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

New Cerebral Bore video

After a couple weeks of teasing and rescheduling, the Scottish death metal newcomers Cerebral Bore have finally released their second music video, this time for the title track of their album Maniacal Miscreation. The video was directed by Phil Berridge of Creative Junkie Media, the same guy who did their first video for "The Bald Cadaver". They've also done work for bands like Fleshrot and Hex, firmly establishing a routine of "play your shit in a cool looking abandoned thing", and they took a similar approach this time around as well, but this time something actually happens too. Exactly what eludes me still, all I could see was a guy covered in black stuff screaming, but it's still pretty cool, and the song rocks, so check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG46oJBGhNg

You see what BP keeps doing to us? Anywho, Maniacal Miscreation is out now, and is set to be re-released via Earache Records on June 7th, hopefully with some bonus goodies. If you haven't already gotten it, first of all punch yourself in the vagina, and then go get it, because it's one of the best death metal albums in recent years. Don't forget Cerebral Bore are also doing  a US tour this summer with Insidious Decrepancy, Trifixion and Merciless Precision, get your tickets while you still can. Stay tuned, and don't forget to share this article on Twitter and Facebook for all of your computer friends.

Titties!
-BK

Yet another friggin' Wormrot video

Man, Wormrot really want you to hear their new shit, don't they? They already released one music video like two weeks ago, and they've made their entire new album Dirge available for free download (it's good, get it), and now they've gone and released another brand new music video, this time for the song "Erased Existence". If that name sounds familiar it's probably because it was actually the first song they released from the album, but everyone knows that everything sounds better when it's playing behind old war footage where shit's blowing up left and right. Check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aIvLwOLBS4

Hellz yeah. Dirge is still set to come out in physical form on May 3rd via Earache Records, and I can think of way worse things to spend money on, so I still encourage all of you to go get it when it does. As per usual we'll post more cool things over the weekend if they happen, but otherwise have a fun, safe weekend everyone, see ya on Monday.

-BK

So this new movie "Hesher" looks pretty cool

Over the past few days I keep hearing about this new movie coming out soon called "Hesher", and at first I'll admit I thought it sounded kinda gimmicky. From what I gather, it's about Joseph Gordon-Levitt (good actor) playing a metalhead (weird) who befriends some sad depressed kid (overplayed), and also Natalie Portman's in there somehow (uhhh). The big draw-in is the fact that the main character is a devout metalhead, marking the first time one of us has been portrayed in a major motion picture as someone who isn't a brain dead, drunken high school dropout, and while I admit that that's an exciting prospect, I still wasn't sure how I felt about the whole thing, because let's face it, based on past experiences we've always felt that Hollywood doesn't know shit about our scene. However, the film was screened at this year's SXSW festival, as well as the Sundance Film Festival, and it was received well enough to warrant a nationwide theatrical release, and after watching the trailer and a few YouTube clips I gotta admit, I really want to see it now. The first half of the trailer is set to the beginning of Metallica's "Battery" (fucking GREAT song), introducing the characters and whatnot, and then in the second half it devolves into the classic montage of dramatic/funny scenes from the movie to sucker us in. And y'know what? It worked. I still think Gordon-Levitt's character seems a bit stereotypically reckless and lackadaisical, but he does a surprisingly convincing job of looking and acting the part, and the small amount of plot summation that I could gather from the trailer was compelling enough to interest me, so I'm definitely going to give it a shot when it comes out. Watch it below and see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIY9F5FZsxI


Ok let's see, flaming diving boards, lots of stuff blowing up, Natalie Portman trying to fight people, Joseph shaking his head at the kid when he turns the metal off, and did I see said kid hanging out of a suspended car at the end? Call me crazy (not really, name calling isn't nice), but I think this shit actually looks pretty good. We'll find out for sure when "Hesher" starts playing on May 13th, and who knows, maybe I'll even review it. I used to do a movie review blog back in the day after all, so this may be a chance to get back to my roots a bit. I'm excited. Tell us whether or not you're gonna go see the movie in the comments, and tune in for more later.

-BK

The Faceless announce new bassist

Not too long ago, tech metal posterboys The Faceless surprised everyone with the announcement of the departure of their bassist Jared Lander, and many people wondered who was up to the task of replacing him. After all, The Faceless are some of the best in the game, and not just anyone can play that shit. But fear not, my friends, because earlier today Metal Injection announced that the band have found their replacement, in the form of one Evan Brewer, formerly of Animosity and Reflux. If that's not enough to jog your memory, you may also remember him as the guy who plays two basses at once; the Michelangelo Battio of bass, if you will. With a resume and chops like that, I don't have any qualms about the band's choice, so here's hoping we get to see Evan and the rest of the gang do what they do best soon. We'll know for sure once the new album comes out and The Faceless inevitably begin touring to support it. Weigh in with your thoughts below, and stay tuned for more.

-BK

R.I.P. Scott Columbus (Manowar)

Well, this sucks. I regret to inform you all that Scott Columbus, the drummer of the loudest band in the history of metal, the mighty Manowar, passed away yesterday at age 54. Manowar may be, well let's face it, as cheesy as it gets, but they carried the metal banner high and proud and had legions of adoring fans, so this sudden loss is still going to have a profound impact on the metal community. There are no reports as to what caused Columbus' death, but whatever the case may be he will be greatly missed by all of his fans. Throw your horns up to Scott, you're up there rocking with the real gods of metal now, brother. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, bandmates and coworkers, may he rest in peace.

-BK

New Arkaik album

Well, never mind what I just said about nothing cool happening today. Just a few minutes ago, Blabbermouth.net revealed that the Riverside, California tech death outfit Arkaik are currently in writing mode for their next full length album, entitled Metamorphignition. Though they are relatively new to the scene (they actually have two other albums, but they didn't really get any attention until their second album, last year's Reflections Within Dissonance), Arkaik quickly proved themselves to their peers, unleashing a formidable sonic assault that turned enough heads to get them tours with bands like Brain Drill, The Black Dahlia Murder and most recently Cattle Decapitation. In their press statement, the band gave the obligatory but always encouraging "more mature, expanding our already established sound" speech, and also said that "the music on the album will be intertwined with a story with the intention of engaging listeners. It will take them on an abstract journey into the transcendental nature of humanity and the cosmos." I know the whole space theme is a bit played out in the tech death genre, but still, a tech death concept album? This I have to see. Arkaik are set to enter the studio to begin recording Metamorphignition at the end of this year, and are anticipating an early 2012 release via the always reliable Unique Leader Records. If it's as good as their last album, then this is gonna be one to put on your wish list folks, believe you me. Check out their Facebook for a taste of their brutality (since YouTube is being a fuck and doesn't want to allow anything but their live videos to load), and keep checking back for more cool shit, you never know when another cool story like this will pop up.

-BK

Video You Won't Hate Most of the Day 4/5/11

Well, aside from the fact that Decapitated have apparently put the finishing touches on their album (which is of course awesome), today has been a pretty slow news day, so I think it's time to resurrect something we haven't done in a while. This is a video I came across a few years ago in my high school days, and last night I happened across it again, and it was just as funny as it was then, and now that I have the means to share it with the world I think I'll do just that. The video in question is an extremely tongue-in-cheek yet somewhat accurate explanation and demonstration of the unspoken "rules" of metal. I might be giving it too much credit, but I actually find this video to be a very witty satire of our community, a way to have a laugh at ourselves and remember not to take ourselves TOO seriously; kind of like Metalocalypse, except much less elaborate and over the top. And with puppets. In any case, here it is, Ed's Furry Fucking Guide To Metal, enjoy. Apologies in advance for the Polish (I think) subtitles, I couldn't find any videos without them that weren't reversed.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXz7PHkRLgQ

Like I said, genius. If you liked what you saw there is a whole YouTube series dedicated to Fat Ed and his puppet buddies, and while I'm pretty sure none of the other episodes relate to metal, the ones that I have seen are just as funny as this one, so check them out. Tune in for more, and shoot us an email if you know something interesting that's going on that we may have missed. Like I said, it's been a slow day. Take care, folks.

-BK

New Dim Mak album

Oh hey, speaking of things that are related to Origin and Hate Eternal, it turns out that another one of John Longstreth's many projects Dim Mak is also preparing to release a new album soon. For those of you who don't know (I just recently found out about them myself), Dim Mak is the side project of John Longstreth (Origin, Gorguts, Angelcorpse, Skinless, etc.) and Shaune Kelley (Hate Eternal, Ripping Corpse), and the music is pretty much old school death metal with really good drums and guitars (go figure). As an added bonus, they're also based in New Jersey, and as you guys may or may not know both myself and the writer Mosh Rebellion are from south Jersey, so it's always exciting to hear a really good band come from our neck of the woods. This place is so overrun with hicks and hardcore kids that it's not even funny, so something like this is a breath of fresh air for us. And even if you're not from Jersey, Dim Mak are still cool, so everyone wins. The new album is titled The Emergence of Reptilian Altars, and it is the first to feature their new vocalist Joey Capizzi, formerly of Dying Light. The band didn't give a specific release date, but Kelley did use the phrase "finishing touches" in his statement, so it can't be far off. For those who are uninitiated, here's an older Dim Mak track from their 2006 album Knives of Ice, called "Great Worm of Hell".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ahuS5LO7uE

Kinda sounds like Obituary on 'roids, doesn't it? Can't wait to hear what the new stuff sounds like. Leave your thoughts on Dim Mak below, and as always stay tuned for more.

-BK

New Origin album

I was going to put this up over the weekend, but as luck would have it I was actually able to go out and do stuff when this was announced, so once again Metalsucks beat me to the punch, what with their professionalism and all. But anywho, for those of you who don't know by now, Origin have announced the details of their next full length album. It's called Entity, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm totally digging the album art. The band said in their statement over the weekend that they wanted an album cover that reflects the desolation and ominousness (it didn't give me a red squiggly line when I wrote that, but I still don't think "ominousness" is a real word) of the music, something that looks evil without relying on crazy giant space alien monster things, and the artist Colin Marks accomplished just that. As of this writing there are no new tracks up to preview the album, but it's friggin' Origin, so I think it's safe to assume it's gonna be super fast and super brutal. We'll find out for sure on June 7th when Entity drops via Nuclear Blast Records, and don't forget that Origin are the main support for Hate Eternal's summer tour this July and August. Gonna be some crazy shit.

Now before we go, I have one more thing to say. I've noticed a general lack of conversation here, make sure you leave comments and make profiles to follow us and all that crap, I'm not just saying that to hear myself talk. We want to do all this cool stuff for you, but you guys have to help us help you. Tweet the articles, make profiles to follow the blog, send us emails with suggestions or any other feedback, it doesn't matter, but speak the hell up, people! We're not half-assing it here, you shouldn't either. Take care everyone, and keep tuning in for more.

-BK

Summer Slaughter lineup announced (mostly)

Happy Friday, everyone. Before we call it a week, let's share some exciting news in the form of the always highly anticipated Summer Slaughter Tour. Since 2007, this has been the metal tour of the summer, the one place to see some of the best (usually) death metal bands around in a country where the only metal festivals are the mainstream ones like Mayhem and Ozzfest. No offense to them, I've had some great times at both of those festivals, but let's be real, you're not gonna see bands like Necrophagist or Dying Fetus playing arenas anytime soon. There may have been some hiccups along the way (Winds of Plague, After the Burial AND Born of Osiris in 2009? Really?), and this lineup isn't picture-perfect either, but there are plenty of good bands on the bill as well, more than enough to balance out the crappy ones, and they haven't even announced all of them yet. The lineup as of now includes The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, As Blood Runs Black (meh), Oceano (also meh), Fleshgod Apocalypse (if anyone says "meh" to them I'll eat you), and instrumental tech-power metal goofballs Powerglove are set to be the quote unquote "halftime show". Why you would have a band playing as a halftime show when the show is nothing but bands playing is beyond me, but it's still funny, and Powerglove are cool, so we'll just go with it. There is still one band left to be announced, and the promoters have left it up to us, the fans, to decide who gets to open the show. Head on over to the Summer Slaughter Facebook page to cast your vote, let your voices be heard! The final lineup and tour dates will be announced on April 20th (aka Christmas if you're a stoner), so now you know what article will be up here that day. Tell us who you voted for in the comments below, and have a great weekend everyone.

-BK