CHICAGO THRASH ENSEMBLE Monsters Of The Midwest EP (+ s/t EP) (Plastic Airlines) cd 6.98
Finally on cd, both 12"s eps from these shredding Chicago old school heavy metal thrashers, the brand new one (the vinyl version which will be reviewed on next week's list) and the first one we listed way back when. We know lots of folks have been waiting for the cd version of that one anyway, and now it comes with a whole new record to boot, your prayers have been answered.
Here's our review of the first 12:
Pretty tough to resist a group called the Chicago Thrash Ensemble. So why even try? Ever since their kick ass blood splattered cassette on PlusTapes, we were pretty much totally obsessed with CTE's awesomely retro shredding classic thrash metal, and thankfully nothing has really changed on this, their first foray into vinyl, if anything the band sound better than ever, heavier, catchier, and with another passel of kick ass tunes to boot.
Like the tape, these guys are channeling their thrash heroes, but it comes out a bit more punked up and raw, which only makes these jams rule even more, thick dense buzzing riffage, wild pounding drummage, howled vox, galloping rhythms, some seriously chugging breakdowns, all wound up into epic classic thrash destruction. Any one who has been digging aQ faves Speedwolf should definitely check these guys out, but where Speedwolf was all Motorhead and Venom, these guys are way more Slayer, Exodus and D.R.I. Or something. Either way, these guys rip, and as we mentioned in the review of the tape, any band that sounds this heavy and ruling on record, are probably insane live.
And here's our review of the new one, Monsters Of The Midwest:
Record number two from these, well, um, Chicago thrashers(!), whose debut 12" was a huge hit around here, and like that first record this 12" offers up more of the same, convincing us that these guys really are the monsters of the Midwest, their sound a seriously shredding retro thrash metallic mayhem that KILLS. Chugging churning riffage, throat shredding vocals, seriously devastating drum damage, and some killer jams. Raw and heavy and a bit punky, their songs rife with classic metal riffage, harmonized guitars, galloping rhythms, and did we mention aQ faves Speedwolf? Cuz these two bands should totally hook up for a tour, maybe with Behold! The Monolith too (also reviewed elsewhere on this week's list), now that's a tour we could get behind. If anything this new 12" finds CTE sounding way tighter, the songs even catchier, with some downright classic riffs, and the sound, holy shit, the production is massive, making the band sound even more epic and crushing. Not sure what else to say? We love these guys, and you should too.
MPEG Stream: "The Widowmaker"
MPEG Stream: "Fucked Up On Shrooms At The Morton Arboretum"
MPEG Stream: "I Thought You Was Layin'"
MPEG Stream: "The Flood Of Spite"

CHICAGO THRASH ENSEMBLE s/t (Plastic Airlines) lp 8.98
Pretty tough to resist a group called the Chicago Thrash Ensemble. So why even try? Ever since their kick ass blood splattered cassette on PlusTapes, we were pretty much totally obsessed with CTE's awesomely retro shredding classic thrash metal, and thankfully nothing has really changed on this, their first foray into vinyl, if anything the band sound better than ever, heavier, catchier, and with another passel of kick ass tunes to boot.
Like the tape, these guys are channeling their thrash heroes, but it comes out a bit more punked up and raw, which only makes these jams rule even more, thick dense buzzing riffage, wild pounding drummage, howled vox, galloping rhythms, some seriously chugging breakdowns, all wound up into epic classic thrash destruction. Any one who has been digging aQ faves Speedwolf should definitely check these guys out, but where Speedwolf was all Motorhead and Venom, these guys are way more Slayer, Exodus and D.R.I. Or something. Either way, these guys rip, and as we mentioned in the review of the tape, any band that sounds this heavy and ruling on record, are probably insane live.
Awesome packaging too. Screen printed cardstock sleeve, black inner sleeve, and coolest of all, a plastic sheet of baseball cards, one for each band member complete with various rock stats, mixed in with some actual baseball cards, the record is one sided, the B-side is silkscreened with a cool hanged man image. LIMITED TO 300 COPIES!
MPEG Stream: "I Thought You Was Layin'"
MPEG Stream: "The Flood Of Spite"

CHILDREN Death Tribe (Kemado) 12" 5.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
Our review of their 12" prior to their full length Hard Times Hangin' At The End Of The World said: Children are a pretty cool new thrashy metal three piece from NYC, ex-members of Early Man we think, who just have this 12" out on Kemado. We saw 'em play when they opened for The Sword and Slough Feg a few months back. Good stuff, some crazy twin guitar action and raw energy. Note we said twin guitar, and they're a trio... which means, a la The Champs, no bassist! But they're pretty heavy nonetheless, and the shred never stops. Does that (and their long-haired but hipster/skaterish appearance, and label affiliation, membership pedigree, etc.) make 'em not "true" metal? Maybe, but they put on a damn good show and this 12" is worth a spin, headbangers!! Includes download card for free mp3s of these songs, too...

CHILDREN Hard Times Hangin' At The End Of The World (Kemado) cd 13.98
First encountered this NYC trio opening for The Sword and Slough Feg on tour out here last year. And it was an excellent match, if you like either of those bands, there's a good chance you'll dig Children too. Featuring ex-members of Early Man and S.T.R.E.E.T.S., these hipster longhairs have got some of that currently cool psychedelic indie ironic image stuff happening (they claim they play "peace metal" ferinstance, and probably wear more American Apparel than black leather)... but then when you press play, blam, the headbanging is ON. With abundant energy, galloping beats, raging riffs, rapidfire thrash technology, and a weensy bit of left field (for metal) artsiness! Plus, most crucially, plenty of Champsy guitar harmonies - and like the Fucking Champs, there's no bass, just two guitars and drums. Though, the band these kids remind us the most of is their labelmates SF's Saviours, with similarly badass blazing leads and gruff, not-so-melodic singing/screaming.
Yeah, there's some SWEET guitar action here, from the one mellow quasi-classical instrumental "H.T.H.A.T.E.O.T.W." to the extended dual guitar widdly-ness that makes the epic (nearly 10 minute) album-ender "Time Is The Living" so magnificent. Actually, these guys love to stretch out jamming on their axes all over this disc, with the likes of "Nuclear Bummer" over 7 minutes long, and opener "Advanced Mind Control" clocking in at 9:41. Inveterate air guitarists will wish they were even longer. Heck we'll take our ripping, indulgent metal where we can get it. If it's a so-called "hipster" metal band on Kemado, that's just fine if they shred like these guys do! We like their style.
MPEG Stream: "Subterranean Cities"
MPEG Stream: "Advanced Mind Control"
MPEG Stream: "Power Spirit"

CHILDREN Hard Times Hangin' At The End Of The World (Kemado) lp 14.98
NOW ON VINYL, all the better to appreciate the colorful cover art!
First encountered this NYC trio opening for The Sword and Slough Feg on tour out here last year. And it was an excellent match, if you like either of those bands, there's a good chance you'll dig Children too. Featuring ex-members of Early Man and S.T.R.E.E.T.S., these hipster longhairs have got some of that currently cool psychedelic indie ironic image stuff happening (they claim they play "peace metal" ferinstance, and probably wear more American Apparel than black leather)... but then when you press play, blam, the headbanging is ON. With abundant energy, galloping beats, raging riffs, rapidfire thrash technology, and a weensy bit of left field (for metal) artsiness! Plus, most crucially, plenty of Champsy guitar harmonies - and like the Fucking Champs, there's no bass, just two guitars and drums. Though, the band these kids remind us the most of is their labelmates SF's Saviours, with similarly badass blazing leads and gruff, not-so-melodic singing/screaming.
Yeah, there's some SWEET guitar action here, from the one mellow quasi-classical instrumental "H.T.H.A.T.E.O.T.W." to the extended dual guitar widdly-ness that makes the epic (nearly 10 minute) album-ender "Time Is The Living" so magnificent. Actually, these guys love to stretch out jamming on their axes all over this disc, with the likes of "Nuclear Bummer" over 7 minutes long, and opener "Advanced Mind Control" clocking in at 9:41. Inveterate air guitarists will wish they were even longer. Heck we'll take our ripping, indulgent metal where we can get it. If it's a so-called "hipster" metal band on Kemado, that's just fine if they shred like these guys do! We like their style.
MPEG Stream: "Subterranean Cities"
MPEG Stream: "Advanced Mind Control"
MPEG Stream: "Power Spirit"

CHILDREN OF BODOM Are You Dead Yet? (Spinefarm ) cd 14.98

CHILDREN OF BODOM Bloodrunk (Spinefarm Records) cd 14.98
Children of Bodom are back yet again with more melodic thrash metal. For a second time, the band is joined by former Stone member and legendary Finnish guitarist Roope Latvala. The kids are continuing their move even further away from extreme metal, with an ever increasing keyboard presence, more prog, and catchy, straight-forward riffs. Still, there is that little bit of Death gleaming through. So, yeah, melodic-prog-thrash that remains heavily indebted to Chuck Schuldiner. Basically, if you're into exclusively kult black metal bands, or something else equally insular, then this isn't going to do it for you. But, you probably already know that. What we're saying is that this will fit nicely next to your copy of In Flames' Clayman or something of that nature, but probably not so well with your dubbed, internationally traded cassette of Von rehearsals - but if that exists and you have it, please let us know. However, if you, like many of us here at the store, grew up on metal and you can get into metal for the sake of metal, then turn it up.
MPEG Stream: "One Day You Will Cry"
MPEG Stream: "Done With Everything, Die for Nothing"

CHILDREN OF BODOM Follow The Reaper (Nuclear Blast) cd 13.98
The third brilliant album from Finland's finest purveyors of keyboard-intensive, fist-in-the-air METAL. Mixing melodic death metal (in the vein of Gothenburg greats like In Flames and At The Gates) with light-speed neo-classical keyboard runs and accompanying Yngwie-style guitar heroics, Children of Bodom (rhymes with "modem", apparently -- don't say "bottom") have crafted a sound all their own. Raspy black-metal style vox, rock n roll attitude, brutal riffing and -- most importantly -- fleet-fingered instrumental interplay are the hallmarks of this band. Imagine a cross between Destruction and Return To Forever... This is a band those who find most of the current wave of European power metal too "lite" (with the usual wimpy vocals and choruses) but kinda like it for that genre's usual head-spinning virtuosity, speed, and headbanging metal purity. Conversely, Children of Bodom is also a band for those who find Norwegian black metal too dark and monotonous and want something with a bit more melodic "sparkle", where the keyboardist is utilized for more than just "atmosphere" (Children of Bodom's keyboardist even released his own mostly-instrumental solo album last year). In other words, they are the current metal masters at splitting the difference between "brutal" and "noodle". Their short career now already spans three albums, and, as this disc and those of us who saw 'em at this years' Milwaukee Metalfest (that'd be Allan and Andee) will attest, they're still kicking ass. Bonus track: an nonessential-but-fun WASP cover.
RealAudio clip: "Bodom After Midnight"
RealAudio clip: "Hate Me!"

CHILDREN OF BODOM Hate Crew Deathroll ( Spinefarm) cd 15.98
Fast and furious as always, these Finnish metallers are the kings of over-the-top guitar and keyboards duels. They'd almost be "power metal" if it wasn't for the extreme black and death elements (the vocals, the attitude). This new record looks to be their biggest yet, with a commercial edge but not nu-metal. Think Judas Priest's "Painkiller" meets Pantera, but with a Swedish melodic death metal component (In Flames, Soilwork...), hopped up on Red Bull and Rock Star energy drink cocktails. Yep, "Hate Crew Deathroll" is a massive, heavy attack, crammed full of melodic leads, snarling vox, catchy choruses, unexpectedly doomy parts, Zakk Wylde style pick squeals, pop synth bits, brutal drumming, electronic frills, and Rammstein stomp. Shred guitar shrapnel explodes in all directions, in much the same way that these songs are all over the place, and in your face. Absurd, undeniable metal madness! It's all a bit relentless, but if you're metal enough you'll take it.
NB. bears a copy protection notice.
MPEG Stream: "Sixpounder"
MPEG Stream: "Chokehold (Cocked'n'Loaded)"

CHILDREN OF BODOM Hatebreeder (Nuclear Blast) cd 15.98

CHILDREN OF BODOM Something Wild (Nuclear Blast) cd 14.98

CHILDREN OF DOOM Doom, Be Doomed, Or Fuck Off (Emanes Metal Records) cd 14.98
These filthy French freaks are back!! A while ago we listed their self-released 4 song demo cdep, and it kinda became a minor sensation among AQ customers into, well, doom, but doom of the most psychedelically fucked, primitive rock 'n' roll variety. In that review, we mentioned "magical dirtbag psychedelic metal anarchy... wasted heaviness, psychomaniacal alcoholic sludge". And yeah, that, um, description would apply to this their debut full-length as well!! So queue up and get ready to guzzle CoD's high octane, wah wah crazed, Vitus-worshipping, greasy hippie biker brew.
Doom, Be Doomed, Or Fuck Off consists of six new songs, filling 42 minutes with this trio's unique, over the top onslaught of hypnotically crude riffage, distortion, widdly guitar, and wailing vox (not quite so strange as on the demo, but still...not normal). And these songs are fairly hooky, too. Drugged out and doomy, but rockin'. Also, they show some signs of musical progress since the demo (not that we were hoping for any!!), getting just a bit more sophisticated sounding in their playing and compositions. Maybe. One sign of this: according to the credits, somewhere, supposedly, there's even some saxophone on this disc!! Ah, must be in the final track, the album's longest, a 12 minute excursion into tripsville, called "...Mia's Desert...", Children Of Doom sounding more like Children Of Krautrock here, all cosmically synthed and sinister, though there is guitar fury unleashed around the halfway point... oh, and then, there it is, some melancholy saxophone over krauty drum beats, how 'bout that? An interesting and unexpected ending to this eccentric album, nice.
Also nice is the cover and other artwork here. We said before that CoD reminded us a bit of Julian Cope's Brain Donor band, and definitely JC would approve of the artwork on the lyric sheet/poster in the cd, a drawing with all sorts of psychedelic biker shit growing up out of an upsidedown helmet, one of those German WWII bucket style ones that outlaw bikers like to wear (if they're gonna wear helmets at all). And you'll be happy there's a lyric sheet, they're quite amusing, once again, a lot of talk about who they are ("we are evil, old school, and brutal") and plenty of swearing in the process. You gotta suspect it's all a bit tongue in cheek, but we're not gonna say that to their faces, you never know...
Oh, and the one song here sung in French, "1916", is not in fact a Motorhead cover, despite the title - though these guys are in their own way, a Motorhead for psychedelic doom lovers. And like Motorhead, they love their umlauts too (our website, having apparently been programmed by posers, won't support umlauts easily, so we left 'em off, but there's supposed to be one over the "o" in "or", of all words, in the album's title...).
MPEG Stream: "Mr. Nasty"
MPEG Stream: "Technophobia"
MPEG Stream: "Bottle Ben In The Streets"

CHILDREN OF DOOM Ride Over The Green Valley (self-released) cd 11.98
FINALLY back in stock!
As soon as we spied the cover art of this self-released cd from this obscure French doom (natch) trio, we knew it was gonna either be really awesome... or really terrible. We were hoping for awesome, though, some kind of magical dirtbag psychedelic metal anarchy that could live up the crude cartoonish line drawing of a skeleton biker riding through an apocalyptic landscape, with the band's tattooed skull logo floating in the air above him... As you can guess 'cause we then ordered a bunch and are highlighting it on our list, we think it was pretty rad indeed! Though, surely not for everyone. You gotta appreciate wasted heaviness, psychomaniacal alcoholic sludge... Named after Saint Vitus' most obscure, underrated release, it should be no surprise that C.O.D. sound a heck of a lot like Saint Vitus. But even more primitive and unpolished! They're a band that's being damn redundant when they title one of the four tracks here, "We Are Bestial And Raw". Other titles indicative of their mindset: "Hell's On Wheels", "Hangover" (a track which starts with a cheap clock radio alarm going off, a clever contrast to the tolling church bells most doom bands would use), and "Rusty World" (when he sings it, it sounds like "Fucking World", though - in fact every other word sung on this disc sounds like fuck or fucking, even when it's not). Speaking of the singing, the vocals are definitely strange, like there's something wrong with the guy (nothing to do with being French). But we like 'em. Everything here goes towards creating a messed up but hypnotic effect, the psychedelic distortion, the crude riffs, the crashing cymbals, the weird vocals, the demo production quality, the extended song lengths (it's 4 songs, as we said, but 32 minutes). In addition to those into Saint Vitus style doom (like Blood Farmers too) this might well appeal to fans of such acts as Brainbombs, The Heads, and Julian Cope's Brain Donor...
The only thing cooler than this, would be to have it on cassette... which it once was, but they only made 250 of those, and probably not many more of these!
MPEG Stream: "Rusty World"
MPEG Stream: "We Are Bestial And Raw"

CHIODOS All's Well That Ends Well (Equal Vision) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Every time I sit down to review this record, I just can't seem to put into words what makes it so great. But as this is the last list of 2005, and this record is absolutely my favorite record of 2005, it seems like it can't be put off any longer. But it's true, I listen to this record every day, all the time. And even after months of non-stop listening I still can't get enough of it.
I'm a bit embarassed to say I first heard about Chiodos in some magazine touting them as a 'band to watch' or 'next big thing' or something. And rarely do I pay much attention to those sorts of things, but a few things definitely caught my eye. They were described as being really heavy, really ridiculously prog, a little emo, and with a vocalist who sounded quite a bit like a woman. And you know what, that's not really that far off the mark. Imagine the over the top prog of Coheed And Cambria and the proggy bombast of the Mars Volta, the angular art rock of a band like the Blood Brothers, some super intense Slayer style metal guitar, lots of piano and keyboards, ranging from delicate ballady bits to full on Cradle Of Filth style bombast, extremely emo lyrics, and a completely amazing vocalist who can go from a throat shredding howl to an impossibly high wail. Wrap all that stuff around super complex multi part epics chock full of killer riffs and unbelievable hooks, amazing drumming bizarre arrangements, and vocals that are just so completely are gloriously over the top. Some parts of this record are just SO massively punishingly crushing. Full on headbanging brutality. The opening riff to "The Words 'Best Friend' Become Redefined" would make any thrash metal band proud. Just check the sound sample.
This is also one of those records that has lots of THOSE parts, you know the kind, the parts that give you chills EVERY time you hear them, or make you use every ounce of self control to not wildly air guitar or drum madly on the steering wheel while you're driving. One of which just might be THE part, maybe the ULTIMATE part. Freaks me out every time I hear it. Makes me want to hear it over and over and over. Makes me wish I had written it, makes me wish I was in a band just so I could play it. Check out the sound sample for "Baby, You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek" and see if you can tell which part I mean. Shouldn't be too difficult. The fact is, this whole record kicks my ass that hard. Rare that a record can pull off being this heavy, this complex, this emo, this over the top all at the same time. Without devolving into something impossible and confusing. And it is wildy all over the map, sonically schizophrenic, but somehow every part just sounds completely perfect. The more I listen to it the more perfect it sounds. Anyway, not sure what else to say. It all comes down to the music, so a quick listen to the sound samples should tell you all you need to know, is this indeed the best record of the year, or is Andee full of shit? Well, just so you know, this IS the record of the year, and if for some crazy reason you don't agree, you're probably just mistaken. Or wrong.
MPEG Stream: "All Nereids Beware"
MPEG Stream: "Baby, You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek"
MPEG Stream: "The Words 'Best Friends' Become Redefined"
MPEG Stream: "Expired in Goreville"

CHIODOS All's Well That Ends Well (Equal Vision) cd + dvd 14.98
We'll take any excuse we can get to relist this, Andee's FAVORITE record of 2005. Some might shout "guilty pleasure" but there is no guilt involved. Not one single bit. Heavy and catchy and weird and so gloriously chaotic and freaked out. This reissue features three bonus tracks, two acoustic and one demo as well as a bonus disc with 5 live performances, some home movies and a music video. Even more reason to buy this if you didn't before:
Every time I sit down to review this record, I just can't seem to put into words what makes it so great. But as this is the last list of 2005, and this record is absolutely my favorite record of 2005, it seems like it can't be put off any longer. But it's true, I listen to this record every day, all the time. And even after months of non-stop listening I still can't get enough of it.
I'm a bit embarrassed to say I first heard about Chiodos in some magazine touting them as a 'band to watch' or 'next big thing' or something. And rarely do I pay much attention to those sorts of things, but a few things definitely caught my eye. They were described as being really heavy, really ridiculously prog, a little emo, and with a vocalist who sounded quite a bit like a woman. And you know what, that's not really that far off the mark. Imagine the over the top prog of Coheed And Cambria and the proggy bombast of the Mars Volta, the angular art rock of a band like the Blood Brothers, some super intense Slayer style metal guitar, lots of piano and keyboards, ranging from delicate ballady bits to full on Cradle Of Filth style bombast, extremely emo lyrics, and a completely amazing vocalist who can go from a throat shredding howl to an impossibly high wail. Wrap all that stuff around super complex multi part epics chock full of killer riffs and unbelievable hooks, amazing drumming bizarre arrangements, and vocals that are just so completely are gloriously over the top. Some parts of this record are just SO massively punishingly crushing. Full on headbanging brutality. The opening riff to "The Words 'Best Friend' Become Redefined" would make any thrash metal band proud. Just check the sound sample.
This is also one of those records that has lots of THOSE parts, you know the kind, the parts that give you chills EVERY time you hear them, or make you use every ounce of self control to not wildly air guitar or drum madly on the steering wheel while you're driving. One of which just might be THE part, maybe the ULTIMATE part. Freaks me out every time I hear it. Makes me want to hear it over and over and over. Makes me wish I had written it, makes me wish I was in a band just so I could play it. Check out the sound sample for "Baby, You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek" and see if you can tell which part I mean. Shouldn't be too difficult. The fact is, this whole record kicks my ass that hard. Rare that a record can pull off being this heavy, this complex, this emo, this over the top all at the same time. Without devolving into something impossible and confusing. And it is wildly all over the map, sonically schizophrenic, but somehow every part just sounds completely perfect. The more I listen to it the more perfect it sounds. Anyway, not sure what else to say. It all comes down to the music, so a quick listen to the sound samples should tell you all you need to know, is this indeed the best record of the year, or is Andee full of shit? Well, just so you know, this IS the record of the year, and if for some crazy reason you don't agree, you're probably just mistaken. Or wrong.
MPEG Stream: "All Nereids Beware"
MPEG Stream: "Baby, You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek"
MPEG Stream: "The Words 'Best Friends' Become Redefined"
MPEG Stream: "Expired in Goreville"

CHIPS & BEER Issue #1 magazine 5.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
While we're still wringing a lot of reading enjoyment out of the 120 pages of the most recent issue of this cult metal 'zine, #3, reviewed here last list, we also have been excitedly perusing the two back issues we got in as well, #1 and #2, collect 'em all! As we said in our review of the latest, this is a great 'zine - the kind of 'zine that makes us wanna do 'zines again, actually. Edited by the inimitable Stewart Voegtlin, whose drunken hesher gone grad school writing style is the standard for all the magazine's enthusiastic & clever contributors, Chips & Beer's non-ironic love of underground metal past and present, the real good stuff, is abundantly evident throughout these first two issues.
#1, at 96 pages, features the likes of Manilla Road (an interview AND primer), Pentagram, Christian Mistress, Negative Plane, Cauchemar (with cocktail recipes), Vanhelgd, gore artist Matt "Putrid" Carr, and more! Buy this to read about the time Bobby Liebling met Iggy Stooge...
Issue #2, is up to 120 pages, crammed with stuff on Twisted Tower Dire, Thrones, The Mentors, Deceased, Midnight, Obsequiae, and much more, including a chat with our pal Ian Christie, of Bazillion Points Books. Plus, the primer this time is on King Diamond/Mercyful Fate.
And both issues of course feature editorial rants, peurile cartoons, clever comix, and plenty of opinionated, if sometimes cryptic reviews. We don't always agree with 'em (when we can even figure out if they like something or not) but find their viewpoints worth considering, and certainly amusing to read.
Blogs are great and all, but, well, screw 'em. Nothin' like a real 'zine! And especially nothin' like Chips & Beer.

CHIPS & BEER Issue #2 magazine 7.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
While we're still wringing a lot of reading enjoyment out of the 120 pages of the most recent issue of this cult metal 'zine, #3, reviewed here last list, we also have been excitedly perusing the two back issues we got in as well, #1 and #2, collect 'em all! As we said in our review of the latest, this is a great 'zine - the kind of 'zine that makes us wanna do 'zines again, actually. Edited by the inimitable Stewart Voegtlin, whose drunken hesher gone grad school writing style is the standard for all the magazine's enthusiastic & clever contributors, Chips & Beer's non-ironic love of underground metal past and present, the real good stuff, is abundantly evident throughout these first two issues.
#1, at 96 pages, features the likes of Manilla Road (an interview AND primer), Pentagram, Christian Mistress, Negative Plane, Cauchemar (with cocktail recipes), Vanhelgd, gore artist Matt "Putrid" Carr, and more! Buy this to read about the time Bobby Liebling met Iggy Stooge...
Issue #2, is up to 120 pages, crammed with stuff on Twisted Tower Dire, Thrones, The Mentors, Deceased, Midnight, Obsequiae, and much more, including a chat with our pal Ian Christie, of Bazillion Points Books. Plus, the primer this time is on King Diamond/Mercyful Fate.
And both issues of course feature editorial rants, peurile cartoons, clever comix, and plenty of opinionated, if sometimes cryptic reviews. We don't always agree with 'em (when we can even figure out if they like something or not) but find their viewpoints worth considering, and certainly amusing to read.
Blogs are great and all, but, well, screw 'em. Nothin' like a real 'zine! And especially nothin' like Chips & Beer.

CHIPS & BEER Issue #3 magazine 7.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is super cool. Chips & Beer is a real 'zine, on newsprint for goodness sakes, 120 pages, chock full of more metal than thou madness, deeply nerdy, enthused about an aesthetic that most ordinary metal fans let alone regular folks don't 'get', but if you do, this is for you!!! Not sure how this rag got all the way to issue #3 without us knowing about it, it's totally up our alley, being all about the type of truely cult, truly METAL stuff we dig. Fortunately we got a clue and got it in, with this brand new ish hot off the presses. It's just the thing to be reading when cranking the great new Dawnbringer album (which we just got in, to be reviewed next list) loud, 'cause there's a big interview with 'Professor' Black in here. It's also good readin' to go with crankin' just about ANY old school (or new wave of old school) metal: thrash, death, doom, true, etc.
Along with the interview with Dawnbringer/High Spirits mastermind Chris Black, in this issue Chips & Beer also kicks back with Finland's Krypts and Swallowed, Australia's Cauldron Black Ram, and others... The historical side of things is also well-represented, one of the features being a lengthy piece on the epic '80s metal legends known as Cirith Ungol. And the issue's centerpiece is a massive "New Yawk Street Metal Special", a lovingly in depth look at NYC's (and Long Island's) contributions to the majesty of metal, including interviews with Twisted Sister's Jay Jay French, Manowar's Ross The Boss, the band Frigid Bitch, Dan Lilker of Anthrax/SOD/Nuclear Assault/etc.; also there's a run-down on all the KISS albums up through Music From The Elder (just like we did!), a piece about the movie Maniac, and more.
Plus, Chips & Beer's got all the other usual stuff you'd expect in any self-respecting 'zine: tons of uber opinionated album reviews (we don't always agree with 'em, but they're fun to read), a letters page, ads from underground labels, and even some comix! And C&B boasts an excellent stable of headbanging writers, including noted scribe Stewart Voegtlin, the editor in fact, whose fevered writing is always abstruse but amusing, a hesher beatnik academic hybrid. Recommended!
So, not only are we looking forward to issue #4, we've also gotta hunt down the back issues...

CHIPS & BEER Issue #4 magazine 7.00
Man, there's lots of good reading material on this week's list. But this 'zine is, for underground metal fans, one of the best. Embarrassingly, we came late to the Chips & Beer party, catching on circa issue #3 and then catching up with #1 and #2 (both now out of print). We've been waiting eagerly for #4, and now it's here. Even better, it's the "Satanic Panic Special"! Which encompasses everything from a comic (there's always a lot of comix and art in C&B) about the supposed Satanic cult freakout of the '80s, to features on such Satanic bands as Teitanblood (yeah!) and a HUGE section all about "Sinister Cinema" (cult, occult horror flicks of '70s mainly) accompanied by an equally HUGE section wherein such left hand path luminaries as Dennis Dread, King Fowley, Justin Bartlett, and members of Moss, Hooded Menace, Impetigo, etc. discuss in depth their favorite horror film soundtrack music. Rad.
There's also a lot of interviews this ish, including chats with betrayed Blizzard Of Ozz bassist Bob Daisley, a band we gotta hear just 'cause they're called Skullshitter, and the (kinda weird old) guy who painted the cover to Slayer's debut album Show No Mercy. Also, a piece on Possessed's seminal Seven Churches lp, and one about Roky Erickson's Satanic side. And a hell of a lot more, including of course C&B's trademark cryptic & confusing record reviews. 128 newsprint pages, everything written (and drawn) with anti-trend attitude and true underground enthusiasm, a crazy combo of elite intellectual interest and dumb headbanger humor, both. Highly recommended, for Satan's sake!

CHIPS & BEER Issue #5 magazine 7.00
Hell yeah! Break out the chips and the beer - and crank the metal music LOUD - 'cause it's already time for the fifth installment of Chips & Beer, our favorite idiosyncratic underground cult metal (and more) 'zine. If you've got the earlier issues you know what to expect, if not, how do we explain the charm of Chips & Beer? Well, imagine a metalhead version of the old Bananafish 'zine - cryptic, creative, obviously intelligent, often absurd, and sometimes (especially when it comes to the comix) quite crude. Chips & Beer's writers, whether being straightforward or pseudo-intellectual or just plain weird, always manage to amuse, confuse, and (sometimes) enlighten, and definitely fulfill the FANzine's chief imperative of being enthusiastic admirers of whatever subject they chose to celebrate - in this issue, ferinstance, you get a piece on original Saint Vitus singer Scott Reagers ("Reagerding Reagers") that's practically a prose-poem in its effusive praise of that neglected vocalist's one of a kind talents (sentiments with which this writer can only agree).
This issue is the "Italian Metal Special", and as you may already know, the Chips & Beer crew don't half-ass these "specials", nope, you'll find stuff here about every damn crazy Italian metal band you've ever heard of and many more you hadn't, the big features being on Death SS, Bulldozer, Dark Quarterer, and Mortuary Drape, but lots of obscurer Italo HM obscurities get covered too, from Adramelch to Zess - plus there's even an interview with truly obscure AQ fave and former Record Of The Weeker, Tony Tears! The Italian theme continues into in-depth coverage of Italian '80s Z-grade swords & sorcery cinema, and the works of erotic auteur Tinto Brass.
But that's not all - also this ish: Betsy Bitch, Morbus Chron, Borrowed Time, Bone Sickness, Moss, Blue Oyster Cult (sort of), Lester Maddox, Longmont Potion Castle (yeah!!) and plenty more, including lots of hard-to-grok music reviews, and also reviews of modern straight to video (well, dvd) horror films, that part including a sidebar interview with director Ti West whose films Triggerman and The Roost we just listed the soundtrack to. 136 action-packed newsprint pages all in all, and recommended - nay, required - for anyone into this shit.

CHORD Flora (Neurot) cd 14.98
Avid readers of our blog probably already got a taste of Chord, a high concept super group, who craft longform compositions, each one the sonic realization of a single chord. Some folks might remember the group Physics from San Diego, a group who did something similar, with a revolving lineup, at one time or another featuring most famous or semi famous San Diego rockers among their ranks, and who typically featured multiple guitarists, all playing a single chord, quite often a C chord.
The group Chord, featuring one member of Pelican along with several other Chicago area musicians, are bit more highbrow with their 'Chords'. This record displaying four of them: Am, Am7, E9 and Gmaj(flat 13). As we mentioned in our blog post too, for an April Fool's Day a while back we imagined the ultimate doomdrone record where Earth, Boris and SUNNO))) would each play one not of a chord, and that chord would be the release. Well, how prescient were we?
Here the players are each assigned a note but are allowed to do whatever they like with that note, octave, timbre, playing style, effects, the various players letting their notes drift and intertwine with the other notes, the resulting chord a lush, cloud of sound, constantly shifting and transforming, changing shape, slipping from hushed shimmer to corrosive buzz and back again, sometimes building to a Sunroof!-like wall of sound, other times, so minimal it seems to be just particles and fragments floating in an expanse of soft focus whirs and whispers. Some parts are simple and strummed and sound like a proper song, but those parts soon blossom into something much more layered and abstract. A Minor is our favorite chord, and the Am track here just completely fries the chord, a cacophonous chaotic wall of crumbling churning super distorted buzz and skree, blurred into an almost hypnotic slab of corrosive pulsing noise. It's all quite dramatic and epic, quite beautiful, stately at certain moments, almost chaotic and crumbling at others, anyone into Conrad, Cale, Maclise, Flynt and especially Branca and Chatham will definitely dig this. As well as guitardrone freaks who count Fear Falls Burning, RST, Seconds In Formaldehyde, Elm, Continuum and the like among their favorites.
MPEG Stream: "Gmaj (flat13)"
MPEG Stream: "Am"

CHORD Progression (Important) cd 14.98
The return of high concept ambient dronescapers Chord, a sort-of side project of post metal heavies Pelican. Chord, as their name implies, only ever play a single chord, each track a different one, this time around it's EbMaj9, Gm11 and D6. Sounds boring, but it really isn't, in fact probably most drone outfits play one chord their whole career, but this, this is something more, with each member contributing a note, the notes forming a chord, and all of them playing different instruments, different tempos and timbres, the guitars shimmer warmly, the piano (?), swirls and drifts in a sea of hazy reverb, there seems to be some burbling bass too, it's all woven into something lush and dreamy, hypnotic and mesmerizing.
When we reviewed the first Chord album, we pointed out that we had come up with the idea of a 'chord' band on our April Fool's list way back when, with SUNNO))), Earth and Boris each tackling one of the notes, to make a mighty E chord. We still like to think that's where they got the idea. We also mentioned the late great Physics, a San Diego supergroup who always played a C, long spaced out jams, with multiple guitar players, always C. But as we mentioned before, Chord is a much more thoughtful project, definitely on the nerdy side of the spectrum, I mean, they made a song called "EbMaj9", and the group is as much about concept for the players as it is about the sound, but whatever the inspiration, the resulting soundscapes play out like our favorite guitardrone records. Smoldering slow burning expanses of deep layered thrum, hazy, washed out drifts of abstract choral blur. Whereas the other record occasionally built into Sunroof!-worthy squalls, Progression seems to be much more minimal, hushed and restrained, the only deviation is near the end of the epic 40 minute "Gm11", where things get full on heavy, a crushing avalanche of crumbling, superdistorted, blur and buzz, before slipping into the final track, a surprising bit of twang flecked folkiness, wreathed in a hazy buzz, and underpinned by some FX shimmer, but otherwise, sun dappled and dreamy, and for the record, all in the chord of D6.
And speaking of single chords, the most recent Austerity Program, besides being an awesome record, did something similar, in that they only ever used one chord, for the whole record, the band was appalled that no one noticed, but it just goes to show you what someone can do with a single chord, making more with less, a concept that Chord also embody, especially considering their sound has most definitely blossomed into something much more than just a quirky concept. Really great. And WAY recommended for fans of Fear Falls Burning, Final, R.Y.N., Elm, RST, Vulture Club and other practitioners of guitardronedrift.
And just to make things totally confusing, the cd and the lp are TOTALLY different. Progressions is a single collection of songs spread out over both formats, so the record starts on the cd, and continues on the lp, the music on each exclusive to that format. So if you do want ALL of Progression, you have to buy both, although most folks would probably be fine with one or the other.
MPEG Stream: "EbMaj9 (Descent)"
MPEG Stream: "Gm11 (Pelagic)"

CHORD Progression (Important) 2lp 22.00
The return of high concept ambient dronescapers Chord, a sort-of side project of post metal heavies Pelican. Chord, as their name implies, only ever play a single chord, each track a different one, this time around it's EbMaj9, Gm11 and D6. Sounds boring, but it really isn't, in fact probably most drone outfits play one chord their whole career, but this, this is something more, with each member contributing a note, the notes forming a chord, and all of them playing different instruments, different tempos and timbres, the guitars shimmer warmly, the piano (?), swirls and drifts in a sea of hazy reverb, there seems to be some burbling bass too, it's all woven into something lush and dreamy, hypnotic and mesmerizing.
When we reviewed the first Chord album, we pointed out that we had come up with the idea of a 'chord' band on our April Fool's list way back when, with SUNNO))), Earth and Boris each tackling one of the notes, to make a mighty E chord. We still like to think that's where they got the idea. We also mentioned the late great Physics, a San Diego supergroup who always played a C, long spaced out jams, with multiple guitar players, always C. But as we mentioned before, Chord is a much more thoughtful project, definitely on the nerdy side of the spectrum, I mean, they made a song called "EbMaj9", and the group is as much about concept for the players as it is about the sound, but whatever the inspiration, the resulting soundscapes play out like our favorite guitardrone records. Smoldering slow burning expanses of deep layered thrum, hazy, washed out drifts of abstract choral blur. Whereas the other record occasionally built into Sunroof!-worthy squalls, Progression seems to be much more minimal, hushed and restrained, the only deviation is near the end of the epic 40 minute "Gm11", where things get full on heavy, a crushing avalanche of crumbling, superdistorted, blur and buzz, before slipping into the final track, a surprising bit of twang flecked folkiness, wreathed in a hazy buzz, and underpinned by some FX shimmer, but otherwise, sun dappled and dreamy, and for the record, all in the chord of D6.
And speaking of single chords, the most recent Austerity Program, besides being an awesome record, did something similar, in that they only ever used one chord, for the whole record, the band was appalled that no one noticed, but it just goes to show you what someone can do with a single chord, making more with less, a concept that Chord also embody, especially considering their sound has most definitely blossomed into something much more than just a quirky concept. Really great. And WAY recommended for fans of Fear Falls Burning, Final, R.Y.N., Elm, RST, Vulture Club and other practitioners of guitardronedrift.
And just to make things totally confusing, the cd and the lp are TOTALLY different. Progressions is a single collection of songs spread out over both formats, so the record starts on the cd, and continues on the lp, the music on each exclusive to that format. So if you do want ALL of Progression, you have to buy both, although most folks would probably be fine with one or the other.
MPEG Stream: "EbMaj9 (Descent)"
MPEG Stream: "Gm11 (Pelagic)"

CHRIST ON PARADE Sounds Of Nature (Neurot) cd 10.98

MPEG Stream: "Drop Out"
MPEG Stream: "The Plague - Mirror Image"
MPEG Stream: "Thoughts Of War"

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS Agony And Opium (20 Buck Spin) cd 10.98
First, a couple things, we doubt that these rockers are Christian, and the only lady in the band seems more like a "Ms." than a Mistress. But, yeah, that's a very metal sounding name ain't it?? Now, we know that '70s and '80s influenced heavy metal isn't everyone's cup of tea, but then neither is doomdronedirge or lo-fi garage pop or groovy porno soundtracks or lots of other things... and we wouldn't be being true to ourselves if we didn't make this a Record Of The Week! After all, some of us here have done nothing but listen to this non-stop since it showed up. Plus, maybe this IS your cup of tea and you wouldn't have known that if we didn't really push it.
For those of you who are into traditional metal sounds, like those of the NWOBHM (and thus know what NWOBHM stands for), Christian Mistress should be an immediate hit. Everyone else, well, if you're gonna get just ONE heavy metal record this year, it'd be pretty cool (for you) if it was this one.
The debut from Olympia's Christian Mistress, actually looks more crusty punk than heavy metal, and comes out on a label better known for doom and sludge than "True" heavy metal. Yet this is true all right. Not only boasting shredding twin guitars, but melodies and SONGS, and a singer, Christine Davis, who not only can sing but has a "VOICE". Sorry for the all caps, and quotes, but we're excited. What we mean is, she's got a voice that is unique and memorable, as well as being able to carry a tune. Pretty special in this day and age. We'd probably have to compare her, among female metal vocalists, to Kate De Lombaert from '80s Belgian band Acid, not that we expect everybody to know who that is... Davis could also appeal to fans of Hammers Of Misfortune, and Jex Thoth, though she doesn't sound like those female singers, her voice much more raw, deeper, with a slight rasp in fact. But sweet enough for us! It's powerful yet melancholic character goes well with her lyrics, serious ones about such subjects as love and (we think) addiction, she stays away from trite metal cliches. Meanwhile, musically, the band shows itself to be steeped in the "old ways", dedicated students of Judas Priest and early Iron Maiden, the NWOBHM, Metallica, Megadeth, etc... plugging into the timelessness of the best traditional metal, while still sounding fresh and vital. Exciting, and emotional.
Christian Mistress go for quality not quantity here, offering up six killer songs in just over 27 minutes. From opening track "Riding On The Edges" onwards, the listener is treated to sheer headbanging joy, adrenalized gallop, heavy riffs, spiralling spires of intertwined lead guitar, and both melody and energy in large doses. All six songs are excellent, with maybe "Desert Rose" especially standing out come chorus-time... and we'll mention how the last cut, "Omega Stone", starts off in gentle, acoustic mode, Davis singing quietly, wearily, for several minutes, building into some psychedelic soloing, before the band bursts into frenetic, triumphant, rapid riffing for the track's final moments. It's probably the song on this album that an audience would be most likely to raise their lighters for, and we mean that in a good way! And then as soon as it's over, we're already hitting play to hear the disc again once more, to get another Christian Mistress fix. Here, and elsewhere, they achieve a sense of drama without being at all corny. Instead, this disc comes off as classy, majestic, and inspired. And about as hooky as can be. We're always talking about how this or that black metal or ambient drone or whatever band is "actually" writing pop songs underneath all the buzz, distortion and/or screaming. Well, here's a band that's heavy and metal... and DEFINITELY writing pop songs, of the stick-in-your-head variety. Your head that's banging at the same time. Basically, the current crop of retro metallers (not to mention all indie rock bands, if we look at this from a metal-centric perspective) just got their asses handed to them by Christian Mistress. Old school, but original.
We're not the only ones freaking out over Christian Mistress. 20 Buck Spin, obviously. And, Fenriz loves 'em! In fact, we might have first heard of Christian Mistress 'cause the Darkthrone drummer mentioned them in an interview or something. And while we don't agree with Fenriz about all his many cult band crushes, he was right about these guys (and girl). Also, the other day we happened to be playing this in the presence of Mike Scalzi from Slough Feg, who volunteered that "this band is awesome"... and he usually doesn't like ANYTHING. So consider that quite an endorsement, for what it's worth... along with us making it Record Of The Week.
MPEG Stream: "Riding On The Edges"
MPEG Stream: "Desert Rose"
MPEG Stream: "Home In The Sun"

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS Agony And Opium (20 Buck Spin) lp 14.98
First, a couple things, we doubt that these rockers are Christian, and the only lady in the band seems more like a "Ms." than a Mistress. But, yeah, that's a very metal sounding name ain't it?? Now, we know that '70s and '80s influenced heavy metal isn't everyone's cup of tea, but then neither is doomdronedirge or lo-fi garage pop or groovy porno soundtracks or lots of other things... and we wouldn't be being true to ourselves if we didn't make this a Record Of The Week! After all, some of us here have done nothing but listen to this non-stop since it showed up. Plus, maybe this IS your cup of tea and you wouldn't have known that if we didn't really push it.
For those of you who are into traditional metal sounds, like those of the NWOBHM (and thus know what NWOBHM stands for), Christian Mistress should be an immediate hit. Everyone else, well, if you're gonna get just ONE heavy metal record this year, it'd be pretty cool (for you) if it was this one.
The debut from Olympia's Christian Mistress, actually looks more crusty punk than heavy metal, and comes out on a label better known for doom and sludge than "True" heavy metal. Yet this is true all right. Not only boasting shredding twin guitars, but melodies and SONGS, and a singer, Christine Davis, who not only can sing but has a "VOICE". Sorry for the all caps, and quotes, but we're excited. What we mean is, she's got a voice that is unique and memorable, as well as being able to carry a tune. Pretty special in this day and age. We'd probably have to compare her, among female metal vocalists, to Kate De Lombaert from '80s Belgian band Acid, not that we expect everybody to know who that is... Davis could also appeal to fans of Hammers Of Misfortune, and Jex Thoth, though she doesn't sound like those female singers, her voice much more raw, deeper, with a slight rasp in fact. But sweet enough for us! It's powerful yet melancholic character goes well with her lyrics, serious ones about such subjects as love and (we think) addiction, she stays away from trite metal cliches. Meanwhile, musically, the band shows itself to be steeped in the "old ways", dedicated students of Judas Priest and early Iron Maiden, the NWOBHM, Metallica, Megadeth, etc... plugging into the timelessness of the best traditional metal, while still sounding fresh and vital. Exciting, and emotional.
Christian Mistress go for quality not quantity here, offering up six killer songs in just over 27 minutes. From opening track "Riding On The Edges" onwards, the listener is treated to sheer headbanging joy, adrenalized gallop, heavy riffs, spiralling spires of intertwined lead guitar, and both melody and energy in large doses. All six songs are excellent, with maybe "Desert Rose" especially standing out come chorus-time... and we'll mention how the last cut, "Omega Stone", starts off in gentle, acoustic mode, Davis singing quietly, wearily, for several minutes, building into some psychedelic soloing, before the band bursts into frenetic, triumphant, rapid riffing for the track's final moments. It's probably the song on this album that an audience would be most likely to raise their lighters for, and we mean that in a good way! And then as soon as it's over, we're already hitting play to hear the disc again once more, to get another Christian Mistress fix. Here, and elsewhere, they achieve a sense of drama without being at all corny. Instead, this disc comes off as classy, majestic, and inspired. And about as hooky as can be. We're always talking about how this or that black metal or ambient drone or whatever band is "actually" writing pop songs underneath all the buzz, distortion and/or screaming. Well, here's a band that's heavy and metal... and DEFINITELY writing pop songs, of the stick-in-your-head variety. Your head that's banging at the same time. Basically, the current crop of retro metallers (not to mention all indie rock bands, if we look at this from a metal-centric perspective) just got their asses handed to them by Christian Mistress. Old school, but original.
We're not the only ones freaking out over Christian Mistress. 20 Buck Spin, obviously. And, Fenriz loves 'em! In fact, we might have first heard of Christian Mistress 'cause the Darkthrone drummer mentioned them in an interview or something. And while we don't agree with Fenriz about all his many cult band crushes, he was right about these guys (and girl). Also, the other day we happened to be playing this in the presence of Mike Scalzi from Slough Feg, who volunteered that "this band is awesome"... and he usually doesn't like ANYTHING. So consider that quite an endorsement, for what it's worth... along with us making it Record Of The Week.
MPEG Stream: "Riding On The Edges"
MPEG Stream: "Desert Rose"
MPEG Stream: "Home In The Sun"

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS Demos (Unseen Forces) lp 21.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Four new songs - well actually four OLD songs, but new to us and probably new to you too - from the mighty Christian Mistress, whose debut on the 20 Buck Spin label was a very popular, very metal Record Of The Week here last year. Now illustrator/metalhead Dennis Dread's new label Unseen Forces has, for their very first release, reissued CM's original 2009 4-song demo tape on 12", 45rpm vinyl, in a limited edition of 350 copies, already sold out at the label. And we got just a tiny handful. The songs: "Poison Path", "Never Let Go", "Anoxic Living", "Black Out". All good examples of what makes these female-fronted, NWOBHM-infuenced retro-metal rippers so damn great.
Remixed, remastered for vinyl, with new cover art by vocalist Christine Davis, handscreened, with lyrics sheet.

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS Possession (Relapse) cd 14.98
Always so many reviews to write, and we've pretty much saved the best for last, it's the night before the list, and we've got a date with the Christian Mistress!! So stoked on this, the second strike of instantly memorable, uniquely atmospheric, old school galloping trad metal greatness from these Olympia, WA gods - and, ahem, goddess!
We at Aquarius - and many of you, we know - can be considered Christian Mistress early adopters. We boldly made their debut album Agony & Opium a Record Of The Week back when it came out in August, 2010, after all. Joining the chorus of such fans as Fenriz of Darkthrone, and the guys in Slough Feg, we sang their praises to the skies. Needless to say, this new full-length, a year and a half later, is eagerly anticipated. And being released on Relapse, is bound to get a wider audience, which is quite deserved. Having seen 'em slaying live, every time they've come to town, we've heard a few of these songs already and that further whetted our appetite for this album...we didn't know if they could top their debut, but we think they maybe just did!
Analog-recorded at Louder Studios by Tim Green of The Fucking Champs, Possession offers up nine new tracks of Christian Mistress' classic sounding riffing and rippage, inspired by '70s Priest, the toughest NWOBHM (Diamond Head, Angel Witch), and early '80s speedmetal. Songs full of exquisite shred, catchy choruses, doomed-out power, acoustic adornment, and most significantly, such compelling melodic singing. While the dual guitarists are whizzes for sure, throwing out licks in passing that lesser bands might base whole songs around, the band's main attraction remains singer Christine Davis, who as we have said before, possesses a serious VOICE. Charismatic, commanding, husky, raw, melancholic. It's the X-factor that makes CM's music sound so special, so timeless, even transcendent. A crucial component to these carefully crafted songs, which range from rapidfire off-the-rails rockin' to utterly emotive & epic. CM are so totally metal - rooted in the genre's finest traditions - yet their songwriting is pop enough underneath it all for anyone to enjoy, who likes good, real rock music.
So the deal obviously is, those of you already into CM are getting this for sure; but folks who haven't checked 'em out, please do, even if you're not a metal "regular", particularly of the old school variety. When we made their first album Record Of The Week we said something like, if you were gonna buy just one metal album this year, make it this one, and while of course we think you should be buying MORE than one metal album a year (that's ridiculous!!!), put this new CM at the top of your list. It's definitely a contender for best heavy metal album of 2012; at least, there's so many songs here, like "Hunted Haunted" and "Black To Gold" and their cover of obscure '80s Swedish doomsters Faith's "Possession", for instance, that we just can't stop spinning over and over and over. Good thing this is the last review we've got to finish before the list...
MPEG Stream: "The Way Beyond"
MPEG Stream: "Hunted Haunted"
MPEG Stream: "Possession"
MPEG Stream: "Black To Gold"

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS Possession (Relapse) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Always so many reviews to write, and we've pretty much saved the best for last, it's the night before the list, and we've got a date with the Christian Mistress!! So stoked on this, the second strike of instantly memorable, uniquely atmospheric, old school galloping trad metal greatness from these Olympia, WA gods - and, ahem, goddess!
We at Aquarius - and many of you, we know - can be considered Christian Mistress early adopters. We boldly made their debut album Agony & Opium a Record Of The Week back when it came out in August, 2010, after all. Joining the chorus of such fans as Fenriz of Darkthrone, and the guys in Slough Feg, we sang their praises to the skies. Needless to say, this new full-length, a year and a half later, is eagerly anticipated. And being released on Relapse, is bound to get a wider audience, which is quite deserved. Having seen 'em slaying live, every time they've come to town, we've heard a few of these songs already and that further whetted our appetite for this album...we didn't know if they could top their debut, but we think they maybe just did!
Analog-recorded at Louder Studios by Tim Green of The Fucking Champs, Possession offers up nine new tracks of Christian Mistress' classic sounding riffing and rippage, inspired by '70s Priest, the toughest NWOBHM (Diamond Head, Angel Witch), and early '80s speedmetal. Songs full of exquisite shred, catchy choruses, doomed-out power, acoustic adornment, and most significantly, such compelling melodic singing. While the dual guitarists are whizzes for sure, throwing out licks in passing that lesser bands might base whole songs around, the band's main attraction remains singer Christine Davis, who as we have said before, possesses a serious VOICE. Charismatic, commanding, husky, raw, melancholic. It's the X-factor that makes CM's music sound so special, so timeless, even transcendent. A crucial component to these carefully crafted songs, which range from rapidfire off-the-rails rockin' to utterly emotive & epic. CM are so totally metal - rooted in the genre's finest traditions - yet their songwriting is pop enough underneath it all for anyone to enjoy, who likes good, real rock music.
So the deal obviously is, those of you already into CM are getting this for sure; but folks who haven't checked 'em out, please do, even if you're not a metal "regular", particularly of the old school variety. When we made their first album Record Of The Week we said something like, if you were gonna buy just one metal album this year, make it this one, and while of course we think you should be buying MORE than one metal album a year (that's ridiculous!!!), put this new CM at the top of your list. It's definitely a contender for best heavy metal album of 2012; at least, there's so many songs here, like "Hunted Haunted" and "Black To Gold" and their cover of obscure '80s Swedish doomsters Faith's "Possession", for instance, that we just can't stop spinning over and over and over. Good thing this is the last review we've got to finish before the list...
MPEG Stream: "The Way Beyond"
MPEG Stream: "Hunted Haunted"
MPEG Stream: "Possession"
MPEG Stream: "Black To Gold"

CHROME HOOF Beyond Zade (Rise Above) cd 12.98

MPEG Stream: "Krunching Down"
MPEG Stream: "Year Ram"

CHRYST PhantasmaChronica (Omniversal) cd 14.98
Way back in the nineties, when we were first getting into black metal, we discovered an Austrian horde called Korova, that were pretty much everything we wanted in a weirdo black metal band, blasting riffage, soaring baroque keyboards, over the top male/female vox, their sound constantly mutating and getting weirder and weirder, the band eventually introducing electronica and other non-metal weirdness into their sound, and transforming into what was essentially an experimental blackened pop band. Sort of. The band eventually transformed into Korovakill and released a sort-of concept record called Waterhells, which continued the band's descent into sonic madness and progression towards a grim/kvlt-metalhead-alienating whattthefuckness that we of course LOVED. That record came out nearly a decade ago, so we just assumed that Korova/Korovakill were no more. That is until a few weeks ago, when we got an email from a band with the odd moniker of Chryst, who it turns out were the latest incarnation of Korova. We got a copy of the record, and were a bit confused by the bizarre and surreal cover art, the front of which features a plastic model of christ crucified on one of those wind turbines, a silhouette of which forms the 'Y' in the Chryst logo. Flip over the record and there's a strange man with a head of hair, a beard and mustache made from photoshopped clouds, oh and alongside his head is a fish floating in the air. Pretty ridiculous for sure, but once we threw the record on, it all made sense. Sonically, the record sort of sounds exactly how the artwork looks, surreal and over the top, twisted and confusional, and pretty geniusly baffling.
Our first impression was that Chryst sounded like a crazy mash up of Hammers Of Misfortune, Uz Jsme Doma, Hollenthon, Judson Fountain doing that witch voice, Cradle Of Filth, and Orff's Carmina Burana (which they do an a cappela version of at one point!!), look those up on the aQ site and see if it doesn't make perfect sense. And it's really not that far off the mark, the sound is super theatrical, and totally twisted, and not a little bit ridiculous, and in lesser hands it could have been a total clusterfuck, but there does seem to be a method to their madness, moving well beyond the weird metal dabbling of their previous incarnations, and leaving other weird metal contemporaries of theirs like Dodheimsgard, Borknagar, Arcturus in the dust. And creating a sort of modern avant black metal cabaret.
There's really too much going on, and the songs change direction and sound it would take forever to describe the whole record, but let's go through the first few songs and you should definitely get a feel for how fantastically freaky and totally ruling this really is.
The opener "The Awakening" starts off like some traditional black metal, some killer buzzing riffage, pounding drums, howled demonic vokills, then it switches gears, into a furious blast, still pretty straight ahead except for the weird insectoid theremin melody, and then the deep dramatic crooned vox, but still well within the realms of black metal for sure, that is until the background vocals come in, a weird falsetto choir, and the strange extra percussion, the productions seeming to shift, until everything stops, leaving just a haunting stretch of chimes and harmony vocals, only to lurch right back into that blasting metal, only to have the track start changing speed, slooooowing waaaaaay down, then speeding back up super fast, then slooooooowing doooooown again, and finally finishing off in a blaze of hyperspeed buzz, which leads directly into the super dramatic synth/vocal opening of "I Are You", which is where those croaky shrieky Judson Fountain witch-like vox surface for the first time, then some orchestral percussion, some strange pseudo operatic vocals, and then the band launches into some furious blackness, with some insanely fast drumming, and those operatic vocals continue within the buzzing and blasting, a strange mix, but it definitely works in some weird way.
Then there's "Leaving The Ashes" with its buzzing cold wave synthy opening, which leads to some seriously ruling keyboard/vocal heavy epic power metal replete with horns, which abruptly shifts into "Storming Outside", a furious blast of punky heaviness, rife with slippery atonal guitars and more moody vox, all wreathed in swirling maniacal synths.
And so it goes, not necessarily getting stranger and stranger, merely keeping the already off the charts level of weirdness throughout. Most of the tracks are quite short, more like movements, all woven together into a single flowing epic, the sound shifting constantly and relentlessly, lots of black buzz, and the black metal parts are definitely black enough for the true grim hordes, but even those parts are twisted all up into new freaky fantastical shapes, but as should be obvious by now, for every bit of black blast, there's plenty of other stranger sounds, that range from carnivalesque cabaret to strange almost sun shiney Beach Boys vocal flecked freakfolk/Appalachia, but ultimately the key to this fractured fucked up schizophrenic avant metal opus, is that every part, be it straight ahead (relatively) or twisted beyond recognition, is impossibly catchy, so the ADD arrangements become an embarrassment of sonic riches, with your initial disappointment when a part ends, mitigated by the beginning of a new, equally kick ass part, which is most definitely a rarity in most music, metal especially.
Absolutely recommended for all the aQ-ers out there who love their metal demented and damaged and totally ridiculously over the top, and for the metal shy, this might just be the sort of gateway record that could very well lure you over to the dark (weird) sideÉ Here's hoping!
MPEG Stream: "The Awakening"
MPEG Stream: "I Are You"
MPEG Stream: "Leaving The Ashes"
MPEG Stream: "Storming Outside"
MPEG Stream: "The Surge Lands"

CHURCH OF MISERY Boston Strangler (Kult Ov Nihilow) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Since we're listing the brand new Church Of Misery record, we thought we'd also mention that we managed to get a few more of this rarity back in stock, from the same label that brought us that new Boris 12"...
Cool 5 song collection from Japan's serial killer obsessed stoner sludge rockers Church Of Misery. The first four tracks were recorded over the last few years and of course concern all your favorites, the Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy, the Candy Man, and El Topo. Crunchy and fuzzed out loping stoner rock ala Fu Manchu, Nebula, Heavy Rocks-era Boris. Fucking great stuff. The fifth track is tagged on to track four and is ostensibly an improvisation, titled "Invocation Of My Demon Brother". Not sure if it's some sort of homage to Kenneth Anger, but to these ears it just sounds like more of that sweet sweet crushing tarpit sludge.
MPEG Stream: "Boston Strangler - Albert Deslavo"
MPEG Stream: "El Topo"

CHURCH OF MISERY Dennis Nilsen (Kult Of Nihilow) lp 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Okay stoner metal serial killer obsessives, you know who you are, even if you're loathe to admit it, time to rejoice as the masters of SKSR (serial killer stoner rock) return, Japan's Church Of Misery.
This ep focuses on UK killer Dennis Nilsen, a serial pedophile and killer, which prompted a conversation about what these guys would do when they ran out of killers to immortalize, but we were saddened to realize that it's pretty unlikely that will ever happen no matter how many records these guys put out.
But fuck it, you don't need to be obsessed with killers to dig this shit, just killer riffs. And the riffs as always are indeed killer. Huge bassy, sludgey, groovy, in fact the opening track on this 12" is so groovy it almost sounds like a more metal ZZ Top. Sabbathy to the Nth degree, lumbering rhythms that either plod or swing depending on the track, the vocals a growly croak buried way down in the mix, sounding not unlike Michael Gerald from Killdozer, super dynamic and stoned. Lots of break downs where just the bass and drums groove, before the riff swoops back in. Wild leads, lurching stop start bits,wild almost space rock outros, and of course, plenty of clips of Dennis Nilsen talking as well as various news reports. Technically this is a full length, even though the B-side is a single super extended stoner metal drug jam, and thus is only three tracks. Sabbath, Kyuss, Green Machine, Acrimony, Solar Anus, Ox, Bongzilla, if that stuff is your cup of THC laced tea, then you are definitely gonna want this.
Beautiful matte finish gatefold sleeves, and of course super limited, only 500 or 600 copies, and CoM records always go crazy fast.

CHURCH OF MISERY Early Works Compilation (Leaf Hound) 2cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Will the Japanese stoner sludge serial killer onslaught never end?? We sure hope not. We're finally able to list this double cd collection of old, rare, unreleased and out of print tracks from one of the heaviest bands in Japan. Corrupted may have the market cornered on sludge, and Boris definitely has the drone-dirge segment all sewn up, but that leaves Church Of Misery to duke it out with the equally brutal Green Machine for the groovy, druggy, sludge-y stonery BIG RIFF contingent. Early Works definitely helps the cause, with two discs bursting with splattery serial killer soundbites, plague-of-locusts riffery, skull crushing drumming, and a truly hellish howl of a lead vocalist. Plus unlike many of their metallic brethren, CoM can indeed SHRED, and whip out squiggly acid soaked leads at the drop of a hat, giving the proceedings a classic psych-rock / drug-rock feel, on top of the already suffocatingly heavy sludge already oozing from every crack. Disc one collects the long out of print split with sHEAVY, featuring odes to Manson, Charles Whiteman, and Jim Jones, as well as the Taste The Pain mini-album with songs about Dahmer, Graham Young, and Ed Gein, as well as an insane version of Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda Da Vidda." Disc two collects lots of random compilation tracks including a Trouble cover, a Black Widow cover, a Death SS cover and an unreleased track. Church Of Misery are so amazing, it's too bad that their singleminded obsession with serial killers, and their continued use of serial killer soundbites keeps them from appealing to a wider audience. It is too bad, but who can argue? The music is strangely and perfectly suited to CoM's tales of murder and mayhem, victims and killers.
We still have a handful of other CoM releases, their latest The Second Coming and the limited The Boston Strangler, but not for long!!
MPEG Stream: "Spahn Ranch (Charles Manson)"
MPEG Stream: "Room 213 (Jeffrey Dahmer)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Early Works Compilation (Emetic Records) 2cd 13.98
Previously this was an import from the Japanese label Leafhound, sadly now defunct. But fortunately Emetic has just reissued it, domestically! Here's what we said about this essential anthology back when we first listed it in 2004:
Will the Japanese stoner sludge serial killer onslaught never end?? We sure hope not. We're finally able to list this double cd collection of old, rare, unreleased and out of print tracks from one of the heaviest bands in Japan. Corrupted may have the market cornered on sludge, and Boris definitely has the drone-dirge segment all sewn up, but that leaves Church Of Misery to duke it out with the equally brutal Green Machine for the groovy, druggy, sludge-y stonery BIG RIFF contingent. Early Works definitely helps the cause, with two discs bursting with splattery serial killer soundbites, plague-of-locusts riffery, skull crushing drumming, and a truly hellish howl of a lead vocalist. Plus unlike many of their metallic brethren, CoM can indeed SHRED, and whip out squiggly acid soaked leads at the drop of a hat, giving the proceedings a classic psych-rock / drug-rock feel, on top of the already suffocatingly heavy sludge already oozing from every crack. Disc one collects the long out of print split with sHEAVY, featuring odes to Manson, Charles Whiteman, and Jim Jones, as well as the Taste The Pain mini-album with songs about Dahmer, Graham Young, and Ed Gein, as well as an insane version of Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda Da Vidda." Disc two collects lots of random compilation tracks including a Trouble cover, a Black Widow cover, a Death SS cover and an unreleased track. Church Of Misery are so amazing, it's too bad that their singleminded obsession with serial killers, and their continued use of serial killer soundbites keeps them from appealing to a wider audience. It is too bad, but who can argue? The music is strangely and perfectly suited to CoM's tales of murder and mayhem, victims and killers.
MPEG Stream: "Spahn Ranch (Charles Manson)"
MPEG Stream: "Room 213 (Jeffrey Dahmer)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Early Works Compilation (Emetic) 3lp 59.00
Yeah, it's expensive, but wait til you get a load of this sludge doom monstrosity, a massive triple lp, in a super deluxe heavy sleeve, it weighs a ton, as it should, cuz this is one serious slab of black hole groove laden death obsessed down tuned heaviness. Available on vinyl for the first time EVER!
Will the Japanese stoner sludge serial killer onslaught never end?? We sure hope not. Especially in light of this collection of old, rare, unreleased and out of print tracks from one of the heaviest bands in Japan. Corrupted may have the market cornered on sludge, and Boris definitely has the drone-dirge segment all sewn up, but that leaves Church Of Misery to duke it out with the equally brutal Green Machine for the groovy, druggy, sludge-y stonery BIG RIFF contingent. Early Works definitely helps the cause, with two discs bursting with splattery serial killer soundbites, plague-of-locusts riffery, skull crushing drumming, and a truly hellish howl of a lead vocalist. Plus unlike many of their metallic brethren, CoM can indeed SHRED, and whip out squiggly acid soaked leads at the drop of a hat, giving the proceedings a classic psych-rock / drug-rock feel, on top of the already suffocatingly heavy sludge already oozing from every crack. This compilation collects the long out of print split with sHEAVY, featuring odes to Manson, Charles Whiteman, and Jim Jones, as well as the Taste The Pain mini-album with songs about Dahmer, Graham Young, and Ed Gein, as well as an insane version of Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda Da Vidda." Tacked on are lots of random compilation tracks including a Trouble cover, a Black Widow cover, a Death SS cover and an unreleased track. Church Of Misery are so amazing, it's too bad that their singleminded obsession with serial killers, and their continued use of serial killer soundbites keeps them from appealing to a wider audience. It is too bad, but who can argue? The music is strangely and perfectly suited to CoM's tales of murder and mayhem, victims and killers.
MPEG Stream: "Spahn Ranch (Charles Manson)"
MPEG Stream: "Room 213 (Jeffrey Dahmer)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Houses Of The Unholy (Rise Above) cd 15.98
How much you love Church Of Misery depends on two things, how you feel about massive super rocking ultra crushing downtuned stoner sludge, and how you feel about serial killers. Cuz with Church Of Misery, you get a blown out, in-the-red, druggy, metallic mix of the two. The serial killer aspect is probably easier to overlook, it manifests itself mostly as artwork and song titles, although most of the tracks also have samples of newscasts, or radio broadcasts, detailing the exploits of whichever killer is the focus of the song. For some of us, those samples are cool and creepy, and just add to the band's riff rocking menace, but for others, it's a just a dumb distraction.
We obviously fall into the former camp, especially considering that element is nothing compared to the MUSIC, which just continues to get heavier and heavier and groovier and groovier with every record. Incredible riffs, a guitar sound that devours everything in its path, pounding drums, and some of the gnarliest howled throat shredding vocals EVER. Not to mention plenty of twisted blues, wild shredding leads, groovy wah guitars. We mentioned in the review of the last CoM record, that the sound reminded us a bit of ZZ Top, albeit a supercharged ultra metal version, and that sort of groovy Southern fried vibe pervades everything here, but Houses is even more intense, more aggressive, especially the vocals, the best comparison we could come up with is equal parts ZZ Top, Eyehategod, Black Sabbath (of course) and Boris at their most wildly psychedelic and hard rocking, with some sort of Demonic Phil Anselmo on vocals. And Boris fans, Church Of Misery rock out big time here, trading in much of the sluggish sludge for blown out amp destroying full rock action, so fans of later Boris, if you can imagine them a bit more sloppy, a lot more furious and frenzied, and WAY more heavy, then this stuff will definitely hit the spot.
But fear not, those who yearn for sludge, there's still plenty of lurching, lumbering doomy groove, a la Acrimony, Bongzilla, Buzzov-en, Sourvein, but all tangled up with the more rocking parts, and wild freaked out guitar jams. PLUS, for all you proto metal obsessives, they even do a killer version of "Master Heartache" by Sir Lord Baltimore!
The more we listen to it the better it sounds. The riffs kill, the songs rule, total headbanger bliss.
And for those who DO care, the killers this time around are: Charles Starkweather & Caril Ann Fugate, Richard Speck, Richard Trenton Chase, Albert Fish, James Oliver Huberty and Adolfo De Jesus Constanzo. And as always, awesome packaging. Each song/killer gets its own page in the booklet, every one designed like an old worn Blue Note album cover, and the cd itself, printed to look like a dusty old slab of vinyl.
Totally and utterly recommended. One of our favorite metal records of the year so far for sure.
MPEG Stream: "El Padrino (Adolpho Constanzo)"
MPEG Stream: "Shotgun Boogie (James Oliver Huberty)"
MPEG Stream: "The Gray Man (Albert Fish)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Houses Of The Unholy (DIWPhalanx) dvd 30.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A killer live DVD from our favorite Japanese, serial killer obsessed, stoner groove doom lords, Church Of Misery. We've gone on and on in the past (and elsewhere on this list, their debut was just reissued) about how much we love these guys. Some impossible mix of Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Eyehategod, Antiseen and Boris. Heavy as fuck, groovy and spacey, blown out and super psychedelic. Live it's everything we would have hoped for. A band of crazy Japanese hippies in ripped concert shirts, bell bottoms, berets, dreadlocks, furry coats, big ol' silver rings on every finger, flying V's, on a tiny stage, heads banging, hair swirling, in a closet sized dark club, packed to the gills with a heaving, sweaty, head banging crowd. The sound is amazing. A truly MASSIVE guitar sound, huge blown out crumbling riffs, the band a whirlwind of lurching groove, and a bass player who wears his bass lower than anyone we've ever seen (even the Ramones!). SO low in fact, that the body of the bass is at shin level and he ends up sort of playing way up on the neck. Awesome! Three live shows filmed over the last two years, a handful of CoM classics as well as some free form freaked out space jams. Also included are videos for "Filth Bitch Boogie" and "I, Motherfucker" (best song title ever maybe), both look quite similar, filmed in creepy black and white, on fuzzy degraded film stock, haunting shots of two emotionless girls making out, dead bodies in forests, plenty of violence and gore (mostly perpetrated on the band themselves) and of course the band trudging through mysterious woods all very Sabbath-like. So cool.
Packaged in a blood red Japanese style DVD case. NTSC and ALL REGION!

CHURCH OF MISERY Houses Of The Unholy (Rise Above) 2lp 30.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We actually got these in a while ago, back when we listed the cd version, but the covers got crunched in the mail, so we've been waiting patiently for replacement covers from overseas and they've just now arrived. So now, FINALLY, this killer slab of serial killer stoner sludge is available here on vinyl!!
How much you love Church Of Misery depends on two things, how you feel about massive super rocking ultra crushing downtuned stoner sludge, and how you feel about serial killers. Cuz with Church Of Misery, you get a blown out, in-the-red, druggy, metallic mix of the two. The serial killer aspect is probably easier to overlook, it manifests itself mostly as artwork and song titles, although most of the tracks also have samples of newscasts, or radio broadcasts, detailing the exploits of whichever killer is the focus of the song. For some of us, those samples are cool and creepy, and just add to the band's riff rocking menace, but for others, it's a just a dumb distraction.
We obviously fall into the former camp, especially considering that element is nothing compared to the MUSIC, which just continues to get heavier and heavier and groovier and groovier with every record. Incredible riffs, a guitar sound that devours everything in its path, pounding drums, and some of the gnarliest howled throat shredding vocals EVER. Not to mention plenty of twisted blues, wild shredding leads, groovy wah guitars. We mentioned in the review of the last CoM record, that the sound reminded us a bit of ZZ Top, albeit a supercharged ultra metal version, and that sort of groovy Southern fried vibe pervades everything here, but Houses is even more intense, more aggressive, especially the vocals, the best comparison we could come up with is equal parts ZZ Top, Eyehategod, Black Sabbath (of course) and Boris at their most wildly psychedelic and hard rocking, with some sort of Demonic Phil Anselmo on vocals. And Boris fans, Church Of Misery rock out big time here, trading in much of the sluggish sludge for blown out amp destroying full rock action, so fans of later Boris, if you can imagine them a bit more sloppy, a lot more furious and frenzied, and WAY more heavy, then this stuff will definitely hit the spot.
But fear not, those who yearn for sludge, there's still plenty of lurching, lumbering doomy groove, a la Acrimony, Bongzilla, Buzzov-en, Sourvein, but all tangled up with the more rocking parts, and wild freaked out guitar jams. PLUS, for all you proto metal obsessives, they even do a killer version of "Master Heartache" by Sir Lord Baltimore!
The more we listen to it the better it sounds. The riffs kill, the songs rule, total headbanger bliss.
And for those who DO care, the killers this time around are: Charles Starkweather & Caril Ann Fugate, Richard Speck, Richard Trenton Chase, Albert Fish, James Oliver Huberty and Adolfo De Jesus Constanzo. And as always, awesome packaging. Each song/killer gets its own page in the booklet, every one designed like an old worn Blue Note album cover, and the cd itself, printed to look like a dusty old slab of vinyl.
Totally and utterly recommended. One of our favorite metal records of the year so far for sure.
MPEG Stream: "El Padrino (Adolpho Constanzo)"
MPEG Stream: "Shotgun Boogie (James Oliver Huberty)"
MPEG Stream: "The Gray Man (Albert Fish)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Live At Roadburn 2009 (Roadburn) cd 14.98
What do you get when you combine 4 hairy Japanese stoner dudes, an immense love of Black Sabbath, obsession with serial killers, and thee best heavy music festival that Europe has to offer? Church Of Misery Live At Roadburn 2009, of course!! Among our friends who regularly make the pilgrimage to Holland's annual Roadburn fest, the Japanese sludge merchants' several live performances there are legendary. Of course, the thing about Roadburn is they get bands to play who are great to begin with, and they tend to sound even better there... so for one to get singled out, gotta be amazing! Naturally, listening to this live album isn't the same as having been there. But it'll give you an idea, and any fan of CoM will be chuffed. 'Cause they did rip it up at Roadburn, and the recording is killer.
They do 8 songs, which tend to blend together here into one dope hazed, fuzzed out sludge fest, but actually represent two tracks from their most recent studio album Houses Of The Unholy, one from their 1998 debut ep Taste The Pain, one from 2001's Master of Brutality, three from 2004's The Second Coming, thus spanning their career quite nicely... and then they wind things up with their 11 minute long cover of "For Mad Man Only" [sic], a raving proto-metal classic from '71 by May Blitz also covered once upon a time by good ol' Fudge Tunnel, that's in fact how we first heard of May Blitz...
But anyway, yeah, CoM fans, get yourself to Roadburn next time they're playing, and in the meantime, jam out to this, sheer Sabbathoid stoner sludge, heeeaaavvvy and hairy and psychedelic, for sure! Also a good intro to this band for anyone uninitiated.
MPEG Stream: "I, Motherfucker"
MPEG Stream: "Shotgun Boogie"
MPEG Stream: "For Mad Man Only"

CHURCH OF MISERY Master of Brutality (Southern Lord) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The first actual full-length from these serial-killer fixated Japanese doom-mongers. Super sludgy psychedelic doom metal like a sloppy Sabbath with samples from documentaries about John Wayne Gacy and other famous murderers mixed into the musical mayhem. They actually sound less like Sabbath than a cross between Antiseen and Electric Wizard, as there's a garage punk element to this as well. There's only two songs on here not dedicated by name to a serial killer: "Green River" ('cause they never caught the guy, I guess) and "Cities On Flame" (an incongruous Blue Oyster Cult cover). Lastly, one must take note of the band's words on the back cover: "We hate the trend. We hate corporate attitude. We hate the word 'stoner'. Death to false stoners!! Let there be doom!!" Oh, one other thing: does EVERY metal band from Japan have to be compared to an atom bomb (like on the cover sticker here)??

CHURCH OF MISERY Master of Brutality (DIWPhalanx) cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Long overdue reissue of the debut full-length from Japan's serial-killer fixated Japanese doom-mongers, Church Of Misery. And when we say 'fixated' we mean OBSESSED. Almost every song either starts with or contains some kind of a soundbite from the evening news regaling the most recent atrocities committed by some killer, or an actual tape of an infamous murderer's wild rants and messianic ramblings. Each song is about (or at least based on) a specific serial killer, "Killfornia (Ed Kemper)", "Ripping Into Pieces (Peter Sutcliffe)", "Master Of Brutality (John Wayne Gacy)". Some folks (like Allan) find the serial killer angle a bit cheesy, but it's actually weirdly and perfectly aligned with the band's peculiar brand of downer doom. And as far as we're concerned, when we're talking epic stoner doom, few bands can touch Church Of Misery. Super sludgy psychedelic doom metal a bit like a sloppy Sabbath, heavy on the groove, HUGE riffs, raspy voiced vocals way down in the mix, a lurching drug drenched crunch, with blown out psychedelic leads, lots of wah wah, spaced out stretches of Hawkwindy ambience, super distorted bass rumble, and pounding furious drum dirge pummel. They actually sound less like Sabbath than a cross between Antiseen and Electric Wizard, as there's a garage punk element to this as well. There's only two songs on here not dedicated by name to a serial killer: "Green River" ('cause they never caught the guy, we guess) and "Cities On Flame", a killer (pun intended) if incongruous Blue Oyster Cult cover.
Plus who can argue with the band's credo, printed in big bold letters on the back cover:
"We hate trend. We hate corporate attitude. We hate the word 'stoner'. Death to false stoners!! Let there be doom!!"
Anyone who digs the rockier side of Boris (Heavy Rocks, Pink) owes it to themselves to check out Church Of Misery's massive, downtuned and druggy, sludgy and spacey, grinding and groovy, downer drenched DOOOOOM!!!
MPEG Stream: "Killfornia (Ed Kemper)"
MPEG Stream: "Ripping Into Pieces (Peter Sutcliffe)"

CHURCH OF MISERY The Second Coming (DIWPhalanx) cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For all you Boris freaks and everyone who has been digging heavily on the recent Green Machine record, you may now prepare thyself for the return of Japan's stoner sludge, serial killer obsessed masters of crushing downtuned riffery Church Of Misery. Seven massive slabs of pounding, pummelling ultra heavy stoner groove. Crunchy and throbbing, pummelling and MASSIVELY HEAVY rock and roll. Fuzzed out, drugged out, super distorted and punishingly heavy. Quite possibly, you will have your stoner / doom metal credentials REVOKED if you don't pick this up. This time around, the subjects of CoM's worshipful sludge are Ted Bundy, Mark Essex, Andrei Chikatilo, Aileen Wuornos and more!
MPEG Stream: "I, Mother Fucker (Ted Bundy)"
MPEG Stream: "Soul Discharge (Mark Essex)"

CHURCH OF MISERY The Second Coming (Metal Blade / Rise Above) cd 12.98
Originally released in 2004, this long out of print (at least on cd), classic slab of serial killer obsessed, stoner sludge, downtuned heaviness from these Japanese doomlords finally gets a spiffy new cd reissue via Metal Blade!
Seven massive slabs of pounding, pummelling ultra heavy stoner groove. Crunchy and throbbing, pummelling and MASSIVELY HEAVY rock and roll. Fuzzed out, drugged out, super distorted and punishingly heavy. Quite possibly, you will have your stoner / doom metal credentials REVOKED if you don't go nuts for this, although odds are most of you already have a little thing for these freeks. As always, each song is based on an infamous serial killer, this time around, the subjects of CoM's worshipful sludge are Ted Bundy, Mark Essex, Andrei Chikatilo, Aileen Wuornos and more! And it's just as sonically depraved as that sort of subject matter demands. Churning riffage, knuckle dragging drum pound, howled vox, thick sinewy bass grooves, all peppered with plenty of ultra creepy samples and snippets from various newscasts, detailing the killers' grim transgressions, all set to some fantastically punishing, ribcage rattling, slo-mo lumbering Sabbathy swing.
Fans of Boris, Green Machine, Eternal Elysium, Bongzilla, Eyehategod, Sleep, High On Fire and other heavy groovies should already have a shelf full of CoM records, but if some reason they (you?!) don't this is as good a place to start as any...
MPEG Stream: "I, Mother Fucker (Ted Bundy)"
MPEG Stream: "Soul Discharge (Mark Essex)"

CHURCH OF MISERY Vol. 1 (Emetic Records) cd 15.98

CHURCH OF MISERY Volume 1 (Emetic) lp + 7" 24.00

CICADASHRINE Crumpled Multiple Agonies (Battlecruiser / Celebrate Psi Phenomenon) 3" cd-r 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Battlecruiser is a new label from AQ pal Campbell Kneale who runs the impeccable NZ cdr label Celebrate Psi Phenomenon. Battlecruiser is basically an outlet for a bunch of New Zealand noise guys to fufill their secret desire to be metal gods! Who can argue with that? Cool band names, distorted guitars, demonic vocals and all that good stuff! Metalheads might have to stretch their definition of 'metal' to really get into this stuff, but the rest of us, metal and unmetal alike will find lots of beautiful crushing far out noisy weirdness on these evil lil' 3" cd-r's!
Cicadashrine's sonic world slowly reveals an epic ambience, with distant crushing chords over a rumbling bed of throbs and pulses. Eventually the ROCK kicks in, not so much metal as industrial sludge grind. Reminds us of Flipper or Prong or OLD or even the Melvins. Super slow motion riffs, downtuned so that the riffs themselves feel like they might crumble into pieces, inhuman vocals buried so far down in the mix that they just sound like another downtuned guitar, bass strings so loose they're slapping against the bass, adding even more rumble and sludge to the mix. Sheets of caustic feedback separate the riffs, but just barely. The whole thing is like a metallic bulldozer driving through a tarpit! One twenty minute pit of despair.
MPEG Stream: "Crumpled Multiple Agonies"

CIRCA SURVIVE Juturna (Equal Vision) cd 13.98
We've been super into that new strain of epic, super complex emo prog lately (well, Andee has at least), bands like Chiodos, Coheed And Cambria. Groups that combine killer metal riffing, super dense and complicated prog arrangements, with super emotive wailing vocals. Like a whole new breed of punk rockers re-discovered Yes and King Crimson and managed to create some impossible hybrid bridging the gap between classic progressive rock and modern emo metalcore. There are about a million bands doing their own version these days, and admittedly most of them suck, but we'll still stick by Chiodos, and the first two Coheed records, and now we have the latest by Circa Survive, a dreamy, epic, psychedelic, dramatic emo prog outfit, who actually eschew the more metal elements that define most of their sonic brethren, focusing instead on texture and melody and mood. There is definitely a Mars Volta vibe, a lot of that has to do with the vocalist's impossibly high voice, on first listen it's hard to believe it's not actually a woman singing, clear and crystalline, a soaring near falsetto, the vocals drifting above dense harmonies, gorgeous melodies, a thick sonic tapestry of shoegazer guitars, angular riffs, complicated rhythms, all woven into haunting and strangely catchy mini epics. None of the songs are outright 'pop song' catchy, but they all manage to suck you in and make it virtually impossible to avoid repeat listens. Heavy, but not in a metal way, just deep and emotional, darkly dramatic, with layers of sound that are continually shifting to reveal hidden parts and recombining into unexpected surprises. Probably won't be that much of a surprise, but this is one of Andee's favorite records of the last few years. And actually, this came out last year, but who cares, here it is 2006 and we're still spinning it like crazy...
MPEG Stream: "Holding Someone's Hair Back"
MPEG Stream: "Act Apalled"
MPEG Stream: "Wish Resign"

CIRCLE Arkades (Fourth Dimension) lp 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finalnd's mighty masters of metallic hypno drone rock return, with yes, another limited LP only release, and their obsession (one of many obsessions they have) with Southern Rock has finally reached critical mass. Not so much musically, although there are subtle hints here and there, as visually and conceptually. This set, recorded live on Brian Turner's radio show on WFMU when Circle were in the states last time is a monster. Two side long tracks, combining the metallic leanings of their later records, with the murky propulsiveness of their earlier records, as well as their droney improvised abstract side (most noticable on the LP only Mountain). It's kind of remarkable how all of Circle's disparate musical personalities fit so well together. But before we get to the music, let's talk about the sleeve. And the Southern Rock. The cover features a knotty pine background, riddled with bullet holes, two crossed pistols above the band name. Very Sergio Leone... The reverse side features a band photo seemingly branded into the wood, with Circle donning cowboy hats and sombreros, whooping it up like that last freeze frame in an episode of Bonanza (maybe it was CHiPs, but Bonanza makes more sense here). Then there's Brian Turner's eyewitness account of the musical showdown that occurred when Circle showed up at WFMU to record their set. Woe was the pasty British garage band that felt Circle's wrath. Broken glass and tobacco spit figure prominently. And let's not forget the Confederate flag on the LP label.
Thankfully (or maybe not, some might be thinking) this Southern Rock doesn't filter all the way down to the music. Instead we've got more of that Circular genius we just can't get enough of.
Side one begins as an abstract soundscape of spacey effected riffs, sort of blurry and drifty, above strange mumbled mutterings and what sounds like alien scat singing. The vibe is strangely dubby and Middle Eastern sounding. Eventually a warm wash of woozy distorted guitars builds into a monstrous swell of sound, warm and thick and sort of heavy, while buried beneath is a burbling cauldron of electronic squiggles and gurgling vocal sputters. Out of nowhere, like a beam of sunlight with a small flock of faeiries flitting about, comes a strange dreamy drift of almost rennaisance faire sounding festive folk, which dissipates quickly into a swirl of speaking-in-tongues vocals and insect like electronics before drifting off.
Side two is a bit darker, with faux throat singing over ominous psych sludge riffing like classic Circle but slowed way down. Groovy and dark, peppered with subtle tribal percussion. Weirdly enough, that weird dreamy stretch of faerie flecked folk sunniness that surfaced briefly on side A, shows up again here in a slightly different form, and disappears just as quickly, returning to a VERY Circular propulsive groove. Drums skitter instead of pound, while a guitar drifts and stutters, sounding a bit like the guitar line from the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" but way more druggy and psychedelic!
So we'll all have to keep waiting for the inevitable, that record they keep threatening us with, when Circle finally become a bizarre krautrock psychrock dronemetal version of the Marshall Tucker Band, but for now, just crack open that Jack Daniels, throw those boots up on the desk (careful with those spurs!), pull the brim of your ten gallon down over your eyes, put a little pinch between your teeth and gums, turn it up and drift off...

CIRCLE End Of Time / God Told Me To (Full Contact) 7" 12.98
There's probably not that much we need to say about this new Circle 7", other than to ask, are you familiar with the band JESTERS OF DESTINY?? 'Cause our Finnish friends Circle really really want you to know about that obscure '80s LA "alternative metal" band. They've already reissued the Jesters' 1986 album Fun At The Funeral on their own Ektro imprint some years ago, and former JoD vocalist/bassist Bruce Duff has appeared as a guest on several Circle-related releases (Circle's Earthworm ep and Hollywood full-length, and the Pharoah Overlord record Out Of Darkness). Plus another Circle side-project, Rakhim, put out a disc, Crimson Umbrella, named after a Jesters song. So yeah, the Circle guys really love Jesters Of Destiny.
Circle's fanboy obsession with Jesters Of Destiny continues with this limited 7" single, featuring cover versions of two Jesters Of Destiny tracks, "End Of Time" and "God Told Me To", both from the Fun At The Funeral album ("End Of Time" also being the Jesters' contribution to the Metal Massacre V comp alongside VoiVod, Overkill, Hellhammer, and Metal Church, among others!). They're great, uber-catchy songs, very representative of the "gleefully gloomy" blend of punk, psych, and metal that the Jesters made uniquely their own, and that helped inspire a certain Finnish band to come up with their own weird genre-hybridizing style (no, Circle don't actually sound much like JoD, but they share a lot of the same spirit, that's for sure).
So, if you've never heard JoD before, you'll get a good idea from this 7" of what they were all about - Circle do these songs pretty straight (no motorik krautrock detours or anything), hewing close to the original versions, and they also brought in ex-Jesters Bruce Duff and Ray Violet to sing and play on this recording. So it's almost more a Jesters 7" than a Circle one. While usually we like bands doing covers to reinterpret 'em in their OWN style (and we still would love to hear a 30+ minute Circle jam on the "Diggin' That Grave" riff, c'mon guys), the respectful way Circle did these songs here makes sense given their mission being to turn people on to the under appreciated greatness of the JESTERS OF DESTINY!
Limited to 500 copies only, we only have a handful.