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December 2006 - Issue 216

All Shall Perish
The Price of Existence
Nuclear Blast
Street: 08.04
All Shall Perish = Kataklysm + Dying Fetus + Hatebreed
Just when you thought all outlets of certain metal hybrids were exhausted, All Shall Perish comes to dish out something new. Blending death and grind metal with hardcore breakdowns and chants is something that I honestly havent heard before. All Shall Perish are ultimately heavy as all hell. There is your typical drum blasting found in death metal. and your standard guttural grind vocals. This little package is tight, nice and fluid. And unlike a lot of grind metal the songs arent over just when they were just getting started. If you are looking for something that just screams heavy from many musical realms and has shiny polished production then dont hesitate to check out All Shall Perish. Bryer Wharton

Angra
Aurora Consurgens
SPV
Street: 10.24
Angra = Stratovarious + Blind Guardian + Dream Theater
This was my first visit to Angra land. I tried to be as objective and open minded as possible. To my disappointment, the vocalist is horrifically bad, consistently off-key and just plain stupid sounding as is the case with many progressive metal bands. The songwriting is bland and the keyboard piddling annoying. The band can actually play their instruments well, unfortunately the songs dont jive all that well. There are quite a few acts in the genre that I enjoy but Angra is not one of them. I tried and I tried, but there is not one song that doesnt come off as totally pretentious or just awful sounding. Bryer Wharton

Ankla
Steep Trails
Bieler Bros Records
Street: 07.25
Ankla = Soulfly + Korn + Puya +Ill Nino
Ever wonder what the hell happened to the band Puya? After a few high profile tours the band seemed to drop off the face of the planet. The band in essence wasnt that great on CD, but they demanded a great stage presence. One of the members has moved on and created his own outfit. Guitarist Ramon Ortiz has brought a hybrid of thrash, hardcore and nu-metal to the table with Ankla. There are a lot of things that make this record boring. There is an abundance of solo work amongst the already contrived concoctions. The drumming is fast and well worked. The sort of symbiosis between nu-metal and thrash actually works well. I would expect fans of Soulfly to enjoy Ankla more than fans of Ill Nino based on the heaviness alone. Regardless there is a new Latin metal band out to play with the big boys. Bryer Wharton

Astrophagus
Casualite
Helmet Room Recordings
Street: 10.10
Astrophagus = Antlerand + Stars of the Track and Field + lukewarm coffee or beer
Casualite is your usual indie rock album with a lot of drum machines and atmosphere added in. Many of the songs on this album start off with a moody air, a catchy, scratchy drumbeat kicks in, and just when youre anticipating something great, they dont really take it anywhere. The basic structure of the song just keeps repeating. They usually add a faster beat over the underlying one, you know, to spruce it up a bit. Then the vocals come in, which are just as uninspired. Its fine music, but its not what it has the potential to be. Moments of it catch your attention, but overall, it tends to slip into the background. It is as if, in the writing process, they came up with something that sounded great, and then just gave up on expanding it. You probably wont hate this album, but you wont really love it either. Its tepid. You wont spit it out, its drinkable, the flavors there somewherebut who wants to drink something lukewarm? Emily Allen

Bad Astronaut
Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment
Fat Wreck Chords
Street: 11.14
Bad Astronaut = Lagwagon + Elliott Smith + The Flaming Lips
A little more than a year after the suicide of founding drummer Derrick Plourde, Lagwagon front-man Joey Cape brings his Bad Astronaut side-project out for a final album that celebrates Plourde's life, while mourning the loss of a great friend. The overall mood of the album is somber as one might expect, but Twelve Small Steps also finds Bad Astronaut venturing into more of a rock-oriented sound that is not present on their previous albums. "Good Morning Night" is one of the bounciest and most fun songs that Cape has ever written, and the song that was culled from the personal journals of Plourde before his death, "Autocare", is one of the album's most up-beat. In contrast, "Beat" finds Cape lamenting the loss of his friend and commenting that without Plourde this is "an album always incomplete." The varied songwriting and the occasional use of synthesizers and cellos add a unique element to the band's sound that never comes off as forced. Even outside of the context of Derrick Plourde's death, this is a solid album that features songs that transcend many emotional states and features the excellent musicianship of a very tight musical ensemble. Ricky Vigil

Beat Beat Beat
Living In The Future
Dirtnap Records
Street: 10.31
Beat Beat Beat = The Exploding Hearts + The Explosion + The Briefs
Beat Beat Beat ought to give themselves a pat on the back for recording an album that blends the best aspects of punk, rock and pop together to create something interesting and worth listening to. There are so many new bands that debut albums everyday, and few sound as promising as these lads from Atlanta. Each of the 12 tracks on Living In The Future has their own personality, raw feeling and sound that makes them easy to listen to. Clocking in just over 28 minutes, Beat Beat Beats debut feels about right time-wise and shows promise for future releases. If youre looking for an old school punk sound with a twist of rock n roll, then you oughta throw this record in, sit back and enjoy. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Bible of the Devil
The Diabolic Procession
Cruz Del Sur
Street: 07.18
Bible of the Devil = Motorhead + Zeke + Black Sabbath
The Diabolic Procession is lyrically based on a fable of Children Crusading. So in addition to some killer hard rock tunes you have some great story telling too. The album is full of meaty lead work and gritty vocals. This four piece does well on this their sixth album. There are some behemoth riffs ready to splatter your skull all over the wall. A lot of groups are trying to pull of this style, but Bible of the Devil are one of the select few that do. No doubt about it, The Diabolic Procession will get your head banging and your foot tapping. Bryer Wharton

Blag Dahlia
Nina... and Other Delights
MVD Audio
Street: 08.29
Blag Dahlia = The Dwarves + G.G. Allin + Henry Rollins
Blag Dahlia is weird. Not just "I hope that guy doesn't sit by me on the bus weird" but "oh man, how many kittens did he drown" weird. Nina finds the Dwarves' frontman taking a stab at spoken-word as Blag spits out his personal philosophy, reads selections from his writing and even impersonates Jesus to further expand his twisted world view. All of the tracks have some sort of music playing in the background, but some place too much emphasis on the music and not enough on what Dahlia actually has to say. It could be that he thinks he's some sort of avant garde poet or whatever, but the music is usually more jarring and distracting than effective. Blag is most entertaining when he's trying to be funny. Whether he is suggesting the use of hard drugs to turn mediocre writers into great writers or if he's verbally abusing a snowboarder who admires The Dwarves, Blag has an abrasive sense of humor that is definitely unique and elicits some laughter. Nina is mildly entertaining, but it's really too short and unfocused to stand out when there are so many other quality spoken-word releases from other punk artists. Ricky Vigil

Born From Pain
War
Metal Blade
Street: 11.14
Born From Pain = Madball + Hatbreed + Bury Your Dead originality
There are some very original hardcore acts out there, but they seem to be far out numbered by the ones that lack any sort of inventiveness, or real ability to step out from the pack and stand on their own. Born From Pain only hint at how superior they could be. Tiny heavy metal blasts fall short where they couldve added so much more personality. BFP create a really great wall of brutal music, but without anything new it has no impact. I was intrigued when I saw an east coast influenced hardcore band on a label like Metal Blade, but what this band is doing has been done. And done much better. James Orme

Brian Setzer
13
Surf Dog
Street:10.21
Brian Setzer = the Blasters + Reverend Horton Heat + Eddie Cochran + his guitar ego
Brian Setzer is theguy that made music of the fifties and forties cool to the current generations that know him through his work with the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and his original neo-rockabilly trio the Stray Cats. While his past success is impressive, his 13th release of original recordings is so hit and miss that I found myself skipping through over half the CD. Its like Setzer decided this album was going to be drowned in guitar and that anything else that came through was just going to be coincidental. Its so guitar heavy that nothing else on the record sounds right in per portion to Setzers Gretch. There are some good tracks like Take a Chance on Love, and the completely lovable The Hennepin Avenue Bridge, both display Brians eclectic musical leanings. Setzer takes a humorous shot at his rockabilly fan base with the song Really Rockabilly, which may just back fire on the rockabilly revivalist. All that said, this is C grade record that doesnt do much to prove that Setzer can make a great original rock n roll record with out the rest of the Stray Cats.- James Orme

Converge
No Heroes
Epitaph
Street: 10.24
Converge= The Locust + Godflesh + Starkweather + thrash
Many would agree that the pinnacle of Converges musical career so far is Jane Doe. Its pretty hard to follow up a career-making album, but You Fail Me was about as good of a follow up as there could be. All of Converges albums up until now show some kind of progression, either a refining of tastes, as Jane Doe harnessed the raw power and loose ends that much of When Forever Comes Crashing was, or a turn, as You Fail Me was. No Heroes is a record of Converge referencing themselves. Rather than making an entirely new sound, or a refined progression, No Heroes is simply an amalgam of Jane Doe and You Fail Me. Converge is still at the top of the noise/hardcore/punk/thrash etc. style, but they only reached the bar this time, instead of exceeding it. The noise is still there, as are Jacob Bannons signature lyrics, and the first few songs are all under two minutes which creates a pummeling with no sappy aftertaste. The second half of the record shows some of the more refined Converge and it is the more interesting half of the album. No Heroes is a fine album, its just not the record-shattering effort that past albums were. Peter Fryer

The Disco Biscuits
Rocket 3
Diamond Riggs Records
Street: 11.14
The Disco Biscuits = Talking Heads + Can the brilliance of both
Rocket 3 is The Disco Biscuits third-set of a 2004 New Years Eve performance in NYC. Hence, not only is there this overwhelming Saint Nick festive-molestive going on for far too long (79:50this means their entire set for the night lasted well into the three hour mark), but you can also hear the champagne and cheese influencing their sound: lethargy and complacency coalesce into a body fitting of the German phrase, Bse langsam! Whats worse is The Disco Biscuits think theyre playing improv into the New Year during this hideously safe, deadpan marathon of obsequious romance. Moreover, The Disco is nowhere to be foundThe Soggy Biscuits is far more fitting. Spencer Young

Disillusion
Gloria
Metal Blade
Street: 11.14
Disillusion = Red Harvest + Moonspell + originality
When Disillusion looked up the word originality in the dictionary they decided to take that very definition with a huge stride. In all honesty, every song on this record does not sound like the one before it. Some have industrial metal leanings some gothic and others are completely out there. There is a huge variety of instruments being used for this record. To actually pinpoint the sound of Disillusion is near impossible as they are un-typically all over the map in terms of influence and sounds. The vocals range from screams to deep gothic crooning to spoken word. If you are trying to find something that doesnt sound like anything you have heard Gloria will astound, mesmerize and simply astonish every sense in your auditory range. Bryer Wharton

DOA
Bloodied But Unbowed
Sudden Death Records
Street: 10.17
DOA = DOA
The reissue of Bloodied But Unbowed, which covers ten of the great DOAs best releases from 1978-83, could come at no better time. Most of the album was recorded during the Reagan era, and what is more fitting than releasing it under the current imperialistic war lord of a president? Nothing, thats what. Bloodied But Unbowed includes DOA classics like The Prisoner, Fucked Up Ronnie, I Dont Give a Shit and World War 3. DOA has inspired three generations of punks, and their abrasive style and message for a world so free is extremely relevant today, maybe even more so than it was when it was first released. Jeanette Moses

The DTs
Nice N Ruff
Get Hip
Street: 09.19
The DTs = Tina Turner + Kathleen Hanna + Von Bondies
The DTs, I think, should be better than they actually are. Or maybe Von Iva, The Bellrays and The Gossip have spoiled female-fronted soul bands for me forever, because ... lets face it. No one has done 21st-century indie soul better than them. The DTs staid trucker blues riffs possess enough energy to shake your booty, but the lyrics hockey around over-hashed phrases that cover: You aint no good, Im crazy bout you, Gonna get you back, baby. The trumpets in the chorus of Driving Wheel were a flavorful, spicy addition. The DTs could pass for soopah-charged garage headliners at a CMJ showcase, or they could pass for the regular Friday-nighters at some godforsaken watering hole somewhere between El Paso and San Anton. In other words, theyre not special enough for you to tell if theyre special or not. Rebecca Vernon

The Exploding Hearts
Shattered
Dirtnap Records
Street: 10.31
The Exploding Hearts = The Buzzcocks + The Briefs + Generation X
The Exploding Hearts went almost unnoticed to many during their short existence, yet they have left a powerful imprint. Just as they began to receive some well-deserved attention and gain a following things came to an immediate and permanent stop. While driving home from playing a set of shows in California, the band and their manager had a horrifying accident. The accident took the lives of three band members, leaving one band member and the Hearts manager with injuries. Shattered, in a sense, is a kind of memoriam to the band and the music that guided their lives. Included on the album are unreleased songs, alt mixes and demo versions of many of the bands songs, as well as video footage of five songs from one of their last shows at Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, CA. Though they deemed themselves a power pop band, their music is much more than that. Throughout the tracks on Shattered, theres everything from rock, punk, pop and power pop; showing that the Hearts realm of music was not limited to just one style of music-they blended them all and did so successfully. Im convinced that had the music world gotten their hands on the song Im A Pretender, the Hearts would have hit it big overnight and thats not to say their other songs arent great songs, but theres something special about Im A Pretender. The video footage from Bottom Of The Hill gives those of us who didnt have the pleasure of seeing The Exploding Hearts, an idea of what their energy-packed live show was like. Its tragic that most werent able to see and experience the Hearts while they were around and with that in mind, I would recommend not making the mistake of passing this album by. Jeremy C. Wilkins

The Falcon
Unicornography
Red Scare Records
Street: 09.26
The Falcon = The Lawrence Arms + None More Black + A wee bit of early Against Me!
The Falcon's debut full-length on Red Scare is loud, fast and a hell of a lot of fun. Comprised of members of Alkaline Trio and Lawrence Arms, The Falcon deliver the same kind of alcohol-fueled punk rock that's been coming out of Chicago for the past ten or so years. The album opens up with the jagged guitar and gravelly voice of frontman Brendan Kelly screaming "You want a piece of me?/I'm like a razor blade!" during "The Angry Cry of The Angry Pie" and later slows down the tempo and introduces the use of an acoustic guitar and the mellow drone of Alkaline Trio's Dan Andriano. The album is quite varied and never ventures too deeply into the territory of the members' other bands, but remains familiar enough that it doesn't drive away long-time fans. The band covers a wide variety of topics on the record, attacking organized religion on "The La-Z-Boy 500" questioning public fascination with celebrity during "The Celebutard Chronicles" and going introspective on "The Unicorn Odyssey" all the while maintaining a cohesive and well-flowing album. Unicornography may not change your life, but it'll definitely get you singing along and your fist pumping in the air. Ricky Vigil

Frost
Out in the Cold
Screaming Ferret Records
Street: 08.29
Frost = Seven Witches + Savatage + Helloween + Judas Priest
Seven Witches main man Jack Frost is no stranger to metal. He has also lent a hand to the likes of Savatage, Metalium, The Bronx Casket Co., and Speed. For his sophomore solo effort there is more of a hard rock than metal feel, even though the guitars contain that heavy metal crunch. It is the slew of guest vocalists with efforts from Neil Turbin, Ted Polly, Dale Toth and Jeff Martin that give it that feel. The album also contains covers from 38. Special, Foreigner and April Wine. Regardless, Frost knows what he is doing with every aspect from straight up guitar playing to fluid song writing. I personally have not heard the first effort from Frost so for comparisons sake I cant say if the guitarist has gone in a different direction. That said, Im sure Frost, as hard working a musician he is, lent his years of experience to showcase his talents and has proven himself a metal man extraordinaire. Bryer Wharton

Giddy Motors
Do Easy
FatCat Records
Street: 09.19
Giddy Motors = Jesus Lizard + Form of Rocket + Mark E. Smith (just the vocals)
On first listening to this album it probably would come as no surprise if you found out that Steve Albini produced it. It has the feel. It has the texture. And it sure does have the harshly dissonant vocality of . While Albini did produce their first album, Make It Pop, he left off there. Do Easy is less dazzling and complex than their earlier effort, and seems to rely more on an in-your-face, frontal assault. There are moments of interesting compositional fortitude in the attack, but it isnt anything that you cant find in local stalwarts and hometown favorites Form of Rocket. Spend your money on something you know has a return and go buy the new Rocket album. Erik Lopez

God Dethroned
The Toxic Touch
Metal Blade
Street: 10.31
God Dethroned = The Crown + Grave + At the Gates
To me, God Dethroned have always been sort of a one trick pony. The trick was good for what it was though. The bands line-up has always been in rotation since their inception in 1990. There is good and bad in that. The good being that with each record things sort of get refreshed and updated staving the band from sounding stale. The bad obviously meaning the members dont stick around long enough to gel and create that chemistry. Hopefully this time around the line-up will stick. Why? Because this new record is the bands best in years. Using a relatively unknown producer worked for them. So did changing their sound to a bit more melodic death metal as opposed to just straightforward death worked in this instance. All the instruments blend well and the songwriting is stellar in every aspect. The Toxic Touch is one of those records that will catch you off guard if you are familiar with the bands previous records. Bryer Wharton

Hide Inaba
White Lilac
Self Released
Street: 12.01
Hide Inaba = Bright Eyes + Kermit + Amethyst
Hide is a sincerely serious musician from Japan, now residing in trying-to-make-it-big NYC. Sadly enoughit really is sad, his earnestness and vigor are well off the mark of his abilityhe is too sincere and comes off sounding painfully pitiable like a Jennifer Love Hewitt movie soundtrack. Its so hard to say what I feel/ Let me take your breath away, are just some of the adorable and cute desperations Hide has been hiding since his girlfriend broke up with him in the fourth gradeshe left him for the man that could shoot free throws. Im guessing no one has had the heart to tell Hide he sounds pitifully pathetic or else he wouldnt have been writing songs since the mid-nineties (50 to date) that comprise emo times two. Hide, you sound pathetically painful. Spencer Young

I Killed the Prom Queen
Music for the Recently Deceased
Metal Blade
Street: 11.14
I Killed the Prom Queen = Dark Tranquillity + Soilwork + Darkest Hour + In Flames
I expected I killed the Prom Queen to be an emo band due to their name. Instead you get a healthy does of melodic death metal. Although there is a wealth of clean it isnt emo at all. The lyrics on the other hand tell a different story. The guitar crunch right down to the production sound is highly reminiscent of the latest style of Dark Tranquillity. If you enjoy your metal heavy on the leads and melody, but still remain brutal, this is one promising sophomore effort. Bryer Wharton

The Inner Banks
Self Titled
DAG! Records
Street: 12.05
The Inner Banks = Azure Ray + Sufjan Stevens circus music
There is something very obvious about The Inner Banks. Obvious in their pursuit of creating music that they think is beautiful or maybe obvious in the simplicity of their hymnal-esque soundscapes and melodies. Their music is definitely the most literal and organic of the year. The folk aspect is a large part of their sound, but rather than being indie-folk, this is pure Americana complete with trumpets, banjos, slide guitars and a small chamber orchestra. Electronics are present, but are used only under the surface. Very serene, almost to the point of being boring or background music, but nonetheless beautiful would characterize this ensemble of roots type music. Andrew Glassett

Kobo Town
Independence
Music Dish Records
Street: 12.05
Kobo Town = Old skool Dancehall + Roots Reggae + Cuban Son Monuto
Drew Gonsalves brainchild, Independence, has many shining points, even though I was apprehensive to listen to the album from the beginning for fear of hearing the same dub style of the previous year. Diaphragmatic diatribes, melodic firepower and smooth beach acoustic make this record a wholly unique dub/reggae album. The musical talents of Osvaldo Rodriguez (violin), Roger Williams (E. Bass), Derek Thorne (Congas), Stych Winston (Drums) and Lynsey Wellman (Flute), are all added to reflect dynamics between opposites. This album definitely tackles a new theme outside of the normal subject matter of reggae by mixing so many elements of early Trinidad Calypso, Jamaican Mento, Brazillian Forro and Columbian and Haitian Kompa. Independence is very organic in nature, using every instrument Drew Gonsalves could find for his live performance band, he then added the components to fit in the last piece of the puzzle. The result is a collection of songs that sound warm and human. I was surprisingly impressed. Lance Saunders

Lamb of God
Sacrament
Epic
Street: 08.22
Lamb of God = Slayer + Pantera + the definition of modern American metal
I have been listening to Lamb of God since they were Burn the Priest and it just seems to me that with every new record their intensity is lost, with the exception of As the Palaces Burn. The new album and Ashes of the Wake seems to rehash the bands sound over and over again. I highly doubt that the sound of the new record is going to deter any fans from enjoying the band though. This time around there are more breakdowns and less lead work making the thrash element in the band less prevalent, and the hardcore more known. These guys are kind of at the point in their career as to whatever they do wont really hurt them all that much. There are solos and the production is scaled down a bit from the last record; which, gives it that raw feeling. Vocalist Randy Blythe enunciates his growls and screams the best he has done yet. In essence I shouldnt really complain though. It just seems like the things that made me love the bands earlier albums are absent on Sacrament. Bryer Wharton

Manowar
The Sons of Odin
Magic Circle Music
Street: 10.24
Manowar = self proclaimed true metal
If you are familiar with the metal world then there is no question that you have heard of Manowar. There are generally three viewpoints on the band. One you love them, two you hate them with a passion and three, you pass them off as a novelty and think what they do is cool in a laughable sort of way. Being a band of the fans Manowar is releasing their first EP, which contains a wealth of material that most EPs do not have. You have a two live cuts and three studio cuts, which will be on the upcoming Gods of War Manowar album. All swelling with that Manowar power and essence of classic metal, cheese ball as it may seem. The only slight difference in the new material is the added orchestration, though that isnt a bad thing at all , as it adds to that whole epic feel of the songs. The EP also contains a short documentary from the Manowar fan convention in 2005, along with rehearsal footage from the Heart of Steel sessions in the Czech Republic as well as some other goodies. Ultimately, the fans will snatch this sucker up and it isnt a bad starting point for folks new to the band who need to take them in a small dose. Bryer Wharton

Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies
Love Their Country
Fat Wreck Chords
Street: 10.17
Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies = Melody makers from NoFx, Lagwagon, Swinging Utters, And Foo Fighters + A genius punk rock look at the songs of pop culture.
Me First have been making fun records that everyone seems to love for years, and it was only matter of time that they set their sights on country music, but would this magnificent band lower themselves to record lame offerings like Achy Brakey Heart? The answer is no. They took it upon themselves to challenge the best that country music had to offer from Hank Sr.s Im So Lonesome I Could Cry, to which they add beautiful bagpipes to, and putting a Misfits intro on the front of Willie Nelsons On the Road Again. When they launch into Kris Kristoffersons Sunday Morning Coming Down, it made me realize that sometimes a great song is a great song no matter how its played. To me Me First has never been a novelty band, but theyre also a great band when it comes to re-interpreting these great songs for a different audience. James Orme

Meliah Rage
The Deep and Dreamless Sleep
Screaming Ferret Records
Street: 09.12
Meliah Rage = Metallica + Exodus + Riot + Judas Priest
Here is a bit of metal trivia for you, according to the bands bio Godsmacks Sully Erna who is their vocalist now, used to play drums for Meliah Rage. Fortunately, the bands sound nothing alike. These fellows have been around the block, originally formed in 1985 they play straight up metal with a good dosage of thrash thrown in the mix. The vocals are a mix of James Hetfield with a slight power metal taste. From what I gathered this is actually a reunion album, and unlike a lot of 80s metal bands that break up and reunite nowadays, this record is actually enjoyable. There is a certain bite and punch that just ups the energy of the whole thing, and most importantly the vocalist has a good range and doesnt sound like a blabbering dolt. Bryer Wharton

Moros Eros
I Saw The Devil Last Night And Now The Sun Shines Bright
Victory Records
Street: 10.31
Moros Eros = Ad Astra Per Aspera + Modest Mouse + The White Stripes + Talking Heads
Moros Eros sound is in the realm of indie-pop-rock-experimentalish. It is hard to strap down to any one genre. I Saw The Devil Last Night And Now The Sun Shines Bright is the bands first full-length and should win an award for having such a lengthy album name. The albums title can be taken a few different ways just as the music on the album can. It can be looked at in a creepy, satanic sort of way, where seeing the devil makes life better somehow, or that seeing the devil makes life better because after seeing the ultimate darkness and evil everything else in life seems better. It all depends on how each person interprets it, just as some people might say a movie has graphic violence; others might say it is realistic. Moros Eros music runs along the same lines as their album title; the music can either sound sad or happy depending on the person and their outlook on life. The 10 tracks on the album are good, have some good hooks, catchy vocals and get better with each listen, but unfortunately still not good enough to care about in the long run. Jeremy C. Wilkins

Mouth of the Architect
The Ties that Blind
Translation Loss Records
Street: 08.22
Mouth of the Architect = Cult of Luna + Neurosis + Isis
In a way this album as compared to the band debut, Time & Withering, is a slight letdown. It is still pretty much the same formula, slow doom filled dirges with hints of melody peering in from time to time. The big difference is how the record peaks ones interest. The first record holds your attention allowing you to cling to every note. The Ties that Blind sort of keeps you fading in and out of full attention. Its very easy to zone out while listening to it. Whether that is a bad thing or not is questionable, it could just mean that its melodies are more trance inducing, and even when you arent consciously listening to it your subconscious is still zoned in. But Im not a psychologist and it could just be that it is less interesting than what came before it. Bryer Wharton

One Night Band
Way Back Home
STOMP RECORDS
Street: 10.10
One Night Band = Prince Bruster + The Slackers + The Wailers
Straight outta Montreal Canada, One Night Band offers listeners a feel good album of reggae ska about things like the trials and tribulations of falling in love, to the infamous Houdini. My favorite song from Way Back Home was Rolling the Dice, but it was easy to escape into the smooth dub vibe and hypnotizing vocals of all the songs. Their sound is anything but your generic ska, reggae or dub, rather its all of them. One Night Band has done a phenomenal job blending their influences into their sound, while still keeping true to their originality. All in all, this has been my favorite CD I have got my hands on in quite some time. So relax, take it in and enjoy! Sara Edge

Owen
At Home With Owen
Polyvinyl records
Street: 11.07
Owen = Sun Kil Moon + Multiverse
A quiet roar in the direction of the vapid indie kids can be heard from Mike Kinsellas (Capn Jazz, Joan of Arc, American Football, Owls) solo album At Home With Owen. Its an indie-folk portrait of the fear of being alone, with themes that are self-consciously vivid each containing a uniform depth (or shallowness, depending on your perspective) on lifes successes and mishaps. The album also features fully orchestrated pieces with as many as three guitars; tasteful, live-sounding drums; backing choruses; and strings. Juxtapose that style with lyrics that are intentionally smarmy and youve got the picture. Josh Nordin

Peter and the Wolf
Lightness
The Workers Institute
Street: 10.31
Peter and the Wolf = Stephen Merritt + Nick Drake + Beat Generation Drugs and Pretension
In what could easily be pegged another apotheo-istic example of the indie rock genre (a simple formula will do here: pathos + anorak + nostalgia), Peter and the Wolf aka Red Hunter shake off the burdensome yoke of labels and play a well-traveled clang and jangle folk song. What makes this album an interesting listen is the way its dissonant in cohesiveness in which one song sounds like a lost Nick Drake recording and the other the self-parodying bright sway of a United Bible Studies track comes together to provide an album that can be enjoyed start to finish. While it isnt subtle, a bit achy breaky (so much so) and considerably lo-fi to a clichd fault, Lightness is a record in which its faults, like a child with a deformed face, make it cute and charming all the way through. Erik Lopez Planet Asia
The Medicine
AAB Records
Street: 10.03
Planet Asia = Zion I + Cali Agents + Dopey Dope
Everyone who has been waiting for yet another Planet Asia gem to drop, raise your hand. Yeah, me too. Planet Asia is well known throughout the hip-hop community, but it wasnt always like that. Ever since his first self titled ep release, Planet Asia (born Jason Green) has continued to outdo himself over and over. The Medicine, produced by Evidence (Beat Junkies) and recorded in his hometown of Fresno, California, is more scattered with massive hooks and more diverse lyrics than his last albums. Budging from critical declarations to ridiculous and cynical statements, Planet Asia has noticeably transformed. It seems that the semi-famous emcee has to duck from the buck shots when he visits his . The Medicine is a whole lot of trademark Planet Asia style tracks primarily made intriguing by the featured artists like Black Thought of the Roots, Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Defari; an uncommon mixture of the compelling and the extraordinary. Lance Saunders

Rafter
Music for Total Chickens
Asthmatic Kitty
Street: 12.05
Rafter = Dosh + The Microphones
The broken-down instrument indie-rock shtick is pretty standard by now, but very few seem to get it right. Just because you bent the circuits in a five-dollar Casio and yodel/bang on an equally cheap acoustic guitar over an even cheaper drum machine doesnt mean youre a genius (or that anyone wants to hear you). The key ingredient, the one most miss, is creativity. Rafter Roberts has enough of it to start three fads, ably matching catchy hooks, fun, terrific lyrics, and moderately-slick production to his bizarre ensemble of hushed choirs, percussion, experimental forms, stringed instruments and keyboards. Though poppy hints abound, Roberts has no desire to craft typical indie-radio gems. Instead, he prefers to briefly flirt with a neat chorus and fixed tempo before decimating it with a distorted burp and loose Bolro quote (e.g. Unassailable). Experimentally inviting instead of abrasive, logically pieced together and never look what I can do, Roberts sonically and emotionally connects the disparate dots of each piece into a unified, dynamic large-scale work. By enthusiastically working a niche, Roberts successfully manages a universe in a genre that few even deserve to visit. Dave Madden

Ratos De Poro
Homem Inimino Do Homem
Alternative Tentacles
Street: 10.24
Ratos De Poro = All Systems Fail + Nausea + Cattle Decapitation
Homem Inimino Do Homem assaulted me with a blast of beautiful noise. This album must be played at 11! The siren like guitar solos, lightening fast drumming and aggressive vocals combine to make a raw and winning combination. All the songs are sung in Portuguese, as Ratos De Poro hails from Brazil. I dont know a word of Portuguese and regardless of my illiteracy with the language the release still sounds wonderful. Homem Inimino Do Homem also marks the bands 25th anniversary, and is their first release in three years. Staying together that long is no east feat, but this band is an orgasm for your ears if you fancy crust or punk. Its no wonder theyve stayed around, and I know I hope for at least 25 more years. Jeanette Moses

Righteous Jams
Business as Usual
Abacus Recordings
Street: 10.17
Righteous Jams = Sick of it All + Motorhead
It seems like theres been a serious shortage of good band names lately. Come on, Righteous Jams? What a fucking stupid name. Theres no way Id ever pick up an album by a band called Righteous Jams and think I bet this is going to be awesome. Actually, the band itself is ok. The first few songs start out in the vein of Motorhead or Zeke, and are pretty good, but as the album moves on things steadily regress toward the same old Sick of it All or Cro Mags style hardcore. Someone needs to tell these guys that shit has been done. The songs in the middle that meld dirty biker thrash and hardcore together are the best ones, and (though I hate to admit it) even the straight up NYHC stuff is better than most. All in all, Business as Usual tends to be, well business as usual, but if youre into East Coast hardcore, this is probably worth a listen. Chris Carter

Rob Da Bank & Chris Coco
Listen Again
Ether Records
Street: 12.12
Rob Da Bank & Chris Coco = Chemical Brothers + Belle & Sebastian
A good mix-tape is just that: a mixture! And it better include a bunch of tracks that 1) you dont have 2) are not too pretentiously obscure (I call that vapid cool). So what better crew to give you both of these than two world-renowned DJ/producers, two experienced guys who host nights at clubs around the world and often contribute to the BBCs Radio 1 show. Divided into two discs, Rob and Chris offer the fruits of what theyve learned over the years specifically, that a DJ mix is not all about dancing. Sure, Rob starts off with Here is Mores dubby Yes Boss and moves to Uffies get-low anthem Pop the Glock (thanks, Rob, because I dont have the cash to buy the pink vinyl), but he follows up with a swinging, twangy cover of Alan Wilsons Going Up the Country by Kitty, Daisy, Lewis. Cocos mix is equally all over the place, lining up Arab Strap, Nightmares on Wax, James Yorkston and Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah within minutes of each other. However, it all works and both discs gel with an effortless flow that only happens under the hands of experienced masters. Dave Madden

Rock Plaza Central
Are We Not Horses
Self-Released
Street: 12.05
Rock Plaza Central = Modest Mouse + Hawk and a Hacksaw + snake oil salesmen
Hear that yonder on the horizon, coming over the hill? The carnivals back in town, the one led by songwriter Chris Eaton. Banjos, hootin and hollerin, trombones, honky-tonk piano, accordions, violins, metal sheets making thunder effects, glockenspiels and muted trumpets back Eatons Pentacostal preacher style shouts of heaven, metal horses (theres a lot of talk about all kinds of horses here) and how to love and lose it all. Much like RPCs previous effort, The World Was Hell to Us, the album stands on solid songwriting, but as mentioned this time around the canvas is splattered with an exquisitely orchestrated range of colors. From the first arpeggiated chord to the closing a capella harmonies of Weve Got A Lot To Be Glad For! this expanded universe ebbs and ebbs through an intriguing landscape, ever interesting and clever, and something you want to repeat over and over to allow each nuance to penetrate your soul. Gorgeous. Dave Madden

Saros
Five Pointed Tongue
Hungry Eye Records
Street: 08.08
Saros = Enslaved + Amon Amarth the Viking aspect
Technically, Saros cannot play Viking metal because they are from San Francisco. That doesnt stop them from using that style of music as a huge influence. Epic songwriting is in abundance with Five Pointed Tounge. The record is five tracks but three of them clock in at roughly over ten minutes. The guitars are layered as thick as a new snow, or in the case of the bands hometown a rolling fog. In a sense Saros is spiritual, not religious, and seems to like to sing about nature. Speaking of nature the entire record has a natural progressive flow to it changing from mid-paced to speedy but not blazing. The groove and style of it all is all very well done making for a mellow soothing yet heavy metal masterpiece. Even the growled/screamed vocals dont scream chaos, with Saros it is much more controlled than many bands playing the same genre. Bryer Wharton

Scars of Tomorrow
The Failure in Drowning
Victory Records
Street: 10.31
Scars of Tomorrow = Misery Signals + Bleeding Through + ugghhhhhhhh
An open letter to Scars of Tomorrow:
Dear Scars,
Please stop. Encourage all of your friends to do the same. In fact, ask Victory to call it quits while youre at it. Im going to shoot myself if I have to hear another stolen death riff, breakdown, or faux-emo croon. You can obviously play your instruments, so why dont you come up with something more original? Maybe you should ditch the whole straightedge thing and try psychedelics. I hear that helps the imagination. We look forward to your resignation.
Sincerely,
-Chris Carter

Shanna Kiel
Orphan
Thick Records
Street: 11.07
Shanna Kiel = Bikini Kill + Hole + The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Orphan marks the ex-front woman of Sullen, Shanna Kiels, solo debut. The album starts out with a 46 second soft acoustic ballad, but on track number two busts into a riotgrrl fuled anthemterritory that feels much more familiar. Shannas raspy vocals are reminiscent of Courtney Loves, as are the dismal song topics. Chariots of Silk is the most upbeat song on the ten-track album, but culminates in frantic screams, pianos and drumbeats. On my favorite song, Rotting From the Inside Shanna creates a disturbing concoction singing This little baby it dont have a name/ Its gone now/ Its an obituary, shortly followed with an image of a wedding day. The album closes with Good Grief, another dreary acoustic ballad. Orphan is eight tracks of fierce angst-ridden songs wrapped up with two soft and gloomy ones. It is absolutely perfect. Jeanette Moses

Sikth
Death of a Dead Day
Bieler Bros Records
Street: 06.06
Sikth = Slipknot + The Deftones + Mudvayne + Bloodsimple + System of a Down
Unlike many nu-metal acts, Sikth actually use guitar solos. That said you cant change a leopards spots the record is still a nu-metal record. The riffing and drumming is all pretty standard nu-metal. The vocals are actually what makes Sikth stand out. They are all over the place from screams to singing to just plain chaos. Though the deciding factor in whether Sikth are worth a shit or not is in the songwriting. Thankfully the band is brimming with emotion and the songwriting with a few exceptions, is chock full of originality. I can see these guys possibly bridging the gap between nu-metal fans and fans of regular old metal. I thought I was going to get a bunch of crap based on what the bands bio said and the stupid band name, but once again do not judge a book by its cover. Bryer Wharton

Songs of Green Pheasant
Aerial Days
FatCat Records
Street: 11.14
Songs of Green Pheasant = Slowdive + Simon and Garfunkel
Several descriptors come to mind when listening to Songs of Great Pheasant: cloudy, warm, pillowy, isolated, reverb, resonant, respectful, sorrowful, content and joyous. It is depressing to listen to these recordings and then read that they were recorded mostly on a four track machine. Duncan Sumpner is creator of Songs of Green Pheasant and is yet another teacher/musician ( think Sam Beam of Iron and Wine) to produce music that is very sensitive without being too emotional and sweet or without being cheesy. The album is a collection of recordings from the last three years and fit together surprisingly well. This is music with real depth and character and should not be overlooked. Andrew Glassett

Stylex
Tight Moves
Pretend Records
Street: 11.21
Stylex = Cut Copy + Clinic
Tight Moves is half nostalgic of traditional New York Punk and eighties pop, and half awesome evolution of danceable rock. Vocals on pizzicato drive side-by-side 8-bit wobbling synth wheels and digital effects that never repeat throughout a forty-minute time-trial. Its a lovely little record; Stylex pushes nearly every song to their ultimate climax and decimation inside three and a half minutes. The first-person lyrics are equal pars of absurdly frank and frankly absurd funny and obvious in some moments, and cross-eyed in others. Josh Nordin

Swan Lake
Beast Moans
Jagjaguar
Street: 11.21
Swan Lake = Arcade Fire + Animal Collective + Wilco
What do you get when you combine The New Pornographers and Wolf Parade and Frog Eyes? You would think that you would get Swan Lake, a band that contains experience from all three previously mentioned groups. However that is not the case, as the moan of the beast was probably the childbirth of yet a new direction in recording and songwriting. They are very similar to contemporaries Grizzly Bear with their folk, rock and lo-fi recording techniques coalescing to produce something very psychedelic and interesting. There is a lot of audio trickery and panning that make the album very fluid and at times befuddling. This album is destined to simultaneously fly beneath the radar and impact the entire indie rock world. Andrew Glassett

Tigershark
Demo
Self-Released
Street: 10.10
Tigershark= Isis + Doomriders + Black Flag
She slipped down the white sands of the beach, headed for the crisp cool water. She plunged in and was enveloped by do it yourself packaging, a spray-painted cover and handwritten words. As she swam about in the waters she realized something heavy approaching. There was a chill in the water, there was a swell next to her, and before she could let out even the beginnings of a scream a wave of stoner-like riffs and punk mentality bit into her right leg. The blood and the trauma only seemed to make the Tigershark more ravenous, changing styles and riffs in a frenzy that frothed the water in a red foam. As she gasped her last breaths she noticed the roughness of Tigershark, it wasnt streamlined like other members of its species, it was created in the basements of boys with too much to say to worry about polishing their sound or to be released by anyone but themselves. She closed her eyes and let the riffs consume her and she sank into the dark bowels of the beast that lay below. Peter Fryer

V/A
Masters of Horror II
Downtown
Street: 10.24
Masters of Horror II = metal bands + pop bands + indie bands scary
Another compilation that doesnt meld well together at all, and ultimately doesnt even make for a scary soundtrack, which it is supposedly for. Compilations usually are about making money and this ones so called exclusive, tracks with one exception, Wounded Cougar, are stupid live acoustic versions of songs coming from the likes of craptaciluar bands, Seether and Shinedown whoop dee doo! There are also tracks from the newest outings of the ultimately boring bands Hatebreed, Cradle of Filth, All that Remains, Chimaira and The Smashup. The track from Lacuna Coil is okay, though obviously a reject from their Karmakode album. The Eagles of Death Metal are always cool. Compilations like this are horribly annoying wastes of time because generally if you like a band you will own their CD and if you are a crazed enough fan to get the unreleased or exclusive stuff youll just end up getting a downloaded version of it anyway. Bryer Wharton

Uglyhead
From Time to Time
Automation Records
Street: 12.12
Uglyhead = Pailhead + Leech Woman
When was the last time you heard anything in the industrial music vein (ala Ministry, not Neubauten) that got you really excited? Something that resonates like Thieves or Tin Omen (if you have to ask who wrote those and youre listening to CombiChrist, stop reading right now)? While most of the greats have either retired or moved on to make a buck via shitty EBM, Uglyhead is willing to pick up the torch of early 90s guitars/meets electronics, self-described as the raw sound of garage rock/heavily layered electronic sequencing. This astoundingly produced live recording was captured (by guitarist/label-head Jeremiah Smith) over a series of nights in front of the Seattle drag queen troupe Vicious Dolls, a fitting venue and audience for the bands thrashing debauchery. The quintet cycles through this set of half-unreleased material, grinding guitars, pounding acoustic drum kits, working intricate digital programming, sprinkling in a little jazz and drum n bass here and there (check out the Mingus-esque bass breakdown on Yes) and focusing on solid textures of miniature chromatic harmonic progressions while vocalist/programmer Jake Alejo screams and growls above the pandemonium. The songs are as relevant as they are nostalgic and form the perfect mix of dynamic shifts for those who still care about musicianship while banging their heads. Dave Madden

Unearth
III: In The Eyes of Fire
Metal Blade
Street: 08.08
Unearth = Hatebreed + Darkest Hour + Lamb of God
I may be one of the few that thought Unearths last record The Oncoming Storm was pretty damn bland. Thankfully, they have rectified that and released something that is more than just a bunch of breakdowns. Though there are plenty of those to speak of. With the new record it is just the fusion of every aspect of metal and hardcore that these fellows use that make III: In The Eyes of Fire so freaking catchy. There is your simple go-ahead thrashing, your pleasantly bashing breakdowns and tight melodic lead work. My only complaint is the vocals. A problem I have with many of the newer heavy American metal acts is that they sound so forced and lack that angry spirit that heavy music requires at its utmost core. If the guy just shut up or didnt try so hard at sounding like vocalists before him this album would be damn near perfect. Bryer Wharton

Wet Confetti
Lauging Gasping
PampelMoose
Street: 11.06
Wet Confetti = The Thermals + Panda and Angel - anything good about these bands
Everything about this band is charming and attractive upon a first glance at the album art and clever song titles, but once the first track starts playing all cuteness and likability that one could hold disappears immediately. Wet Confettis Laughing Gasping is boring, to say the very least. Starting an album with a cacophonous blend of synths and bass lines plagued with female-fronted whining is not a good idea, and it takes away all possibilities for harmonious acheviment in the upcoming tracks. I Cant Refuse continues this trend with dissonant drum and bass patterns that ultimately lead to the demise of this record. The song title Laughing Gasping leaves one more possibility for a listenable song, but as expected, it fails again in the good music category. Good try, Wet Confetti. Better luck next time. Tom Carbone Jr

White Flight
Self-Titled
Range Life Records
Street: 12.01
White Flight = The Unicorns + John Frusciante + Psychedelic Grime
White Flight is Justin Roelofs, formerly of the Anniversary. This album is a product of a year spent in Sud America, not remitting downing Ayahuasca deep in the Peruvian rain forests, and confronting the childhood conditioning of the suburbs of Kansas. The result: a densely layered exploration so involved and intricately negotiated, that trances ensue. These arent zombified trances, rather, dance trances, worthy of prime grime time. Justin posits every sound through a prism, creating an urgency in sound and light as brightly condensed as the spectrum of color. I havent stopped listening, even now, while you read this. Ive taken White Flight to bars and forced reluctant bartenders to spin the silk; Ive taken it to a lovely ladies house and prompted her listen, cocooning her in a spoon. White Flight keeps warm in the winter. Spencer Young


DVD REVIEWS

Joy Division
Under Review: An Independent Critical Analysis
Sexy Intellectual
Street: 10.31
I fancy myself a pretty hardcore Joy Division fan, and I was surprised to learn things on this DVD that I hadnt known, such as how important of a role Martin Hanett had in producing the Joy Division sound. While parts of the DVD can be tedious like the play-by-play of each track on each album, overall Under Review provides a nice balance between critical overview of the bands oeuvre and sound, trivia tidbits and personal recollections of the people who knew the men behind the music. While it may not be worth the 20 dollar asking price because of the simplistic production and lack of special features, it is worth checking out from the library. Erik Lopez

Bad Brains
Live At CBGB
MVD
Street: 09.26
Ill be the first to admit it; I usually dont enjoy concert DVDs. However, this release from MVD has outdone what Ive come to expect from them. Sure, the sound quality is inconsistent, as is the cinematography, which involves moments that are shot upside- down, but its the motherfucking Bad Brains! The footage was shot in 1982 at CBGB during a three-day hardcore festival. Basically, its a chance to see the now-defunct legendary hardcore band play at the soon-to-be-defunct original punk venue. Could you ask for anything better? Before the band even begins, the kids are going nuts and the energy only intensifies as the Bad Brains play on. HR is very generous about giving fans the mic to sing along; during We Will Not he is even smothered by a large group of kids that are eager for a turn to sing. During Riot Squad, a fuse gets blow and the lights go out, but the Bad Brains continue to play. The DVD also included interviews with fans who attended the festival, along with some great crowd shots. Some of my favorite moments were the performance of Attitude and Pay To Cum. If you buy one concert DVD this year you better make sure its this. Jeanette Moses

Bad Religion
The Riot
MVD Visual
Street: 10.31
Based upon the title of this release and the blurb on the back cover, I thought that the chance of seeing an actual riot on this DVD was pretty high. Alas, all I got was twenty boring minutes of the aftermath of a supposed riot that took place after a fire marshal shut down a performance by Bad Religion in 1990. Lack of an actual riot aside, the rest of the DVD is definitely an interesting relic for hardcore fans of Bad Religion, as it features a complete set from the band on their 1988 tour in support of their landmark album Suffer. Though the audio quality is pretty horrible and the camera work is amateur at best, it's still interesting to see the band at this stage of their career. To see Bad Religion ripping through songs they wrote when they were teenagers like "Damned to be Free" and "Doin' Time" is really cool, since these songs aren't likely to pop up in a set by the band any time soon. If you don't mind shoddy camera work or poor sound quality, and you're a big fan of early Bad Religion, then by all means check out The Riot. Ricky Vigil

Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!
Kevin Kerslake
Universal
Street: 11.17
There is no possible way that Kurt I just want to play rhythm guitar in a Pixies cover band Cobain could have imagined the impact Nirvanas music would have on our culture (i.e. I saw a ten-year old dressed as him for Halloween). It may have been this fleeting fifteen minutes notion that inspired him to piece together this collection (originally released on VHS in 1994). The documentary serves as the ultimate tributary scrapbook of Nirvanas world tour during 1991-92, diverse oodles of press and interview snippets and an extraordinary amount of live clips from pre-In Utero days all laid together in a non-linear story of praise and criticism of the band. Rather than a set narrator, the message is told via the selected morsels in this collage; MTV lays first claims on the band, Kurt Loder reporting on a new-fangled group named Nirvana while Ricky Rachtman scratches his head over Cobains gown as a clothing choice for his visit to the Headbangers Ball studio; UK talk show hosts make jabs at the bands volume and ignorance of the scheduled song they were slotted to play; Dave Grohl ponders why the hell Smells Like Teen Spirit is so popular (cue up clips of intentional musical train-wrecks while performing said tune); the band groans over the music-making machine, something gives members of bands such as Extreme a platform to be prima donnas; they botch songs in front of 30,000 fans and a tiara-clad Cobain crawls offstage in a stupor. Fascinating, sad, nostalgic, trashy and informative, this celebration is a terrific reprise of a band that despite their resistance steered the course of pop music, told in a way that both diehards and novices will appreciate. Dave Madden

Look At All The Love We Found
A Live Tribute to Sublime
CornerstoneRAS
Street: 06.27
Alright, all you Sublime fans, here's your chance for some new material. Well, old songs performed by different artists such as Unwritten Law, The Ziggens, Fishbone, Bargain Music and many others. My favorite set was given by Fishbone who performed Date Rape. They embody the phrase good crazy. Great energy, great presence and a lot of it! My least favorite was given by The Ziggens playing Paddle Out. There's just no heart in their performancewhich is a shame because that song is one of my heartfelt favorites from Sublime. But not to fearcommentary is here! It was awesome to hear from artists (ranging from the worlds of hip-hop to alternative rock) how Bradly Nowell and the boys from Sublime influenced the music scene and were able to unite colliding cultures. Although some of the performances are lacking, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this DVD will go to the MusiCares fund (www.musicares.com). So, at least some of the 20 or so bucks you'll spend on this little piece of memorabilia will go to a good cause. If you're at all like me, you'll enjoy watching very different artists interpret Sublime's music in very different ways. Sara Edge

Radiohead: OK Computer A Classic Album Under Review
MVD Visual
Street: 09.19
Ask most great artists to give you some insight into their work and what do you get? Crap. If anything at all, you get vague allusions and sporadic half-truths mingled with totally fabricated tales. Why? Because great artists either do not remember how they made their masterpiece or just dont want to talk about it (they are too busy looking forward). This is why we have critics and art historians. While some of these (us) need a milestone hung around their necks, the group of gentlemen (yes, they are English) involved in this documentary are those guys you never see in the daytime because theyre sitting at a desk, fingers pressed to their headphones to ascertain things such as the exact words Robert Plant speaks on the barely audible tape-bleed at the end of Misty Mountain Hop. Ahem. After a brief introduction, the filmmakers break down each track of OK Computer with lots of live and video clips and, much like the 33 1/3rd series, MVD culls the experts on the subject of the band with plenty of commentary by several Radiohead scholars. Radio 1 contributor and Reviews Editor at Record Collector Jake Kennedy is the master of quotes, dropping quips of I think he (Thom) ran over a pheasant that day to explain the nature of a certain line in Subterranean Homesick Blues and it felt like the teacher had gone away when discussing the freedom the band felt with producer Nigel Godrich in the studio; prolific and diverse contributor (Public Enemy to Big Black, The Guardian to Spin to The Wire) David Stubbs gushes like a grinning school boy over the innovative use of lowercase letters on the cover art and Jonny Greenwoods Sun Ra influence on the album; sitting at a piano, Oxford music Department Head and musicologist Dai Griffiths (also the author of 33 1/2rds Radioheads OK Computer) dissects the tri-fold epic nature of Paranoid Android and reveals the harmonic parallel of the chorus of Karma Police to The Beatles Sexy Sadie, eagerly plunking out chords to punctuate his point. Though short on extras, the DVD does contain The Hardest Interactive Radiohead Quiz in the World Ever to test your abilities (I scored a 15 out of 25). All of this makes for a very well-made documentary with the right mix of academic criticism, journalistic banter and cool performances, though produced for serious fans (duh, why else would you buy this?) By nerds, for nerds. Dave Madden

The Realm of Napalm Records
Napalm Records
Street: 10.24
Though there is a diverse mix of styles represented from the Napalm Records label, their first DVD compilation release ultimately displayed some really bad metal videos. Then again, most metal videos are cheesy and laughable, and that is what makes them cool. My only complaint is the fact that the label has a huge roster yet on this compilation there are multiple videos from the same band. The gothic metal ravings of Atrocity, Beseech, Darkwell, Lacrimas Profundere, Leaves Eyes and Visions of Atlantis. Then a thrash visit from Hurtlocker, then the silly Viking/Folk stylings of Tyr and Korpiklaani. There is also a collection of live videos with really horrific and stupid black metal band Enthroned. Also included are some making of clips from Leaves Eyes and the hilarious glam assault from Wig Wam. Ultimately if you enjoy what this label produces youll like the videos, and even if you dont you can laugh your ass off to some decent music put into really bad video form. Bryer Wharton

Smoke Out Presents Body Count Featuring Ice T
Eagle Vision
Street: 10.04
Do you remember Body Count? I asked this question a few times last week to the general answer of, YeahI thinkwhat was their song? Well I remember. I paid $30 for a used copy of the pre-edited version of their first album just so I could get the banned Cop Killer and KKK Bitch (altered to BKK Bitch on the regular version). The drum breakdown on There Goes the Neighborhood is something I used to practice to all the time. Sadly, no one like me attended this show. T needed me there! I would have whipped the pit into a frenzied puree during Bowels of the Devil instead of letting them stand around an empty circle as the camera looked on. I would have responded to Ts yall are a bunch of pussies by screaming and rushing security instead of rubbing my neck while standing politely in file (the camera catching this as well). In other words, the crowd sucked, and T and company never recovered. Hes pissed off and full of angst, but more for the fact that the sound guy wasnt doing his job, the cops didnt have to break up any fights even after they played Cop Killer and no one knew the words to a single song. The band is tighter than ever, blasting off with an evil introduction to rile the troops (while T does fifty pushups offstage). They grind as hard as the toughest speed metal around, but the lazy San Bernadino crowd must have saved the little energy they had for DMX, or Cyprus Hill, or maybe the rain dampered these pussies. Either way, despite the brilliance of the set, Body Count and the fans never reach sweet symbiosis. And to make matters worse,