Slaughter Survivors tour dates finally announced!

Featuring such artists as The Contortionist and Rings of Saturn (my personal number one vote out of the possible bands to open Summer Slaughter), the Slaughter Survivors tour is arguably better than Summer Slaughter this year. Even better, though, it seems the venues they've chose are small, backroom type venues, such as Champs in NJ (which I will hopefully be going to).

In short, this tour is gonna be sick!

Album Review: Weedeater - Jason... The Dragon

I've always wanted to get into stoner metal. It's just been one of those genres that has always appealed to me but I never could fully appreciate. I decided to take the plunge into the genre by listening to Weedeater's new album Jason... The Dragon in it's entirety in one sitting, and I must say I was impressed.

The first thing I found that I loved on this album was the bass. It's just so chunky and heavy, always playing bluesy riffs over the guitars. Personally, my favorite parts of this album come when the bass is playing by itself, such as in the beginning to "Hammerhandle" and the title track. Once the other instruments kick in it can be hard to spot the bass, but when I can I always appreciate it. The other instrument's don't do a bad job either. The drums merely keep the beat and never go over the top, and the guitars lead the stampede of songs in a rather grungy manner, making the songs feel amazingly sloppy.

I do have a bit of trouble with the vocals however. For the most part they seem a bit forced and not entirely genuine, which is an issue for me. Everything else does a stand up job for the most part, however.

When it comes to song structure, this is definitely an album one can sit back, roll a joint, and space out to. This is prime stoner material right here. Some songs don't feel like they a set structure of verse-chorus-verse, or anything of that like, and everything just kind of blends together. It's nice to kind of absorb most of the songs, but the downside is a lot of them sound almost exactly the same as other one's at first. It takes a few listens to appreciate each song as a whole.

All in all, this is a good album that anyone trying to get into stoner metal, like myself, can get a kick out of. The songs can be confused easily, however, and the vocals take a bit of getting used to, but if you can get past that then you have yourself a great intro stoner metal album.

7/10

Holy shitfuck, these new Abominable Putridity songs KILL!

Damn, turns out Abominable Putridity have been keeping themselves busy lately. Sadly it would appear that Big Chocolate (aka Disfiguring the Goddess, aka Cameron Argon, aka awesome dude) is not their vocalist anymore, but that's okay, because his replacement is none other than the legendary Matti Way (ex-Disgore & Pathology). His vocals may not be as beefy and low as Vladimir's or Big Chocolate's, but he still has a very unique tone and clear enunciation, and his voice works perfectly with the new music, as you'll see in just a moment. And plus, the guy's a fucking underground legend, so the fact that he's in one of my favorite slam bands of all time is reason enough to get plenty excited. Now, on to the music. As I said, Abominable Putridity has been one of my favorite slam bands for some time now, and now they've only gotten better. They've always had great slams and ball-crushingly heavy grooves, but now they have something else working for them: riffs. That's always been their one setback- all slams all the time, barely any riffing going on at all. I mean they made it work, and no one complained about it, but now they've put out not just one, but TWO new songs, and I was floored by how many legit riffs they have going now. Which of course only serves to make the slams sound that much more powerful, because they're not diluted by the rest of the song. But don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. This first one's called "Lack of Oxygen".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR1ajj4rgqw&feature=share

See what I mean? Tremolo picking, Euro blasts, beefy slams used in moderation to make the effect that much stronger, and then Matti Way's instantly recognizable gutturals. And that's not even the best one, this next one's even better. Check out "Remnants of the Tortured".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWKLN6boesU&feature=related

Oh God, so much awesome! So much win! Can't take it! According to this awesome site that I just found out about that you should totally check out called nocleansinging.com, the new album will be called The Anomalies of Artificial Origin, and if the rest of the album is as good as these two songs then this should be a shoe-in for the Best of the Year compilations, a compliment that so far has only been bestowed to Gorgasm's new album Orgy of Murder. Alright, that's enough fanboying for one article, you guys get the point by now. If you haven't already done it by now, be sure to add Abominable Putridity's last album In the End of Human Existence to your collection if you're looking for some top quality slam, available via Lacerated Enemy Records (don't worry, I've never heard of them either). Enjoy your Wednesday, folks.

-BK

Show Review: Protest the Hero, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Tesseract, and NoN-SToP! - May 4th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oh god, I love Protest the Hero. I love them so much, so very much, so when I found out they were touring I knew I had to go see them. I got my ticket in advance and everything, which is a bit of a rare thing for me to do. There was no way I was missing this show, even though I had class that conflicted with it. Well fuck class, I went to go see Protest the motherfucking Hero. However, I had to sit through many bands to experience their awesomeness. Was it worth it?

Well I'll tell you something right now, waiting in line for this show was arguably the most fun I've had waiting in line. I meet up with my friend Joe at about 6:30, and there's half an hour to kill, and I turn around and see a kid, probably no older than fifteen, puking his guts out on the sidewalk. Even better, his throw-up was neon red... nasty shit. So, for the next half hour myself and the others around me watched as people walked by, and every time they stepped in the vomit we would cheer uncontrollably. It was extremely fun. So fun, in fact, that once the line started moving I heard cries of "aww now we have to go to the show." We actually ran into the kid later and found out why he was throwing up. Apparently six percs and two blunts of hydro don't mix very well. Who knew?

The first band I had to sit through was a local band from Jersey called NoN-StoP! If the way they spelled their names and their ridiculous outfits (school uniforms) were a warning of anything, it was of their overly generic music. NoN-SToP! play a thrash that sounds a bit like crossover thrash. Hear them for yourselves here. Listening to them now I like them a lot more than I did when I saw them live. They just didn't have much stage presence and everyone was so psyched for Protest that no one really gave them much attention. They weren't super awful or anything (except for the horrendous backup vocals), and I would much rather of had them not play and have Protest play a longer set, but what can you do? They do get kudos for having a hot singer though.

Next up was Tesseract, who recently have been getting a lot of press do the success of their album One. What they were doing under Maylene and the Sons of Disaster I'll never know, but they put on a decent show. As I was telling my friend, Tesseract is one of those bands that relies so heavily on precise tonality and sound that their live shows will never be as great as their albums. Such was the case this night, as they were good, but their sound was a bit too muddy to stand up to their albums. During their set the dancers decided to show up though, they went absolutely nuts for those polyrhythm breakdowns. I decided not to take anyone's shit and was knocking em down left and right, but just when I felt I had made a dent in the number of dancers, Maylene and the Sons of the Disaster took the stage.

And the dancers went absolutely nuts. Holy shit, I've never seen so much hardcore dancing for a band that isn't even considered "core." These guys are straight southern metal, but whenever those drums slowed down arms and legs started to fly. I tried my best to knock as many of the dancers off-balance as I could, but what is one man against fifteen or twenty? I did get compliments on my work though, showing that people do want to rebel against these assholes, but oftentimes feel they are too outnumbered to do anything. Well that's what this website is for people. Anyways, Maylene put on an alright show, but I was too focused on taking out dancers to really appreciate it. My friend said it was ok, and I never really liked Maylene, so I'm assuming I didn't miss much.

Next up, after a brutally long sound check, was Protest the Hero, and man what a show did they put on. They started with "C'est La Vie" and played numerous songs off their new album including "Dunsel" and "Sex Tapes." I was up in the front headbanging and singing the words, so I didn't go in the pit much, but from what I saw it was a nice mix of dancers and those trying to take them out, so I was proud other people were doing my work for me. When I did go in the pit it was a blast though, and it was irresistible during songs like "Sequoia Throne" and "Bloodmeat."The band also played many songs off of their Kezia including "No Stars Over Bethlehem" and my personal favorite "Turn Soonest to the Sea." That song was the highlight of the show with everybody singing along to it, I'm glad to have experienced it. Overall Protest the Hero absolutely killed it and were full of energy, and it was totally worth sitting through the three other bands to see them. If you have a chance, check them out live immediately!

New Revocation song :D

Alright guys, I don't have much time so this is going to have to be quick, but this is still very important, so here's what you need to know: there's a new Revocation song, it's called "Cradle Robber", it's awesome, and you can listen to it on the band's Facebook page. The rest of the album, Chaos of Forms, will come out on August 16th via Relapse Records, and if we know anything about Revocation it'll probably kick at least ten different kinds of ass. Alright, sadly that's all for now, but keep coming back for more, and stay brutal. Happy Monday everyone.

-BK

Breaking news: Disgorge are back, baby!

Ok, I know it's midnight on a Friday, and you're all probably in bed or drunk by now, but this can't wait until the morning. After a five year hiatus, the San Diego underground brutal death metal outfit Disgorge have finally announced that they are reforming with a new lineup (their bassist Ben Marlin passed away in 2008), which includes Erik Lindmark (Deeds of Flesh) and the one and only Derek Boyer (Suffocation/Decrepit  Birth). And as if that weren't enough, the band also announced that they have begun working on a brand new album too. The fifth album will be called And the Weak Shall Perish, and it will be their third for Unique Leader Records. In his statement, founding drummer Ricky Meyers said "When Disgorge was formed in 1992 we set out to make the most brutal music we could, and nothing will ever change that no matter who is playing the instruments. This album will be no different. It will be some of the sickest and fastest work ever laid down by Disgorge". Sounds solid to me. Meyers went on to assure that Disgorge would again be touring once the album comes out, and that they will be playing songs that they've never played live before. You'd be a fool not to get excited about this one, folks. Alright, you may resume your regularly scheduled Friday night, and here's the music video for the title track from Disgorge's 2002 album Consume the Forsaken to remind you of what the metal community just got back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-aRi6KyZJM

Gore not core!
-BK

New Ingested album/song

Well fellas and lady-fellas, it's the weekend once again, and I have some rather exciting news to start your weekend off right. Remember way back when we did Slam Spotlight, and I showed you guys that British band Ingested? Well, for those of you that don't remember, they're fucking awesome sauce, and for those of you that do remember, you'll be pleased to know that they have a new album due out on June 6th, called The Surreption. The band says that the main concept of the album is the end of humanity, and the sense of loneliness that would come with being the last one to die, which is pretty effin' metal. And as if that weren't cool enough, they've even seen fit to release a new track from said album, called "Castigation and Rebirth". Check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XubMSz1dSwk

There are a few gang chants and obnoxious breakdowns, but for the most part this song is still pretty badass, and I'm definitely still excited to see what the rest of this new album's going to be like. Leave Ingested some well-deserved love on their Facebook, and have a safe weekend errbody.

-BK

Oh shit, I forgot it's Cinco de Mayo

Here's a picture of a cool looking bottle of tequila.

I didn't know what else to say, sorry. Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone.

-BK

Evile (finally) announce details on new album

Alright kiddies, after months of waiting, the British modern thrash champions Evile have finally released the skinny on their newest full length. The album will be called The Five Serpents' Teeth, and is set to drop on August 29th via Earache Records. Guitarists Matt and Ol Drake both seem very excited about the new album, saying "The past two years of hard work, and the work put in in the studio, have really paid off.  The few people who've heard the album so far have praised it highly, making me, and us, very proud.  The album has such a unique production sound which surprised me; Russ' (Russel, producer) skills have really shined on this record.  It has an old classic sound, while staying huge and menacing". Sounds good enough for me, but if it's not for you Matt also recorded a video where he explains the new album and its concepts, which can be seen over yonder. If The Five Serpents' Teeth is anything like Evile's last two albums, then you'll definitely want to pick this one up, because this band really is at the forefront of the modern thrash movement. Expect lots of windmill-induced headaches and whiplash at the end of August, my friends. Stay tuned and stay brutal.


-BK

So I guess Within the Ruins are playing Summer Slaughter too

Well, shit. I was really hoping for something better than this, but at least now we finally know the full lineup for this year's Summer Slaughter. Earlier today, Metal Injection announced that the Sumeriancore posterboys Within the Ruins somehow won the poll for the opening slot of the Summer Slaughter Tour, alongside The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, Fleshgod Apocalypse and more. Don't get me wrong, Within the Ruins are talented and all, but they get old fast, and you know as well as I do that they ain't shit compared to all the other not-boring bands that I just mentioned. It just goes to show ya, metal these days is pretty much just a popularity contest, but at least there are plenty of other badass bands on the bill to counter the breakdowns. Check out the tour dates here, and be prepared to deal with a lot of douchebags for short periods of time at the shows, because I can already tell that's what's going to happen, just like last year. And the year before that... and the year before that. Oh well, I'm sure you can handle yourself. Take care everyone.

-BK

Album Review: Short Bus Pile Up - Repulsive Display of Human Upholstery

For the love of all that is brutal this album is good. I had heard from a friend or two that is was one of the best releases of last year, and after listening through it multiple times I wouldn't say they were incorrect, because this is in fact a fantastic album. Hailing from Fredericksburg, VA, Short Bus Pile Up play a mix of brutal death metal and slam, and they blend the genres with shocking fluidity. One moment it'll sound like I'm listening to some new Cannibal Corpse, then the next minute I feel like I'm listening to Abominable Putridity. This isn't a bad thing, however, because as previously mentioned, the blending of the styles is very smooth and nothing ever feels tacked on.

Then there are the instruments, all of which do a great job for the most part. As is to be expected, the bass is nearly inaudible, but I'm pretty much used to that being the case with most heavy music. I would have really liked more of an emphasis on the bass, because if used correctly it can make a slam band sound much heavier than it would be without, but what can ya do? The guitars play brilliantly placed chromatic riffs that sound unbelievably heavy at points and never let up. The drums however are the prized jewel of the band. Some drum parts are ridiculously fast and intricate, like the blast beats in "Urethral Myaisis," while some parts are slow, yet brutal enough to keep the slams nice and heavy.

And the slams, oh the slams. I haven't heard a band that uses slams so intelligently since Abominable Putridity. It never feels like the songs revolve around them, but there are plenty to go around to keep you headbanging. It is easy to lose track of which song you're listening to however, which is my other problem with the album. A lot of the tracks sound eerily similar to each other on the surface, and unless one is listening very closely it's easy to get lost.

The two qualms I have with this album shouldn't be an invitation to ignore it however. Repulsive Display of Human Upholstery is an extremely solid release from an up-and-coming band that you need to keep an eye out for. Definitely one of the top releases of 2010.

8/10

Last but not least, new album & song from The Black Dahlia Murder

Alright guys, before you head off to enjoy your weekend, we have one more piece of news to get through. Earlier today, the Detroit death metal stars The Black Dahlia Murder finally lifted the veil on their newest full length, simply titled Ritual. The album, mixed by none other than Jason Suecof, seems to focus heavily on occult imagery and (you guessed it) rituals, so at least concept-wise this is set to be TBDM's creepiest album yet. Ritual will hit shelves on June 21st via Metal Blade Records, but luckily the band saw fit to give us a taste of the new tunes to keep us happy until then, in the form of a new song called "Moonlight Equilibrium". Check it out below.

http://www.metalblade.com/bdm/
Their frontman (and one of my personal heroes) Trevor Strnad describes the music as similar to what they did with 2009's Deflorate, but with a more organic production value and more input from their newest member, lead guitarist Ryan Knight. And I must say, after listening to it I have to agree. It has all the atmosphere and catchiness of their last album, but with a somewhat more simplistic production approach, like Unhallowed and Miasma. I still think it sounds a bit thin, but this is also just my first impression of one brand new song on an album of twelve, so I'll reserve my final judgment for when the album comes out. I'm still giddy as a schoolgirl regardless, and I hope to hear them play this and more new songs on this year's Summer Slaughter.

Right-o, that's all for today, have a great weekend everybody. Stay safe, and stay brutal.
-BK

New Origin song

I don't think this has anything to do with the new album, but look how fucking cool it is!

Holy shit-fuck Batman, there's no way it's already Friday again. Seriously, I feel like I just wrapped up last week's Friday post, then took a weed nap and woke up to do this one. But regardless, it is indeed Friday, but before we go we have a couple juicy little tidbits to help you start your weekend off right. First up is a brand new song from the highly anticipated upcoming album from Origin, called "Explosion of Fury". And in case you didn't guess, it's just as crazy fast and sweet as any other song the band has put forth; basically the title describes it perfectly. I'll be honest, I think it lacks some of the beefiness of their last album, but there's more actual soloing going on, and their new vocalist Jason Keyser (Mucopus, ex-Skinless) is much more diverse than James Lee, so it all balances out nicely. I mean come on, it's fucking Origin, they don't know how to be not good. Head on over to their Facebook page to check out the new song, as well as their tour dates with Hate Eternal, Vital Remains and Abysmal Dawn this summer. The new album Entity will be available on June 7th via Nuclear Blast Records, and if the rest of the songs are like this (or better, you never know with these dudes) then it will definitely be worth our while to say the least. Stay tuned, there's more to come.

-BK

Underground Band of the Day: Bitterness Exhumed

So we received an email from a friend of a member of Massacre the Wasteland pointing us in the direction of his band, Bitterness Exhumed. Now, I'm not as much of a fan of this band as I am of Massacre the Wasteland, but they definitely are worth a listen. One thing that might be a deterrent for a lot of people is the hardcore style the band takes. Just take a listen for yourself on the band's Bandcamp page. The vocal style is distinctly hardcore, but it's not too "tough guy" to make it unlistenable. Also, I'm really digging the song structure and production, both of which are top notch. The only real problems I have are the gang chants that are scattered throughout the songs, the effects on the vocals here and there, and the presence of of breakdowns. Now, breakdowns aren't all that bad if used in moderation, and since there's only one in the first song it's done pretty tastily, so I can't really complain.

All in all, Bitterness Exhumed is pretty rad band. Their debut should be coming out in the coming months on Ecocentric records, and I advise you check it out. It also wouldn't hurt to support the band on facebook, where you can listen to three of their songs as well... I know I will.

Breaking news: Jungle Rot sign to Victory Records

A few hours ago, the Wisconsin underground death metal veterans Jungle Rot announced that they have just signed with none other than Victory Records. Their first release on the new label, Kill On Command, is set to come out on June 21st, but unfortunately the only actual music we can hear from it for now is a quick thirty-second teaser welcoming them to the label. Now I know this is surprising news to say the least, and I'm sure many people's instincts will be to accuse them of selling out, especially since Victory Records is (in)famous for bands like Atreyu, A Day To Remember and Emmure, but let's not forget that they're also the ones that signed Pathology not too long ago, and their last album was some of the best material they've ever put out. I'm going to hold my judgment until the new album comes out, because this obviously wouldn't be the first time Victory has unexpectedly come through for us. In the meantime, check out Jungle Rot's Facebook page, and enjoy the video for "Worst Case Scenario", taken from their 2009 album What Horrors Await.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmUM5ec00A8

Here's hoping Jungle Rot can keep the trend going and help bring real brutality into the mainstream. Look out emo kids, you're about to get a whole world of hurt.

-BK

New Agoraphobic Nosebleed video

Alright bitches, it's my turn to put something up again. To coincide with the release of their new split And On and On with Despise You, I'd like to present you guys with a new music video from grindcore heavyweights Agoraphobic Nosebleed. The song is called "Miscommunication", and while it may not be the best song they've ever done, it's still awesome, and the video is trippy as hell. The song itself only lasts for about 25 seconds, and the rest is just two people talking to each other in sign language, and I think it's some sort of foreshadowing for some of the other violent stuff that happens in the video. I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure I get it, artsy stuff kinda tends to go over my head, but who cares, it's fucking Agoraphobic Nosebleed man. Check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdNH5E3abSI

And On and On comes out today via the always reliable Relapse Records, be sure to pick it up if you're looking to expand your grindcore split collection. Seriously, there are enough of those things out there that enthusiasts really could have a massive collection of them, just like kids would collect Pokemon cards or something, it's ridiculous. But hey, that's grind for ya. Take care everyone, see you tomorrow for more.

-BK

Hey you! Yes you! Why haven't you heard of Massacre the Wasteland?!

So awhile ago we received an email from a lil band called Massacre the Wasteland asking us to feature them on Mosh Rebellion. It may have taken awhile, but you're in luck guys, cause you're damn good enough to be featured on this prestigious blog.

Massacre the Wasteland play unrelentingly brutal death/grind like few other bands do. Their shit is so heavy it borders on ridiculous, and I honestly can't get enough of them. On top of that their mixing is extremely good for an unsigned band. It's hard not to go crazy and headbang to their shit.

That's why it's a damn shame that there are only three songs (all under two minutes each) available to listen to on their bandcamp page. If you haven't listened to these guys before you need to rectify that pronto, so give an underground band a little help and check out their page. While you're at it you can watch a lil video of theirs and help spread the word about them on facebook. These guys need to get big fast, and they can only do so with your help.

Album Review: Destroying Divinity - Dark Future

Ladies and gentlemen, please say hello to the first album review that Mosh Rebellion has received the promo for! We're movin' up in the world, and pretty soon we won't have to pay for any of our music soon! This is a message to all bands: don't be afraid to email us with some of your music for reviews or for the sake of being featured... because if it's decent we'll put it up on the website.

Which is unfortunately what Dark Future is, only decent. I have a hard time saying this, because I feel like I should like the album, as it has all the elements of death metal. Heavy guitar, heavy bass, heavy drums, everything is heavy, but in our modern world of metal music that isn't saying much. One could make a case for Dr. Acula being heavy, but that doesn't mean their music is good, which is unfortunately what happens on this album.

Firstly, the mixing is not that great, and the bass is hardly audible. Everything seems like it's all at one dynamic level, making no single instrument stand out, which isn't a big deal since the individual instruments don't do much anyway. There are rarely any guitar solos, and while the drummer can keep a pretty steady double-bass, he never goes over the top or sounds like he's consciously attempting to progress his sound. Then there are the vocals, which just sound like angry talking. There's not enough anger or emotion behind the vocals to make them really noticeable, so they're just kind of there for the most part.

Everything just sounds a bit sluggish and forced overall, and none of the songs really stand out, so I guess I can end this review pretty early on by saying that just because you meet the criteria for death metal, doesn't mean your music is brutal or heavy in any way. Dark Future get's a

4.5/10

Interview with Lecherous Nocturne's Jason Hohenstein

Lecherous Nocturne is a damn cool band, fronted by a damn cool man who goes by the name of Jason Hohenstein. He's a towering figure who, once he takes the stage, is intimidating and in-your-face as fuck. The Baby Killer and I recently saw him tear an audience to shreds in Trenton, and in the process found out that he hates hardcore dancers as much as we do. Knowing this, I had to interview him, so here it is... I hope you guys enjoy it!

MR: Firstly, I want to thank you for taking your time out of your no doubt busy tour schedule to answer some questions. The Baby Killer and I saw you at your Trenton show and thought you guys absolutely killed! How has the tour been so far?

Stein: The tour was amazing. All the bands got along really well, and I became a completely devoted Melechesh fanboy after this tour...lol.

MR: In a somewhat related question, how have the pits been? I know Trenton was a small venue and there wasn't much moshing going on during your set, except when you all-out challenged the audience to do it for a free CD (and even then it was only some other dude, the Baby Killer and I in the pit). How have they compared to other tours you've been on?

Stein: Well, this wasn't really a "mosh pit" kinda tour package, so we weren't too worried about it. The 2 preceding tours we were a part of were really the "mosh-pit" kinda packages(Cannibal, Immolation). This was more of a headbanging show.

MR: Your most recent album was released in 2008 under the title The Age of Miracles Has Passed. Do you guys plan on releasing a new album any time soon or will the clamoring masses have to wait for 2012 or later for a new release?

Stein: Nope...we are hard at work on the new record which should be released sometime around end of Summer/Fall.

MR: Ok, as you may have seen from the website, Mosh Rebellion is all about hatred for hardcore dancers, and is central in letting people voice their opinions on such dancers. At the Trenton show there were some dancers for the opening bands, but they decided to leave soon after they were done playing. How have the rest of the shows been when it comes to hardcore dancers?

Stein: No offense, but there were NO hardcore dancers/floor punchers/amateur karate kickers on the rest of the tour AT ALL...hehe. Only Trenton. Hopefully that ignorant shit is dying...

MR: You had the courage to actually make a joke at the expense of those dancers, the meat of which I forget at the time, but I nonetheless applaud you for it. Do you find that making fun of them is usually the best way to get them out of the pit, or do you actually confront them firsthand? In other words, what is the best way to get the dancers out of the pit, in your opinion?

Stein: I've been doing it for years. Saying something about the white belts, the swoop hairstyles, the girlpants. It's done out of humor, and getting a reaction. Not only from the spinkickers, but from the rest of the crwod as well. There are always boos and laughs at the same time. Fuck em. And I've never had to confront them firsthand..hehe.

MR: Do you believe there is any place for dancing at all, even at a hardcore show?

Stein: I mean, some people consider circle-pit moshing or headbanging, dancing. I just hate the fact that some moron might be spinning out of control and hit someone with a blindsided, out of control fist, who are there just to have a good time. Then when confronted, they're like, "I was just dancing, it was an accident.". No, you are throwing a punch, and if you hit me, I will retaliate.

MR: What are the funniest, worst, most pathetic stories related to hardcore dancing that you can share with the readers of this website?

Stein: Just watching it is pathetic. Some of these people look to be in a full, epileptic seizure. No offense to Epilepsy...

MR: Hardcore dancing at metal shows is pretty much an epidemic in the northeast, but you guys hail from California. Do you have just as much of a problem with these people coming to metal shows as those of us in the northeast do?

Stein: Correction, we hail from the Carolinas...haha. And it was everywhere for awhile, but it's dead there now....thank Hell.

MR: If you could say one thing to every hardcore dancer out there, what would it be?

Stein: If you want to show off your amatuer karate skills, do it away from the people who are there to see the bands....like outside or by the bar.

MR: One more question, unrelated to any of the other ones. I have been trying to grow a beard for a long time now, but it never works out. You, my good sir, have a glorious beard, and I envy you for it. Can you quickly share some tips on how to grow a righteous beard like yours?

Stein: Well, the beard is gone for now, since I'm home, but here are a couple of tips. 1- Stop shaving! Even if your beard is patchy, you have to condition your face to growing it out. Let it grow for about a month or two, then shave, then immediately grow it out again. It's called "hair-farming' for a reason...hahahaha. 2- Keep it clean! Your pores and follicles have to be healthy to produce hair continuously. That's about it...

MR: Once again, thanks for answering all of our questions, and hopefully with your help we can rebel against these dancers and get real moshpits started at metal shows. Do you have any final words for the readers of this site?

Stein: Keep and eye out for the new record Myth Manifest, and keep supporting great, hardworking bands on tour.....Salute!

New Dysentery album

Well folks, it's Rebecca Black's favorite day of the week once again, and it's time for us to more or less close down shop here at Mosh Rebellion for the weekend. But before we go, I'll send you guys off with one more little piece of good news. The Waltham, Massachusetts slamsters Dysentery have announced that their newest full length, Internal Devastation, is finished and set to be released this June via Comatose Music. The band showed a lot of promise on their last album From Past Suffering Comes New Flesh, and they've posted three new songs from the album on their Facebook page that sound kick-ass, so this new album is shaping up to be a bruiser. Dysentery are also going on tour in June to support the new album, tour dates and lineups are as follows:

June 3 @ TBA
Lowell, MA
w/ Hivesmasher & More TBA


June 4 @ Hot Shots
Rochester, NY
w/ Grave Descent, Abdicate & Circus Grenade


June 5 @ Blackened Moon Concert Hall
Lansing, MI
w/ Gutrot (reunion), 80,000 Dead, Shit Life, Intestinal Alien Reflux & The Virally Enthroned


Mon June 6
@ TBA
Kansas City, MO area

June 7 @ Old Curtis Street
Denver, CO
w/ Expurgate, Disease Called Human & Denver County Death March


June 8 @ the Red Room
Boise, ID
w/ the Deep, End of All Flesh & Kryterium


June 9 @ Burnt Ramen
Richmond, CA
w/ TBA


Fri June 10 @ the Cheyenne Saloon
Las Vegas, NV
w/ Malignancy, Cerebral Bore, Condemned, To Violently Vomit & More

June 11 @ TBA
Albuquerque, NM


June 12 @ Headhunters
Austin, TX
w/ Engaged in Mutilating, Vaginal Bear Trap & Prolicide


June 13 @ the Butcher Shop
Oklahoma City, OK
w/ Horde Casket


June 14 @ Ziggy's
Chattanooga, TN
w/ Coathanger Abortion & More TBA
 
June 15 @ Ground Zero
Spartanburg, SC
w/ Atrocious Abnormality & More TBA


June 16@ Cozumel
Virginia Beach, VA
w/ Macerated, Short Bus Pile Up & Waiting Mortuary


June 17 @ Millcreek Tavern
Philadelphia, PA
w/ TBA


June 18@ the Charleston
Brooklyn, NY
w/ Humanity Falls, Andromorphus Rexalia & Torturous Inception


June 19 @ the Palladium Upstairs
Worcester, MA
w/ TBA

A lot of these shows are 21 and up, but not all, so if you're a minor but still listen to good music (like me), make sure you look into it before you buy your tickets. But if you do get the opportunity to see them I highly recommend it, I saw them at last summer's Hostile City Death Fest in Philadelphia and they killed it. And now that they have the new material to add to the set list we have even more reason to be excited. That's all for this week, have a fun and safe weekend everyone. Happy Easter or Passover to whomever it may apply, and for everyone else, uhhh... bye.


-BK

Fucked Up Album Cover of the Day 4/22/11

How's it going guys?! I hope everybody's been great, and I hope everyone appreciates the Baby Killer's constant updating of the website. Without him, we would be screwed, so give him a shoutout in the comments for crying out loud! I say this because I know I should be updating the site more and he's practically taken over, but with school taking slightly less of my time I feel I should finally be able to start posting shit regularly, starting today.

And what better way to start posting shit than by resurrecting an old favorite from the site... the fucked up album cover of the day! This one comes from Italian Brutal Death Metallers Vulvectomy. Their second release, Post Abortion Slut-Fuck, is pictured below, and man is it gruesome. It's not every day one sees a guy fucking the lower half of a girl who's upper torso has been completely annihilated. And if one looks closely, you can see the baby who's been aborted hanging in the background. Just take a look and let it sink in.

Fucking gross.

And on a belated note, Happy Passover to all my hebrews and shebrews out there! I hope matzoh makes your shits just as difficult as they've made mine. And, leaving you with that mental image, I bid you all good day... be sure to leave some comments and spread the word.

Summer Slaughter tour dates announced!

Alright guys, today was kind of a mixed day as far as good and bad news goes, what with Jeff Loomis and Van Williams announcing that they are both leaving Nevermore (boooooo), but we can all take solace in the fact that the dates for this year's Summer Slaughter tour have finally been announced. There's still no word on who the winner of the mystery opening band contest is, but at least now we have the times and places, the where and when if you will. While we wait for the who, check out the dates below to see when The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, Fleshgod Apocalypse and more will be coming to your town.

Jul. 22 – Los Angeles, CA - House Of Blues
Jul. 23 – Anaheim, CA – The Grove
Jul. 25 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre
Jul. 26 – Seattle, WA – King Cat Theatre
Jul. 28 – Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
Jul. 29 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Jul. 30 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
Jul. 31 – Scottsdale, AZ – The Venue Scottsdale
Aug. 02 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
Aug. 04 – Louisville, KY – Expo Five
Aug. 05 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews
Aug. 06 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
Aug. 07 – Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues
Aug. 08 – Chicago, IL – House Of Blues
Aug. 09 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy
Aug. 10 – Montreal, QC – Olympia
Aug. 11 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Aug. 12 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Aug. 13 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Of Living Arts
Aug. 14 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Aug. 16 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Aug. 17 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
Aug. 19 – Houston, TX – House Of Blues
Aug. 20 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
Aug. 21 – Dallas, TX – House Of Blues

Awwwwww shit, the consecutive Philly and Jersey shows are in the same weekend, this could be epic. Be sure to get your tickets if this tour's coming anywhere near you; there may be a few uninspiring bands on the bill this year again, but as per usual the pros far outweigh the cons, and this show promises to be an absolute blast (beat, dur hurr). Tweet about this to all of your "friends", and stay tuned for more as always.

One love.
-BK

Happy 4/20 errbody

Well, it's that time once again: Pot Day, 4/20, Hitler's birthday, the anniversary of the Columbine shootings (if you wanna be a downer); it goes by many names, but we all know the deal by now. Not that any of us really need an excuse to smoke weed, but whether you do or not it's April 20th once again, and that means pretty much anyone who tokes is doing so right now or will be shortly, and we all know that good music and good weed go hand in hand. So in order to get into the holiday spirit a bit, I'm going to give you guys a brief list of some of my personal favorite songs to play when I get blazed, and not just metal. There will be plenty of that as well, don't worry, but I will admit I have a few guilty pleasures outside of the genre, and being stoned is usually my excuse for listening to them so it works out nicely. So without further ado, here's a small compilation of some of my personal favorite stoner jamz.

Cynic- "The Space For This"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw-6IIBXNSQ

This is a pretty obvious choice for most stoner metalheads, but that's because it really is the perfect fit. The general spaciness (no pun intended) of the music, combined with Paul Masvidal's hypnotic singing (the only person aside from The Faceless' Michael Keene to pull off the vocoder without sounding cheap) make for an experience that is both exhilarating and soothing at the same time. The song itself also appears to be heavily influenced by Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth, in which he emphasizes the importance of transcending and ultimately overcoming the ego-based state of consciousness. In case that went over your head, in layman's terms it means that the song is about trying to be a better, less self-absorbed person and eventually succeeding. So now you see why it's a great high song; it's trippy but calm and has a very positive message.


Sarah Brightman ft. Chris Thompson- "How Can Heaven Love Me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pWON5Ib55E

Warning: the above video is not metal at all, if you don't like slightly campy Nineties pop rock (or opera singers) then you might wanna take a pass on this one. No one will blame you. But for the rest of you, this is a song from Ms. Sarah Brightman, a renowned opera singer from Britain. You probably know her better from her duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli "Time To Say Goodbye", unless you, y'know, don't listen to that sort of thing. I mean I don't, but I still know that song. You may also remember her as Blind Mag from the rock opera gorefest Repo: The Genetic Opera from a few years ago; if you haven't watched it yet definitely check it out. But I digress. This song has a lot working against it, but something about it touches my well-known soft spot for good melodies, and no one can deny that this lady is an absolutely phenomenal singer. There are parts in this song where she hits higher notes than even a woman should be able to, and the rest of her singing is beautiful too. As suggested by the title, the song has a sort of underlying theme of melancholy and sadness throughout; they're looking around at all the atrocities that people have committed over the years and continue to do to this day, and are basically weeping for the future. As cheesy as it is, I can't help but love it. Plus some of the lyrics sound like they were taken right out of a black metal song ("We fight with the gods for our dreams. When paradise falls, eternity screams"). Y'see, even world-famous opera singers can be misanthropic.

Animals As Leades- "CAFO"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc

Now THIS on the other hand, this is something that you can show to your friends and not get laughed at for weeks over. The last couple songs have been the kind that one would listen to when they're trying to mellow out, but Animals As Leaders are the kind of band that you go to to trip the fuck out, and the "CAFO" video hits the nail on the head in that regard. If the crazy lighting effects don't get you, then the relentlessly spastic and jazzy music definitely will. Tosin Abasi's guitarwork is extremely hard to describe, simply because he's literally all over the fucking place. His virtuosic songwriting style rivals the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen and Michaelangelo Battio, and in my opinion tops them in terms of diversity. The motherfucker literally plays whatever the hell he wants, and it seems like he changes his mind every few seconds. The other two members are exceptionally talented as well, including drummer Navene Koperweis, who also writes and plays all the music for the tech death dynamic duo Fleshwrought. Although to be honest, Navene's drumming sounds a bit reserved here, because Animals As Leaders is pretty much Tosin's brain child and he'll always be the main focus; but that's okay, because that just means Navene can do the same thing with Fleshwrought. Put this on about five or ten minutes after you hit the bong so that your high can peak and this song can achieve its maximum effect. I would also advise that you stay seated while you do so.

Short Bus Pile Up- "Ball Peen Beating"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqh0xUmFFE4

And you thought I wasn't going to put up any death metal songs, didn't you? Don't worry, I still have testicles, and I still love me some brutality when I'm baked. This whole album from these Virginia natives is great, but this song in particular just has the most infectious, simple-but-effective beats to it that make you want to stomp your feet in time like a dumbass, and that's what usually ends up happening when I listen to this song. I always describe it as Six Feet Under on steroids, especially because of that obvious death 'n' roll riff in the beginning. They have plenty of other great songs, and a lot of them are heavier than this one, but "Ball Peen Beating" has the best groove of any Short Bus song that I've ever heard; I defy anyone to listen to the opening riff and not bob your head along to it.

Decrepit Birth- "(A Departure of the Sun) Ignite the Tesla Coil"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X91e3HBrQxw

It's pretty fitting that Decrepit Birth would be one of my favorite high bands, given their stoner reputation. Matt Sotelo's superb composition is captivating when he gets into it, and the guitar harmony at the two-minute mark still gives me the chills; it's absolutely massive, it sounds like it should be in a movie where some giant Chthulu-like leviathan is rising up out of the ocean to lay waste to everything. As with the Animals As Leaders video, this is a song that should be enjoyed while heavily medicated, not just a leisurely listen to chill out. Not to say the song's no good while sober; quite the contrary, I'm just saying that THC will enhance the experience by ten-fold easily. Decrepit Birth are one of the few tech death bands out there that are definitely technical but still have a definitive, contagious energy to them. For example, the riff that starts at 4:20 (go figure) sounds very ominous and eerie, and it keeps looping and repeating, sounding more ominous as it continues and the synthesizer comes in later in the background, and then about a minute later they immediately transition into a new riff, finally breaking the incredible tension that they spent almost a quarter of the song building up. The music has a very plausible atmosphere, and that's what lets Decrepit Birth stand head and shoulders above their peers.

Skies Over Bethany- "O Come Emmanuel"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4WG05zffLE

I can already tell I'm going to catch a world of shit for this, but fuck it, if I can put Sarah Brightman up then I can put one metalcore song. You guys may or may not remember this song from my Christmas post, and I know I said I wouldn't do it again, but I can't deny that this song gets to me. Everything else this band has done is typical yawn-worthy, cookie-cutter Christian metalcore, but they really came out of left field with their remake of this timeless Christmas carol. There are still a fair amount of breakdowns and uninspiring mid-range growls and screams, but the clean singing and general feel of the song are very powerful to say the least. This guy doesn't just sing the lyrics, he fucking belts them and nails the notes every time. Honestly, the singing is what carries the whole song, because everything else is just background noise to keep the beat going, but the singing is good enough that I don't really notice or care. And while I dislike breakdowns just as much as any of you, I will admit the final breakdown of the song works well with the piano run going on under it. Check it out and see what you think, no one here will get butthurt over anyone not liking a Christian metalcore song posted in an anti-hardcore blog.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed- "Agorapocalypse Now"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3vkeO-GsV8

And now for something COMPLETELY different. This song may actually be "Timelord Zero (Chronovore)", because that's how it's listed in my iTunes, but YouTube says otherwise. Either way, this song is nothing short of sheer chaos, and that's exactly why it's so great. It may not be very chill or melodic or trippy, but it's still a great song to listen to when you're ripped, because the passion that these guys (and gal) put into the music is downright contagious. It's the kind of song that begs to be heard live, with both the band and the crowd going apeshit and throwing their middle fingers up in the air to no one or nothing in particular. The trade-off of Jay Randall's Slayer-esque shouting and Katherine Katz's throat tearing shrieks is grating but works perfectly with the aesthetic of the music, resulting in a crushing display of anti-industry, anti-establishment, anti-fucking-everything music that blurs the line between grindcore, death metal and thrash. My suggestion for this song is to hit at least two bongs with a few friends beforehand, then blast it and start a mosh pit with each other. Just make sure you do it somewhere either outside or away from breakable items like dishes, glasses or expensive furniture; be considerate with your moshing, guys.

Well that's that, there are plenty more songs that I could put up, but you get the gist of it by now. My other guilty pleasures include random individual songs from Steve Miller, Metallica, Motley Crue, Breaking Benjamin and others, and if you catch me listening to any of these it's a safe bet that it's because I got high, because I got high, because I got hiiiiiiiiiiigh. Speaking of which, I'm gonna go enjoy my 4/20 elsewhere, so have a great night everyone, smoke one for me. Be good to each other.

-BK

R.I.P. Skinless (1992-2011)

Alright guys, this one's going to be a quickie, but it still needs to be mentioned. It pains me to report that after almost twenty years, the New York underground death metal sensation Skinless have decided to call it quits. According to founding guitarist Noah Carpenter's statement, after the release of their 2006 full length Trample the Weak, Hurdle The Dead, the band was plagued with lineup changes, the kryptonite of many a great band, and despite numerous attempts to revitalize the group over the years, they've decided that they have no choice but to throw in the towel. There's not much else to say about this, other than the obvious fact that this is super lame; Skinless were one of those bands that were just effortlessly brutal, setting the bar high for the rest of their peers. Hopefully someday we'll get to see a Skinless reunion, kind of like our generation's Carcass or Emperor, but until then we here at Mosh Rebellion would like to wish Skinless a fond farewell, and wish all the members the best of luck in their future endeavors. Head over to the band's Myspace to read Noah Carpenter's full statement, and last but not least we'll send you off with one of my personal favorite Skinless songs, from their final album Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead, entitled "A Unilateral Disgust".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8NDd5Or31c

Leave your thoughts on the demise of Skinless below, and tune in tomorrow for more cool news and stuff. Stay brutal.

-BK

Show Review: Dying Fetus, Dead Walk the Earth, Nightfire & Thrown Into Oncoming Traffic, April 15th in Wilmington, DE

As promised, ladies and djentlemen (see what I did there). There's a lot to cover here, so I'll just get right to it.

Friday night was a pretty crazy night for me, and it all started with some pretty horrific traffic at the beginning of our pilgrimage. Luckily, we left for the show early, so we still got to the good old Mojo 13 with plenty of time to spare, and spent the majority of the remaining daylight toking and chatting about all things metal. Then after a brief delay, we heard Thrown Into Oncoming Traffic setting up and sound checking, so we headed in and secured our spots on the floor. Just like last time, these guys played a very strong set, but they drew the short stick of being the opening band that played to less than twenty people, excluding the people from the bar. The few people that were there watching them (myself and my friends included) thoroughly enjoyed their set, and one or two weak attempts at starting a two-person pit were made, but in the end most of us just stood there and admired the band's impressive musicianship and energy. I really hope Thrown Into Oncoming Traffic sticks to it and ends up getting better spots on big shows like this, they've definitely got the right stuff going on.

Up next was the mediocre-at-best Maryland deathcore outfit Debbie Does Dallas, and while they definitely weren't the worst 'core band I've seen in my days, my friends and I still only watched the later portion of their set. On the other hand, after those guys wrapped up, Nightfire started setting up, and then it was a completely different story. If you guys aren't familiar with them, they're an unsigned tech death band from Newark, Delaware, and they're one of the tightest bands in that area by far. They sound very similar to And Time Begins-era Decrepit Birth, and they always put on a very impressive live show. As soon as they started their set, the crowd immediately woke up and strong pits were started every few minutes. The band mirrored the crowd's energy nicely with plenty of head banging, windmilling and horn throwing, making the whole experience feel like it was in a big city venue rather than a tiny bar in the suburbs of Delaware. By the end of their set, everyone was finally in really high spirits, most likely due to the fact that, by a stroke of luck and the good graces of the venue owner, the band got to play a slightly extended set. Be sure to leave them some love on their Facebook if you're looking for some quality underground tech death. Vocalist James Dorton and drummer Jesse Beahler are also in Her Virgin Womb, another damn good local act, so that's cool too.

Up next was the band that I'm pretty sure everyone was there to see besides Fetus: the always entertaining Dead Walk the Earth. I'll be honest, most of their set was a blur to me, but that's because I was particularly ripped for it, and I spent the whole thirty minutes headbanging nonstop. Probably not the smartest move, I know, but surprisingly it didn't seem to do as much damage to me as going that hard for that long usually does (giggity), and everyone else appeared to be having as much fun as I was, so in the end it was all good. I really wish I could remember any of their song titles, because Dead Walk the Earth has some really badass material up their sleeves; not just fast or brutal, but both, and well-written at the same time. But all you need to know is that if you're looking for a really good local show, Dead Walk the Earth is a must-see at least once. Just make sure you bring protective pads.

After DWTE exhausted us all, we were all in desperate need of a smoke/fresh air break, so I must admit we also missed all of Pale Existence and Withered's sets. It's not that we didn't like either of the bands, but we needed to conserve our energy for Dying Fetus, and all three of us probably would have collapsed from heat stroke if we had stayed inside the whole time, so we took our time regaining our strength. However, after an hour or so and two bowls, we headed back inside with renewed vigor and eagerly waited for the last band.

When Dying Fetus finally took the stage, at first it didn't seem like there were as many people there as I had imagined, but as soon as they started playing I quickly realized that that was just because nobody was moving yet. A massive pit was formed immediately, and it was kept up for pretty much the remainder of the night. The energy level did end up dying down a bit towards the end, but that was just because everyone was just so worn out by then. The band sounded absolutely massive, even with the limited space and equipment, and they tore through the best songs from all throughout their discography, including "One Shot One Kill", "Your Treachery Will Die With You", "Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)" and a medley of "Pissing In the Mainstream" and "Kill Your Mother Rape Your Dog". They played for at least an hour and a half, before finally calling it a night well after midnight. By the end of the night, everyone was deaf and had sore throats, I ended up with a grapefruit-sized bruise on my right elbow (courtesy of Dead Walk the Earth's wall of death), and two friends of mine even ended up getting bones broken. DWTE's own Dr. Satan broke his arm in two places moshing for Dying Fetus, and later on I found out the same thing happened to another friend of mine, except she broke her foot. My hat's off to you, Andrew and Carole, in retrospect I got off light. Real light.

So once again, Mojo 13 came through and delivered the kind of shows that haven't been seen since the days of the underground. That place was absolutely leveled by the time we headed for home, and everyone had a great time. Hopefully there will be many more shows like this to come.

-BK

Interview: Joe Horvath- Circle of Dead Children

Happy Monday, guys. Sorry about slacking off again last week, I went to see Dying Fetus over the weekend and the couple days leading up to shows always lend themselves to plenty of excitement and distractions. But luckily there's plenty of stuff to talk about today, including a review for that show later, so get comfy. First up, we finally have another interview, one that I've been very excited about for a while now. Sit back and relax as we have a rather in-depth conversation with none other than Mr. Joe Horvath, vocalist for one of my favorite bands, the Pennsylvania deathgrind heavyweights Circle of Dead Children.


So first and foremost, thanks for taking some time to do this thing, I'm sure the new lineup change and whatnot has kept you guys pretty busy lately. We did an article about that a while ago as you saw, but can you give us any more info? What brought these changes about, was it sudden or did everyone kinda see it coming? And more importantly, how's the new lineup working out for you?

Man, we haven't been busy enough for a few years. Feeling amped and excited and having new things to work at is great for all of us right now. We've always been a band of constant set backs, but over the past several years it's been sort of different. When a key component of the unit is no longer motivated it effects everyone and slows or stalls the ability to move forward in any way. We've increasingly had a difficult time maintaining any sort of healthy band routine. It took a long time to solidify a new drummer (Matt Francis moved from Binghamton, New York to Pittsburgh to join) and even longer to produce fresh new material. The large majority of Psalm of the Grand Destroyer, for instance, had been written around 2005, despite it getting released in 2010. It's been difficult to see something you're a part of, and proud of, being let to slip away, especially given the relative success CODC has had. In the downtime I've watched the scene expand -- tons of new bands, labels, online and print media and so on. You really want to be an active part of that, you know? Frustration and discouragement had taken control of any of us left who still had the ambition to continue. So there was nothing sudden about Jason quitting and it wasn't much of a surprise. I've known and have been playing in bands with Jason since 1995, well before CODC, and my life would be different without having him as a friend and bandmate. I was never going to kick Jason out of the band, no matter what the issue was. My friendship with him and the respect I have for our friendship means more than my band. But stepping out was healthy for him, for the individual members of CODC and for CODC as an entity. Circle of Dead Children would never exist without Jason and his input, but his fire just hasn't been there for awhile. We're not kids anymore -- he's trying to move on with his life in other ways and I'd never slight him for that. We respect him a great deal for making a difficult decision that ultimately best suited everyone involved.

So far the new lineup is incredible. Drew's primary instrument is a guitar, not a bass, so the switch for him was a natural one. He's excited to be a bigger contributor and we're excited to hear his work. Drew was a CODC fan before joining in 2005 - he knows the music and the Circle sound and has worked with Brooks in several other bands over the years. We've all been friends with Brooks for a long time and he's an awesome addition to Circle. Can't ask for somebody easier and nicer to work with and his bass skills are off the hook. Everyone is happy and the nasty music is flowing effortlessly right now.


Where do you guys draw your influence and inspiration from? You guys write some pretty schizophrenic shit (I mean that in the best way possible of course), so how does one go from listening to your average (but still good) D-beat grind bands like Phobia and Nasum and then segue into the sheer insanity of Circle of Dead Children?

Play loud and basically without a set direction. [We] just wanted to play extreme metal and leave the classifications to the listeners. All the past and present members have really wide ranges of music that we enjoy. I don't think our sound is directly attributed to any particular bands or even styles of playing really… it's more of being influenced by the love and desire to make music and do our own thing. I think we've always played from our guts. The inspiration is drawn from watching and hearing bands do whatever the hell they want and being amazing while doing it. When I'm seeing a band playing live and they're making me feel frenzied and wishing I was on stage instead of them, that's inspirational. Reading lyrics in the liner notes of an album and totally feeling the words and imagery is my inspiration. There's been plenty of awesome Pittsburgh bands over the years and watching and listening to them always drove us to play. For me personally, I was moved by hearing early Incantation, Rottrevour, Hideous Mangleus, Fear of God, Morbid Angel, Winter, Napalm Death, Sore Throat and bands from that era. Assuck was a driving force for all of the original lineup at that time. But even then, nobody really wanted to sound like Assuck -- we just wanted to have something of our own that was fast and rocking, just like they had.

Another aspect of the band that I've always been a huge fan of is the very abstract lyrical concepts, things like "We Who Move With the Graven Worms" and "King Cobra vs. Queen Bee"; basically stuff that sounds cool and sounds like it should mean something, but honestly I can't quite figure it out. What goes through your head when you're writing these lyrics? Are you doing just that, using abstract imagery to try to get a message across, or are you just thinking up some trippy shit to fuck with people's heads?

Thanks a lot -- always cool to hear from somebody who pays attention to lyrics. Lyrics have always been important to me, no matter what type of music I'm listening to and I've never seen why that should be any different in this style of music. All of elements are important; the instruments, the vocals, lyrics, artwork, packaging, etc. They may not all be essential from a solely sonic standpoint, but as far as what and who you are as an entity, I think it's all crucial.

Everything certainly has meaning, or at least a value lyrically. I can't say there's total consistency with themes or song titles, but there's something always there nonetheless. I guess there's an element of self-amusement in that I try to mess with a lot of different literary techniques and incorporate imagery, allegories, couplets, homonyms, anapests, blank verses, metonymies and a lot of figurative language and so on. There's definitely not a direct plan of writing confusing lyrics, but there also definitely is a plan to not write straightforward as well.

As most people know you're also a pretty avid conspiracy theorist, as are many grindcore musicians, so how much does that play into your writing process? It's pretty much scientific fact that conspiracies and grind go hand in hand, much like gore and death metal, but CODC isn't your average grind band.


I don't think I'm much of conspiracy theorist, really. Being very analytic, at times to a fault, is part of my nature. Combine that with a pretty insatiable appetite for trying to understand the hows, whats and whys of what I don't understand, and you get what you get with me. I like answers and solutions and I like the journey of trying to find and make sense of them. If I watch any of the mainstream news channels, I feel inundated with popular conspiracy, disinformation, propaganda and outright lies and I'm pretty sure it's not my imagination [it's not, everyone who's anyone knows that the mainstream media is packed to the gills with disinformation and slanting -Ed]. Some people acquiesce to that and accept it, others do not and I suppose I'm one of the former. Seeing smoke and realizing that your house is on fire is nice, but ultimately you're going to want to know where its burning from and why if you have any desires to see it stop from burning completely. I'm a free spirit and I don't enjoy knowing that a parasitic ruling class has set up a scientifically, socially engineered society to live and die in. I think there's more to human life than being a cow or a snake.

That said, I don't think my "conspiratorial" views affect my writing for CODC as much as one might assume. Other avenues exist for me to get that sort of thing out and I use them. I try to keep a certain feeling when writing Circle stuff, but there's no template. I wouldn't even go so far as to say that CODC lyrics even accurately reflect my personal philosophies so much as they're just a dumping dock for that section of my brain.

Alright, getting away from the songwriting topic, if memory serves me right you guys didn't do much touring to support your last album Psalm of the Grand Destroyer, despite the fact that it was and still is so well liked. Since these complications with the lineup were brought to light no one's really going to hold that against you, but now that you've gotten everything worked out do you guys have any plans to get back out on the road anytime soon? I can think of at least one wannabe music journalist who would jump at the chance to see you guys live.

We did none, not even a CD-release show. Definitely disappointing. We love playing shows but have never been able to capitalize on tour offers the way we would have liked to. I've had a professional full-time job since day one and have owned a home since about day two. Those two things alone make getting time off to tour and still pay the bills difficult. Combine that with all the lineup changes, transportation and band financial issues, illnesses, etc. and you have what we've had. These days back issues add to the problem. I think the last show we played I ended up having six or seven back treatments over the course of a month to feel semi-normal again. Matt needs several months of the year to tour with Hank III while he plays drums in Assjack. Our most productive days for shows are now behind us unfortunately. That said, we're still looking to play out and hit up some of the places we've never been able to make it to in the past.

Last but certainly not least, when you guys announced the lineup changed you also mentioned that you were already working on new material as a followup to Psalm, so I gotta ask: when can we hear some of it??

New material is flowing right now and it's a good feeling. I haven't even begun working vocals into songs yet, so it's going to be a little while before there's something to be heard. No matter what, new music is on the way.


That should just about do it sir, thanks again for talking to us, do you have any other parting words or advice for the readers before you go?

Just to thank you and anyone out there who's supported CODC in any way over the years. Keep screaming. 

-BK

Oh yeah, Brutal Truth have a new album too

Once again I was kinda slow on the uptake with this one, but I always get around to stuff eventually. In any case, a couple days ago Relapse Records announced that grindcore heavyweights Brutal Truth have finished recording their newest full length, entitled End Time. There is no official release date yet, but the album is slated for a late summer release, and Relapse has assured that more information will be given in due time, so be sure to check back for updates on this as it develops. End Time is currently being mastered by Pig Destroyer frontman and producer extraordinaire Scott Hull, and that's more than enough for me to be sure that it's going to pwn. In the meantime, enjoy a video from Brutal Truth's last album Evolution Through Revolution, called "Sugar Daddy". On the off chance you hate fun things, the song itself starts at 1:26.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Ih-dX-LDE

 Needless to say, if you're a grind freak like myself then this is an album that's definitely worth getting excited about. Stay tuned for more later on, and stay brutal.

-BK