2012: The Filth and the Fury

     Doing a year end top 10 list is always a dilemma for me. I often find myself including records based on how much I like the band in general, rather than how much I actually enjoyed the record. I find myself trying too hard to find albums that will stand the test of time, albums that I'll always regard as classics, rather than ones that really define a year for me. So this year, I'm doing it differently. Those reading will notice some surprising absences. Three of my all time favorite bands released albums this year that didn't make the cut. That doesn't necessarily mean that I disliked the albums, far from it actually. Some albums take time to be fully appreciated. Maybe somewhere down the line, I'll look back on records as classics that I didn't really appreciate enough at first. It's happened many, many times before, and it will happen again. The albums that made my top 10 this year are the ones that kept me coming back for more all year long. These are the records that defined 2012 for me, for many reasons. They may not all stand the test of time and become all time favorites, but they will always remind me of where and who I was this year.

10.) Grave "Endless Procession of Souls" If your idea of death metal is slick production, typewriter drums, sweep picking interspersed with breakdowns, prettyboys with their own stylists, and artwork that looks like a still shot from the latest video game, first of all, you don't like death metal. Second of all, Grave is not for you. This is ugly music for ugly people, and it shouldn't be any other way. Grave has had a few missteps in their 26 year career, but their last few records have seen them recapture the sound and fury of classics like "Into the Grave" and "You'll Never See." 2012's "Endless Procession of Souls" seems to be what they were building up to the last few years. Fast tempos rule on this record, but they're not afraid to slow it down into a groove on occasion. The guitar tone is fat and distorted, the riffs are simple and heavy. Everything about this record is exactly what should come to mind when one thinks of the words "death metal."

9.) P.O.O.R "Extinction of Trust" I am extremely picky about grindcore. In fact, despite it being my favorite sub-genre, I probably hate 99% of it. Hyperspeed crust with shitty production and generic songwriting just doesn't cut it for me. That's why I get so excited when I do hear a new band that I love as much as P.O.O.R. This album is pure musical violence from start to finish. The music flows seemlessly between brutal death groove, pulverizing blast beats, and punk inspired aggression, all topped off with a relentless dual vocal attack. This band is sure to join the likes of Phobia and Rotten Sound atop the pile of modern grindcore favorites. I'm expecting big things for them in 2013.

8.) Wolfbrigade "Damned" Nothing gets fists pumping like raging d-beat, and nobody does it better than the mighty Wolfbrigade. If you've heard any of this band's back catalogue, then you know what to expect from "Damned," and really, why would you want anything different? It's all here, the dirty guitar tone, the raspy, shouted vocals, the Motorhead leads, and d-beats. Tons of non-stop d-beats. Records like this make me want to drink copious amounts of alcohol, break bottles, and generally fuck shit up. Up the punx!

7.) Tim Barry "40 Miler" Nobody has ever been able to sum up life as perfectly for me in song as Tim Barry has. Whether he was fronting Avail, or performing his stripped down acoustic songs, his lyrics have always hit close to home. Songs about being broke, playing music for the love of it, and generally living outside of society and being happy about it will always strike a chord with me. Old punks picking up acoustic guitars and writing simple songs about life on the road has been a bit of a trend in the last few years, but Tim has been doing it longer and will still be doing it when the trend has gone away. He's also smart enough to recognize the trend and make light of it and himself on this record.

6.) Pallbearer "Sorrow and Extinction" This album was so hyped up that I actually avoided it for a long time, to save myself the disappointment of hearing yet another universally loved album that bored the shit out of me. Well, that was a mistake, because I have barely stopped listening to it since I finally took the plunge and got it. There's a skill that Pallbearer possesses that seems to have been lost on most other doom metal bands, the ability to write a memorable song. There isn't a single track on here under 8 minutes, yet I never wanted any of them to end. Pure ear candy.

5.) Bouncing Souls "Comet" The Bouncing Souls are a band that rarely lets me down. Anytime a new album drops, I can always count on it being a staple on my turntable and in my car for months, even years to come. This album is no different. While they are in no way re-inventing the wheel, "Comet" is chock full of the kind of uplifting pop-punk that the Souls excel at. I haven't gone more than a week without throwing this record on since it came out, and each time brings a smile to my face. "Fast Times," "Coin Toss Girl." and the title track are destined to become live staples for these guys.

4.) Black Breath "Sentenced To Life" I really didn't think they'd be able to top "Heavy Breathing," but on rare occasions I am wrong about certain things. This album is what it would sound like if a bunch of crust punks started a death metal band that was actually good, and well-financed. The production on this is flawless, the guitar sound is gnarly as fuck, but perfectly clear. The drumming is immaculate and keeps the whole record from descending into complete chaos. The energy level is unrelenting from the opening notes. The whole band just comes across like they're trying to destroy you through music. Oh, and "Endless Corpse" is in serious contention for song of the year.

3.) Propagandhi "Failed States" Every time I think Propagandhi have peaked, they come back with another record that blows the doors off their previous work. Their music is constantly evolving, while never losing the punk edge of their early material. On their sixth album, they take the punk/thrash fusion of their two prior albums and kick it up a notch. Second guitarist David Guillas has been fully integrated into the band and his interplay with Chris Hannah finally lays to rest any notion of this being a "pop-punk" band. Lyrically, Propagandhi will never be matched. When they're not making you go crazy with their music, they're making you think with their words. One of the best bands ever.

2.) Pig Destroyer "Book Burner" Sometimes a band releases a record early in their career that is so good, it makes you stop having high hopes for their subsequent releases, no matter how good they might be. This is how I've felt about Pig Destroyer since the release of 2001's "Prowler in the Yard." It didn't matter that "Terrifyer" and "Phantom Limb" were both excellent records, the fact that they weren't as good as "Prowler..." diminished my expectations for anything else they released. Maybe that's why I was so blown away by "Book Burner," because I wasn't prepared to be this floored. Scott Hull continues to be one of the greatest riff-masters of my generation, and new drummer Adam Jarvis delivers a truly awe-inspiring performance. JR Hayes is truly disturbing, both in lyrics and performance. I truly believe that if he didn't have Pig Destroyer as an outlet, he might be a very dangerous person.

1.) Napalm Death "Utilitarian" As far as I'm concerned, 2012 was the year of Napalm Death. Not only was their show at Rocky Point Cantina the highlight of a great year of shows, but they put out one of the best records in a catalogue that spans over 25 years. There are many out there who would argue that Napalm hasn't done anything truly great since the first 2-3 albums, but in my opinion their post-2000 material has been some of the strongest of their career. "Utilitarian" is pretty much the culmination of the last decade of Napalm Death. While I would no longer classify them as "grindcore," there are still enough blast beats to keep the faithful happy. This band has always experimented and expanded on their signature sound, with mixed results, but it seems they've finally found a way to incorporate new influences without it sounding forced, like some of their 90s material. The black metal and punk influences blend seemlessly into their one of a kind take on the death/grind genre. As always, Barney sounds exactly like Barney. Despite him not being the original vocalist, I find it hard to imagine Napalm with anyone else on the mic. Napalm Death is, was, and always will be the pinnacle of everything that grindcore/death metal should be. I wish they could last another 25 years.

10 Reasons Why Arizona Should Be the Next Heavy Music Scene to Blow Up Nationwide

It is often said that oppressive political climates produce the best in hardcore and metal music. Perhaps that explains the recent explosion in heavy music here in Arizona. While we've always had a tradition of producing some great, yet often overlooked, metal and hardcore bands here, a new crop of bands has risen up in the last few years and several seem poised to make the jump from local acts to nationally known names. Following in the footsteps of 80s forefathers like JFA, Nuclear Death, and Sacred Reich, not to mention more recent bands that have paved the way and put Arizona on the map, such as Landmine Marathon and Vehemence, most of the following bands have already released fantastic records and hopefully have bright futures. In no particular order;

Seas Will Rise. Starting life as a d-beat hardcore band called Cagematch, Seas Will Rise adopted a new name and heavier sound on their debut full length, "Disease Is Our Refrain," released earlier this year. While staying true to their hardcore roots, the band is not afraid to experiment with sludge and thrash metal influences. Their intense live performances and recorded output have gained them some national exposure, even landing them on a Scion showcase with the likes of Phobia and Morne, among others. The most recent show I caught them at revealed that they seem to have almost an album's worth of new material, so be on the lookout for a sophomore LP from them in the not so distant future.
https://www.facebook.com/SeasWillRise?fref=ts
For fans of: From Ashes Rise, Struck By Lightning, Trap Them

T.O.A.D. This band has been kicking around the underground for several years now, but line up changes and members' involvement in other bands have kept them from becoming a fully focused entity until recently. Last year's CD "Rotten Tide" was, in my humble opinion, one of the best things to come out of the AZ underground in ages. The band plays a unique blend of black metal, death & roll, and traditional metal that really can't be explained without hearing it. They did some touring in support of "Rotten Tide," before taking time off to produce their upcoming "Endless Night" album. I've heard the record, and all I can say is that if this band doesn't reach the next level with it, there is simply something wrong with people.
https://www.facebook.com/TOADmusic?fref=ts
For fans of: Entombed, Darkthrone(later), Bathory

Lago. Death metal fans seem to fall into two camps lately, those who prefer the straightforward heaviness of bands like Incantation, and those who value musical technicality above all. Lago is the best of both worlds, showcasing their musical prowess while maintaining a decidedly old school heaviness on last year's debut EP, "Marianas." Line up changes have kept them out of the spotlight recently, but their latest line up has just done a run of out of state shows before entering the studio to record an internet exclusive single that will be available for download in the coming months. A full length album and some extensive touring should open people's eyes to this band's oppressively heavy death metal.
https://www.facebook.com/LagoMetal?ref=ts&fref=ts
For fans of: Immolation, Nile, Morbid Angel

TWiNGiANT. A relative newcomer, this band has already self-released a fantastic full length LP entitled, "Mass Driver." TWiNGiANT's blend of heavy, fuzzed out hard rock and southern fried sludge metal has landed them several choice shows and catapulted them to the top of the growing stoner/doom metal scene. While always maintaining a level of heaviness, the band uses their twin guitar setup to great effect, with instrumental passages that often veer from Thin Lizzy-esque harmonies to drawn out psychadelia that would not be out of place on a Sonic Youth record. The band recently made their out of state debut at a festival in Colorado. While extensive touring may not be in their immediate plans, they'll likely be doing some short runs in support of "Mass Driver" as well as some upcoming shows around the valley.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/TWiNGiANT/118091058248601?fref=ts
For fans of: Mastodon, Clutch, Kylesa

GodAwfulNoise. Despite being plagued with line up problems, grinders GodAwfulNoise have become a staple of Phoenix's crust/grind scene. Blast beats, death metal inspired guitar riffs, and raging vocals are this band's tools of the trade, and they use them well. Their debut EP, "No Escape," displayed songwriting skills that set them apart from run of the mill grind bands. These aren't your average, forgettable 30 second blasts of noise, these riffs and venomous lyrics stick with you after the CD is done playing. Although they've drastically cut back on live shows, due to their newest drummer calling Texas home, they have an upcoming split 7" that is set to be released at any time now.
https://www.facebook.com/godawfulnoise?fref=ts
For fans of: Phobia, Terrorizer, Magrudergrind

Godhunter. Tucson's Godhunter have been kicking around for quite some time now. While they already have several splits and their excellent "Wolves" CD under their belts, it is live that this band truly excels. Their crushingly heavy take on sludge metal is absolutely explosive live. This extremely hard working band has already done some touring in support of "Wolves," and can regularly be seen opening for national acts, as well as headlining their own shows, all around Arizona. I'm not sure of their upcoming recording plans, but I know they have a tour coming up early next year.
https://www.facebook.com/godhuntertucson666?fref=ts
For fans of: Buzzov*en, Weedeater, Bongzilla

Inducing Terror. One of Phoenix's longest running death metal bands, Inducing Terror has remained largely unknown due to their constantly evolving line up. Having finally secured a stable line up over the last year or so, the band is currently in the midst of recording an EP at Arcane Digital in Chandler. This band is a brutal death metal fan's wet dream. The drumming is ridiculously fast and the guitar playing extremely technical, but they never lose their heaviness, unlike some of the over-triggered leaders of this genre. This is fast, heavy, guttural death metal at it's best. Their live performances are sporadic at best, but hopefully they'll start to pick up again when they release their new recording.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inducing-Terror/151202124943289?fref=ts
For fans of: Dying Fetus, Broken Hope, Suffocation

Monger. Crust has seemingly always been a thriving sub-genre in Phoenix. This band is something of a Phoenix crust supergroup, being comprised of members of Pay Neuter, Warfair?, and ETTS, among others. Monger's self titled debut 7", released earlier this year, blends the kind of sludgy crust punk that the southwest was known for in the 90s with the chaotic noise of bands like GISM. Most of the tempos stay mid-paced and heavy, but occasionally speed up into a gallop, and the four pronged vocal attack creates an almost dizzying effect. The band has done a bit of touring and plans to release a split 7" with Coaccion soon, but sadly may be reducing their activity due to their guitarist's recent relocation to San Diego.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monger/148224605247956?fref=ts
For fans of: Misery, Amebix, His Hero Is Gone

Rituals. Rituals' music alternates between crushing heaviness and hypnotic ambiance. While there are roughly 18 billion bands playing this style right now, Rituals' ability to create a memorable tune sets them apart. Where so many bands seem to just noodle away and go nowhere, these guys understand the importance of delivering an explosive payoff after a tense build up. Their self titled debut LP contains many of these moments, and the band is just as good live. The band has done some sporadic touring and recently released a split LP with DeZafra Ridge, but has curtailed their live performances of late due to a line up change. They should be back in action before long.
https://www.facebook.com/ritualsdoom/info?ref=ts
For fans of: Morne, Light Bearer, the Atlas Moth

About a hundred other bands. Seriously, this state is crawling with death metal, crust, sludge, and hardcore at the moment. Some bands have been around for ages, while new ones pop up seemingly weekly. Despite not being the touring machine they once were, Vehemence continues to play shows and has plans for a new record soon. Landmine Marathon have established themselves nationally, and are constantly growing in popularity. Death metal continues to thrive, with great bands like Six Million Dead and Necrambulant building names for themselves both locally and nationally, while newcomers like Clawhammer Abortion are starting to pick up steam. The crust/grind scene always has new bands and crazy shows going on, with Biocidio, Oust, and Blodskam leading the way. Tucson has recently begun to challenge Phoenix as the state's heavy music capital. North has been a leader of the Tucson scene for quite awhile now, with several full lengths and national tours under their belts, plus up and coming acts like Methra, FDP, and Why Bother. Also, lets not forget the Southwest Terror Fest, which made its debut in Tucson just last month and will hopefully become a growing annual event celebrating all things heavy. Even Flagstaff is getting back in on the action. Once boasting a pretty cool scene, northern Arizona has been pretty quiet for a few years, until the metallic crust of Swamp Wolf began turning some heads over the last year.

In conclusion, I hope some people outside AZ read this and give some of these bands a chance. Arizona may have disgustingly hot weather, horrible sports teams, and laughable politics, but our music is awesome!

Album Review: Phobia - "Remnants of Filth"

     At this point in the band's 20+ year career, anyone familiar with Phobia pretty much knows what to expect whenever a new record hits the streets. While "Remnants of Filth" won't do anything to alienate the grindcore faithful, it's safe to say that new guitarists Dorian Rainwater and CeCe Loessin, as well as sometime drummer Bryan Fajardo(Noisear, Kill the Client, Gridlink) have breathed new life into the band. All the familiar elements are there, the straight up grindcore assault of tracks like "Conviction" and "Plagued by the System," to the punk as fuck singalong of "Filthy Fucking Punks." For those who want a little more from their grindcore, look no further than the Slayer-esque intro to "Resolution." "Submission Hold" features a breakdown that would not be out of place on a Dying Fetus record, and the mosh part on "Infraction of Pride" should get anyone with a pulse dancing in a circle. "No Sympathy For the Weak" contains possibly the most death metal riff ever featured on a Phobia record. Fajardo keeps the whole thing flowing with a relentless performance behind the kit. The man has truly become a beast on the drums. While this all may sound like the band trying too hard to expand on its signature sound, it all works perfectly within the Phobia mold. Unencumbered with instrumental duties for the first time in Phobia's long history, main man Shane McLachlan uses the opportunity to put forth a truly venomous vocal performance. There are few better frontmen in the genre, and I can only imagine that these tracks will be even more vicious in a live setting. The simple fact is that no matter what Phobia puts out, it's live that the band really excels. This album contains a number of songs that are destined to become setlist staples. I can't imagine any established Phobia fan being disappointed with this record, and the more varied sound might earn them a few new ones.

Album Review: Propagandhi - "Failed States"

     My 15 year old self would probably kick my ass for saying this, but despite how classic Propagandhi's early material may be, their more recent output is light years ahead of anything they did on their first few records. The pop-punk of their first two albums is a distant memory, having long since been replaced with a lethal, thrash infused hardcore attack. The band's sixth full-length effort, "Failed States," is the next logical step from 2009's near-masterpiece, "Supporting Caste." The slow build of opener "Note to Self" quickly gives way to the all out speed metal of the title track. The rest of the record alternates between relentless thrash and melodic passages that remind the listener that this is still very much a Propagandhi record. There are a few moments, such as on "Cognitive Suicide," when the guitar and bass lines weave into each other in an almost Fugazi-esque fashion, only to seamlessly launch back into a breakneck pace. The intro to "Rattan Cane" finds the band slowing down to a lurching, near doom metal groove, while "Hadron Collision" embraces the spirit of 80s crossover, complete with a wah-pedal soaked guitar solo. Lesser bands would fail miserably at mixing up so many sub-genres, but Propagandhi not only excel at it, they have used it to create a sound unlike any other band over the course of their six albums. Lyrically, this band has no peer. I have often made the mistake of comparing my own lyrical output with Propagandhi's, and that will always be a fatal mistake. No matter what it is you feel like you need to say in a song, chances are these guys have already said it better. While still directly taking on certain subjects, this album seems to have more of an underlying theme of personal responsibility. Many songs seem to share a common thread of the problems being faced in modern society being caused by the general population's inability, and sometimes unwillingness, to care about anything until it is too late. As always, the words are not only clever, but make you think about issues in a way you may not have before. Chris Hanna and Todd Kowalski spit out their respective vocal parts with venom and conviction rarely heard in music these days. All in all, I'm very tempted to call this record Propagandhi's finest hour, but, as with their previous two albums, I'm holding back simply because I feel like this one is another stepping stone towards something even greater.
   

     Tomorrow night I will be attending my seventh performance of the band Iron Maiden. For as long as I live, Iron Maiden will always be a band that I count among my all-time favorites. I was a late comer to them. When I was around 12 years old and first getting into music, it was right around the same time that they were going through a transitional period, line-up changes, a few weak albums, etc. I had a cassette of "Piece Of Mind" that I played often, but never really explored their music much beyond that. As the years went by, I heard more and more of them and began to appreciate their music more, but it was still a time period when they weren't touring extensively, and when they did it was limited runs in smaller venues. I recall them coming to Phoenix once during that period, playing the Celebrity Theater with Blaze Bayley on lead vocals, but for whatever reason, I didn't go.
     It was around this time, however, that they started to affect me a bit more. I had started collecting some of their old LPs and listening to them regularly. I bought a "Best Of" CD that went in to extremely frequent rotation on my stereo at work. At the same time, I had left my punk rock band, Misled, and begun playing with Sea Of Deprivation. Phil and Ben were two of the most talented musicians I had ever played with, so I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to keep up with them. In previous bands, I had always played with a pick, but had decided to change my style to finger picking. The main reason for this was that, although he played guitar in the band, Phil was a phenomenal bass player. One must only listen to his bass work on the Misanthropic 7" for proof. Phil and Ben had a large amount of material already written when I joined the band, and many of the songs had basslines already written in Phil's finger picked style. The only way they would sound right would be if I played them how he did, which meant putting down the pick.
     Basically, I trained myself to play a whole new style by playing along to my Iron Maiden records. As I started to get deeper into their music, I discovered one of my all-time favorite players, Steve Harris. I had always known him to be a world-class musician, but really listening to every note the man plays brought my appreciation to the next level. I felt myself developing a whole new relationship with my instrument, and I owe it to Phil Hansford and Steve Harris, two of my biggest musical influences.
     It was around this time that Maiden reunited with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith, released a new album, and went on their first large-scale American tour in years. I got to see them finally in September of 2000, with Queensryche opening. Even from the lawn it was one of the best shows I had ever seen. I've since seen them five more times, and every show was memorable in some way or another. They are always the one band that brings out everyone. It's rare that all of my friends are in the same place at the same time. Funerals and Iron Maiden concerts seem to be the only times. I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow, to revel in this joyous occasion.
   

     A few nights ago, I had the misfortune of being in a situation that involved the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. I won't go into details, but as the night wore down I wound up having a bit of a debate with one of the deputies at the scene that left me sad and disgusted. Maybe it's just me, but I will never understand people who are so set in their views that they can't even consider the opinions of others. I'll admit, I'm pretty tough to sway when it comes to my ideas on things, but I have the utmost respect for people who can at least make me think.
     I haven't traveled nearly as much as I would have liked to at this point in my life, but I relish every chance I get to do so. I've been enough places and interacted with enough people that I've come to the conclusion that people are people, no matter what their race, nationality, religion, or economic standing may be. Sure, there are quite a few bad ones, but most are just trying to get by the best they can. This is why I've come to hate things like racism, nationalism, homophobia, sexism, and xenophobia so much. It's also why I've become increasingly critical and intolerant of laws designed to keep people poor and fighting among themselves.
     I think it would do the vast majority of the population some good to let their guard down and stop building walls and fences between each other, maybe try and think of the ways other people are affected by the state of the world these days. Leave our little bubbles we live in and go visit another place and see how other people get by, even if it's just the next town over for a day. Maybe we should all try and strike up a conversation with a person from another country instead of looking at them and calling them "terrorist" or "illegal."
     Perhaps if we all go out and try these things, try walking in other people's shoes, we'll all wake up and start to care where our world is going. Maybe we'll actually take the time to learn about the terrible things being done by the ones we elect to lead us, so that when the next election comes, we'll care enough to turn off our televisions for a little while and go out and get these people out of the offices they don't deserve. I know trying to explain this to a cop, who's probably never left his home town, was completely pointless. I just hope other people aren't quite so ignorant.

     When I was very young, I had the good fortune of going to school and living right down the road from the best record store in New Jersey, Vintage Vinyl. My great grandmother came to live with us when I was 7 and she used to pay me $6 a week to walk her dog every day after school. I used to use this money to go hang out in Angelo's Pizza, which was right next to the record store. I didn't have too much interest in music in those days, mainly just whatever was on the radio. I had a few tapes, mainly stuff like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, but nothing that was ever more than background music. 

     I know I've often gotten nostalgic about my introductions to hardcore, death metal, or grindcore, but in my youth the first band that ever seriously captured my imagination was a rap group, the Beastie Boys. Their videos for "Fight For Your Right" and "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" were inescapable. They quickly became the soundtrack to all my youthful misadventures. It was with this newfound love of music that I, for the first time ever, walked into Vintage Vinyl one day after school armed with two weeks worth of dog walking money and purchased my first record ever, the Beastie Boys "Licensed To Ill."

     Over the years, as my taste in music leaned more towards the heavy side, I always followed what the Beasties were doing. "Paul's Boutique" wasn't exactly my thing when it was released, but I grew to appreciate it in later years. They won me back when they embraced their early hardcore influences on "Check Your Head" and "Ill Communication." I finally saw them live, twice actually, in 1994. First, as headliner of that year's Lollapalooza tour, and second at a headlining gig at Compton Terrace with the mighty Bad Brains as the opening act. Due to insane circumstances involving Arizona's eternal inability to build roads that can accommodate large amounts of traffic, I missed all but two songs by the Bad Brains, but the Beasties killed it both times. They were a fantastic live act, even if they did shy away from performing their earlier material at that time. 

     It was with great sadness that I heard the news of Adam Yauch's death today from cancer. Even though I haven't really kept up with their more recent output, the Beastie Boys music has always been, and will always be, a big part of my life. It saddens me to see someone who was not only a gifted, pioneering performer, but also a well rounded producer and director, be taken away.

 R.I.P. Adam "MCA" Yauch 8/5/64 - 5/4/12