Tuesday 22 May 2012

jesu s/t picture disc

For those of you (unlike me - ha!) who weren't lucky enough to pick up a copy of jesu's double picture disc version of their self titled debut full length, you may be surprised when you finally hear it.
It was purposely made to sound cleaner; and JKB has some remastered the original version to the one now available on their bandcamp page (http://jesu.bandcamp.com) now, and also as a digital download for $7.
The most stunning difference is on the track "We All Faulter" which, on it's state on this new remix is an almost ghost-like dub version of what you are probably used to.
Outstanding.
The whole thing is stripped down and bare; making an already rather introspective recording seem even more inwardly focused than before.

Monday 21 May 2012

Tree of Sores - A Cry of Despair

England is a country where in the space of fifteen minutes you can travel from the green, verdant countryside much beloved of poets and artists into the depths of tortured inner cities where children live in poverty and there is seemingly no escape for anyone save a life of thankless toil and Friday nights down at the club.

England is also home to Tree of Sores.

Their second album, A Cry of Despair landed on my doormat a few weeks ago courtesy of Witch Hunter Records, and it would be no exaggeration to say that I have listened to it almost daily since.
I wanted to know it inside out, to listen to every part if it before I wrote about it, because I had been literally gushing about their debut album when I reviewed it on here and I was desperately hoping that it wasn't a one off.
Almost half an hour long, the one track on it travels from sparse sound-shapes, travelling up tracing the outline of huge sonic monoliths against a black sky. This is true Psycho-delia. I know that you know that I think that TOS are one of the best bands to come out if the UK in the past ten years, and their sophomore album just reinforces that opinion.
Almost hypnotic drumming and repetition through the middle section of the album, the whole thing being equal parts crushing and pummelling but also has that uplifting, hopeful feeling that JKB generally imbues his musical projects with.
I honestly can't say enough good things about this record.
It's available as a pay-what-you-like download with no minimum donation, and quite frankly I think you'd be a fucking idiot NOT to get a copy.

FOR: fans of Amebix, Kylesa, Godflesh. People with decent stereos.
NOT FOR: people who aren't prepared to sit still for half an hour.

http://treeofsores.bandcamp.com/
http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/

Iron Witch - Post Vegas Blues 7"

Local sludgemonsters Iron Witch are back with a new 7" on Thirty Days of Night records, entitled Post-Vegas Blues.

Starting off with a wall of feedback,
Gunshot Residue is a lolloping riff that kicks in before slowing down and locking into into a groove that only serves to soften you up for a punky thrash towards the middle of the track, fading out as it does with the ghost of the feedback that opened the track.
Then…riff.
Riff.
Rising from the mudflats at the mouth of the Mersey, Exceed the Dose crawls along full of bile, before the thrash kicks back in and it's a dirty storming head shaker, feet apart, shoulders hunched, drums going ten to the dozen in the background.
Side B's track, Post Vegas Blues, is a track that I assume is about the dreariness of returning to your shitty job after a week in party central.
That's certainly what it sounds like.

Iron Witch do what they do so well that every time I listen to them, it takes me back to the first time I saw them live, the height of summer in a packed Star and Garter on Manchester, absolutely roasting hot, drenched in sweat and full of cider;
Except that didn't actually happen.
I've not had the chance to see them live yet, but I feel as if I have, THAT'S HOW GOOD THEY ARE.

Get yourself over to
http://thirtydaysofnightrecords.bigcartel.com/
and order yourself some riffs.
It's ok, thank me later.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Bark at the Full Moon

Well, well well droogies (as Krusher may have once said). It's that time of year again, time for us to clue you up on a little shindig that's taking place in the fair Yorkshire city of Leeds on October 13th that you should all get off your fat arses and get along to, the Full Moon Dog festival. Taking place under the arches in the Cockpit club at Swinegate (excellently positioned by the train station), this year's edition of the festival in honour of Jay-Jay Winter of Asomvel, a friend to headbangers everywhere who died tragically on October 18th 2010, features such heavy metal luminaries as Orange Goblin, a treat with a set from Solstice, Asomvel themselves, Dark Forest, Stuka Squadron, Eliminator, Stilletto Farm and Mercanary, with a headliner still to be announced! You're looking at a good nine and a half hours of metal and socialising, without any of the false bullshit normally associated with scenes, just people getting together to celebrate the life of a guy who loved Heavy Metal as much as we do. What's more, the entire show will be filmed for DVD which you can pre-order here for the price of a round of beer (£15 fucking bargain). SO a recap; day full of metal in memory or Jay-Jay, top company, filmed for DVD, well cheap (£15 in advance), right by the station. All being well, see you at the front! Facebook Event Page Website Buy Tickets Preorder DVD