my sigh of
relief seemed unreal.
I’m genuinely not lying
about those songs. They happened to be shuffled to my MP3 player at the time
and it was plain spooky how they appeared, yet entirely appropriate for the
occasion. I spent a lot of 2010 wallowing, and every now and then I’d find a
song to affect me or sum up the situation I was in. Towards the end of 2010 I
did find myself finally accepting there was no easy escape from my current
situation, regardless of how much I tried, and I stopped looking for excuses to
pity myself. The playlists became a little more random and varied, but it wasn’t
until the terrible winter of 2010/2011 did I actually finally realise how well
metal worked as a descriptor or soundtrack to a particular situation. Look at
the post I did on the 2011 England Riots, namely a musical analysis of the
situation. It wasn’t an attempt to make light or entertainment from what was an
abhorrent situation. But wherever I went, even in what I consider a relatively
sleepy commute, the air felt electric, and suddenly, songs like ‘Entrenched’ by
Bolt Thrower and ‘Hello Pricks’ by Sick of it All completely and wholly summed
up the mood. I still maintain to this day that British society can learn a lot
from ‘Hello Pricks’. You can read that whole post if you like when I link to it
at the end of this post.
It’s Amazing what the cold
weather can do for your ears too. I was listening to My Dying Bride’s ‘A Doomed
Lover’ as I arrived at Morley Rail Station; the snow had already bedded in and
any hope of getting away on time disappeared quickly as the trains ended up
delayed and the snow came down in blizzard fashion. That moment when ‘A Doomed
Lover’ reaches its climactic finish as it picks up pace and the guitars crunch
apocalyptically summed up the hopelessness of trying to escape winter’s icy
grip to perfection – hence its eventual inclusion in the ‘Winter songs’ list I
posted recently.
Admittedly, soundtracking
works better in cold and darkness and than it does when the sun is shining and
everything around is bright, although there’s plenty of songs about chilling
and doing nothing, or possessing that care-free, bouncy vibe that do such a job.
There’s seemingly hundreds of songs that befit the chill, and some bands sound
so cold they fit perfectly. Batillus are a good one, thanks to their
atmospheric blending of black metal, doom/sludge and ambience, and bands like
Shining (NOR), YOB or pretty much any Norwegian black metal band make the
perfect fit too.
As I switch my job from Morley
to Huddersfield, and with a lot more going for
me now than against me, I’m not sure this feeling of a soundtrack to my life
will last. But undoubtedly the experiences of the last year and a half in
Morley have made me realise what a powerful medium certain parts of heavy music
are, and without question that’s an avenue I really wouldn’t mind exploring yet
further.
I’m interested to know
whether anybody else has this approach to music, be it soundtracking their
commute or even their daily life. I wouldn’t go as far to say I soundtrack my
whole life – it’s not ‘The Truman Show’,
and indeed you could just say that much of what I’ve just written is what I
happened to be in the mood for at the time. That much is true, but I believe
there’s more to it than that.
I had a personal epiphany about Lamb of God whilst watching them at Download 2010. Having watched them devastate the festival three years prior to that, on this occasion I wound up with an enormous sense of underwhelment about their set. I perhaps put this down to my evolution in musical tastes, but even so, it was perhaps a sign that I had tired of the Roadrunner approach to metal, that being to make it as mainstream and friendly as possible in the majority. I don't for a second consider Lamb of God to be friendly and they haven't really compromised much to get to where they are. But the last couple of records haven't exactly blown me away either, or at least made me go 'damn!' to the extent where I could care too much about them.
So would 'Resolution', their new album, change any of that? It starts promisingly enough, with opener 'Setting of the Sun' an all too short sludgy number that had me dooming out like never before to LoG, before getting nitty-gritty with 'Desolation' and 'Ghost Walking'. The latter is the lead-off single and its easy to see why - its as good a song as Lamb of God have ever pulled out of their repertoire, with a chorus that will stick with you.
The problem is that as per the last couple of LoG records, it inevitably ends up feeling very samey, one-track and a little uninspiring. Occasionally there's a standout moment here, 'King Me' being one example with its operatic backing, but these times are too few. What they're doing isn't necessarily bad, but there's not to make you sit up and take notice. Songs like 'The Number Six' and 'Invictus' are all well and good but for sounding like a discarded cut from 'Wrath' or 'Sacrament', which had their fair share of filler themselves.
Of course, what does my opinion matter? The mainstream will still inflate it to and lap it up in unimaginable levels. Lamb of God's status as one of the biggest metal bands of the modern era than most, and they make a damn better fist of it than most as well. In this day and age though, bands have really got to push themselves to excel. Lamb of God appear to have got themselves to the top and simply accepted it, rather than striving for all out domination. 'Resolution' is a solid record - just not one to get me overly excited about Lamb of God again, and like it or loathe it, the shackles of 'As The Palaces Burn' still grip them tightly.
Formed in 2006, Seattle ragers Black Breath have blazed a trail into the metal consciousness, particularly over the last couple of years, thanks to the blistering EP 'Razor to Oblivion', which brought them to the attention of Greg Anderson, who promptly signed them to Southern Lord. Their 2010 debut 'Heavy Breathing' is a standout record, featuring ferocious hardcore/d-beat intensity and razor sharp metal shred. After a series of successful tours, they recently completed their follow-up record 'Sentenced to Life'.
I've been trying to get this interview for a while and now we finally have it. Enjoy.
How did you find the UK and European tour for ‘Heavy Breathing’? Was it everything you expected or anticipated?
We
toured the UK and Europe twice for 'Heavy Breathing' and there were
definitely some great shows amongst them all. We didn't anticipate much
the first time over (November 2010) but some of the responses were
pretty overwhelming. I was definitely surprised by how willing the
crowds were to get wild, so that made it fun as hell! We don't expect
anything at a show, we just get on stage and play loud and hard and the
rest usually falls into place. Ideally some people dig it, and it seems
that has been the case for both trips over the pond. The second time
back in July 2011 was cool because we got to met up with some friends we
made on the first trip, debuted some new stuff, got to play some
festivals, and generally had a killer time. Even more heads banged.
How do you manage to keep yourself busy during the downtime, on the road and off it?
There
is a lot of book reading on tour by the more learned of us... sci-fi,
serial killer biographies, fantasy shit. I haven't learned to read yet
so I rarely partake, but I pass time driving a lot (if we're in the
U.S.), jamming tunes, and sleeping. In Europe there seems to be more
sleeping during the days and staying up too late at night.
How do you feel things have changed for you since the release of ‘Heavy Breathing’?
Well,
we woke up the day after it was released and had more money than we
knew what to do with. Just completely rich,
over night. So that was cool, but then we blew it all and were back to
square one, which leads us to the rest of the answer. Having our first
LP out sort of legitimized the band in some ways. I don't mean to say
bands that never put out an LP weren't serious, but people were willing
to put in more work on our behalf for sure. That LP being sent to a few
different people solidified some touring opportunities we wouldn't have
had otherwise, and got us on some awesome shows. Also, more people
seem to have an opinion on us since 'Heavy Breathing' came out, ha!
You’ve got a new album due out very soon, ‘Sentenced to Life’. Any story or reasoning behind the title?
'Sentenced
to Life' is also the title of the 2nd track on the record, but as an
album title it can be taken a few ways. I'm sure people will come up
with more metaphors than we could provide.
What can we expect from the new record in
comparison to your past efforts?
More riffs, more fast, more bringing down the hammer.
Kurt
Ballou is again at the helm for the production of ‘Sentenced to Life’,
as he was for ‘Heavy Breathing’– was it an easy choice to work with him
again?
It was a pretty easy choice for most of us. One guy was
opposed at first but quickly came around when he realized he didn't want
to make a weak-ass record. There are plenty of talented producers and
engineers, but we figured building on the last experience there with
Kurt would be a good idea. It wasn't necessarily easier this time
around, but we're pleased with the results.
I heard you wrote the
new record in a short time following the European tour – did you feel
any pressure to get the album out at all, or was the time just right?
Well,
we almost jumped the gun and tried to book time well before we ended up
being ready. Luckily we held-off
until March '11 before we went to the studio, so it was pretty much a
four month span of time when the bulk of the record was put together
after the first European tour. A serious chunk of that, maybe half, was
done in the last month so there was some pressure toward the end of
writing to get everything finished. We didn't want to show up with half
an album and be expected to record a full one, you know? That
definitely forced us to trim the fat in some spots and not over think
everything. We can get a bit caught up in second-guessing stuff and not
actually improving anything in the end, so it was a test in being
concise. We were still writing stuff while recording, which we never
do, but I think in the end the time spent staying up all night at the
hotel phrasing lyrics or arranging riffs helped add to overall intensity
of the record. Running low on sleep and high on adrenaline knowing the
clock was
ticking...
‘Heavy Breathing’ was a stand-out record for many
people in 2010. I was particularly grabbed by the occult themes and the
sheer intensity of it all. Was that the sort of vibe you were after from
the start or was there more to it than simply thrashing away?
With
'Heavy Breathing' there wasn't too much of a plan. We just wrote a bunch
of songs, mostly rippers with some jammers, kept the ones we liked and
recorded them. The only ideas were to make it loud, fast, heavy, dark.
We were pushing what we could physically pull off at the time, and this
time around we did the same thing. Just so happens we can play a
slightly faster and tighter now!
One thing that intrigues me is
the artwork and imagery you employ. The images always seem very
striking, particularly the cover art for ‘Heavy Breathing’. Is that a
further part of the appeal you draw from occult territory?
Glad
you like that
cover. Even though it's unassuming up front, it definitely gets a
little creepier the longer I look at it. A lot of imagery associated
with darker shit, death, the occult, religion, etc. is pretty striking
so it follows that if we use anything related to these things our
imagery becomes more striking too, right? We didn't make up the
formula, just using it.
I was personally slightly surprised when
you signed to Southern Lord a few years back, as I knew them, as I’m
sure many people did, for being traditionally a doom/ drone label. But
they seem to have supported you pretty well?
We were surprised at
the time as well! I thought it was a cool label, and we were excited
that they had any interest in us given their previous output was a
little different than what we were doing. That was before they started
signing more fast bands though and now all of a sudden we don't stick
out like a sore thumb!
Haha. They've done pretty well by us overall. Good people with good
intentions run the label and we're happy to have them as pals.
Black Breath live at Tuska Open Air 2011
There
seems to be a tendency from one or two people who point towards the
Swedish death metal influence and use it as a bit of a stick towards one
or two bands, particularly since Southern Lord picked up all these
hardcore/d-beat style bands. Do those sorts of comments bother you at
all, or do you feel that’s just negativity on their part?
I'm a
bit confused as to whether this is a stick that's being pointed or if
the pointing is independent of the sticking, but I'm not too worried
about comments from elsewhere. If we took every negative comment to
heart we'd be a fucking wreck! It is interesting to think that we are
being lumped in with any other bands or "scenes" or sounds or whatever,
because we just write stuff that satisfies our basic desire to play
fast, head bang, and get wild
with people that like loud shit too. If the kids like it, then more
fun for everyone. If they don't, then they don't.
Are there any influences you count that might surprise people?
Absolutely
not. We only listen to the heaviest and hardest, all day and all
night. And then when we get bored of that we probably spend more time
listening to power pop and serious hook-driven stuff than a lot of
bands, but you're not supposed to tell anyone that. Also our singer is
highly influenced by AM talk radio.
What’s your thoughts on the state of the music industry today, in particular the underground extreme music scene?
Right
now I'm into more new underground stuff than I have been in quite a
while. There are some cool metal bands, hardcore bands, people making
good records without much care for how well they sell or how many hits
their website gets. Seems like at this point most everything is
"underground" though, and at the same time totally accessible thanks to
modern technology, so I'm not sure what to make of all that. Mediocre
side note, I suppose. The general music industry is pretty fucked, but
they have known that for some years so that's not new. I'm actually
starting to think some of these newer pay-subscription internet music
services may help turn things around on a larger scale, because kids
that grow up in ten years may actually come up believing in a monetary
value to music and art, rather than expecting it to always be free as
kids of the Napster era seem to think. It's not ideal, but it's better
than nothing I suppose. Who knows, maybe it'll all just go completely
downhill and people will only listen to computer noises.
Do you see yourself back in the UK any time later this year?
We will be there in April!
Finally, were there any crazy experiences you wouldn’t mind sharing
from the recent UK/European tour run?
Well, at the end of
tour our driver's appendix blew up or some shit, and the other dudes had
to catch a £400 cab ride to the airport. Luckily he survived and they
arrived in time to catch their flight home! By that point I was on
vacation and ran into Sepultura at a random bar in Amsterdam the night
before I was scheduled to fly home. I ended up staying out a bit too
late and missed my flight the next morning so that turned out to be an
expensive evening! Other than that, playing Tuska Festival in Helsinki
was an all-around rad time, and Sonisphere in the UK was great as well. High-fiving Metallica, playing at the same time as Slayer and having
people actually watch us, and riding bumper cars til 5am were all pretty
cool.
I'd personally like to thank Black Breath for answering these questions. 'Sentenced to Life' is released on Monday 26th March and a UK tour with Victims has just been announced as this goes to press.
