TURBONEGRO Ass Cobra

Artist: TURBONEGRO
Title: Ass Cobra
Year of Release: 1996
Label: Boomba
Format: CD

Another classic from the vaults, this Norwegian punk rock platter dates back to 1996 and features some of the band's finest cuts. 'Denim Demon', live favourite 'I Got Erection' and 'Sailor Man' all serve as some of the album's shining stars, as well as to illustrate the lyrical theme much of the album expresses.

With a raw, edgy sound, and fast, to the point songs, the album is over almost as soon as it starts, but there's enough time to absorb the faux homo erotic implications... though 'implication' is probably a little too fuzzy a word as there is little actually implied. Lines such as 'Got my penis steamin' and your asshole's screaming "help!" is far from subtle, and when performed live, it's funny to see how many people are ready to let go of their homophobic tendencies and get a piece of the action.

There's also a great spoken cut towards the end in which bass player Happy Tom pretends to be Steve Ignorant from Crass. I always wondered how they captured this recording, but in actuality it's fake... so...

If you can locate the 7" version of 'Denim Demon' it's backed with another classic cut 'I Fucked Betty Page' which definitely belonged on this album... but how can you improve on perfection?

Check out the video for 'Get It On'

MONSTER MAGNET 4 Way Diabolo

Artist: MONSTER MAGNET
Title: 4 Way Diabolo
Year of Release: 2007
Label: SPV
Format: CD

Having been a fan of Monster Magnet since the release of their immortal debut album 'Spine Of God' it's generally with a aura of trepidation that I approach any new offering from the Jersey quartet. I recall seeing them on their first Australian tour around 1995, and I was expecting these greasy haired, disheveled looking stoner types grace the stage, and perform for two hours staring mostly at the floor, or into outer space. This wasn't the case! Singer/Guitarist Dave Wyndorf had transformed from the aforementioned archetypal Hawkwind devotee, to this 'leather clad' rock 'n' roller. He'd departed from Planet Caravan and boarded the Hellion! And that show, while enjoyable, left me confused and somewhat disappointed.

In time, I did get over this and have anticipated each new MM offering with an optimistic air. I was curious how they would pull this one off, especially after Wyndorf's hospitalization. I'm pleased to say that '4 Way Diabolo' is a fine album.

In a way, it's more of the same from MM. All the usual standards that have long become benchmarks of their sound are present, though like each album the band release, it still remains vital and to a fan of my calibre, interesting well beyond initial listens. Familiar leads, cosmic sound effects and the general swing and flow of this offering stay well within the parameters of what fans have come to anticipate.

Every MM album (even 'God Says No') has it's stand out tracks, and one of these can be located in the opening, self titled cut. Another has to be track 4, the spectacular 'Blow Your Mind'. A band well versed in cover songs, a Rolling Stones tune was nominated for this release and personally, I wished they'd left it off. Thankfully it wasn't 'Paint It Black' or 'Sympathy For The Devil' (which is possible, Wyndorf loves Laibach!) but it still pollutes the album unnecessarily. Perfectly executed, just weaker than their own material.

If you've ever found merit in Monster Magnet, this album is definitely a worthwhile addition to their repertoire. A sound and solid offering that I expect to listen to for years to come.

One of the best clips ever: Monster Magnet's 'Spacelord'.

THE CRAMPS A Date With Elvis

Artist: THE CRAMPS
Title: A Date With Elvis
Year of Release: 1986
Label: Vengeance Records
Format: CD

For a band like the Cramps to make such an impression on someone like myself is not overly difficult to conceive. Though I don't listen to much Rockabilly, when I do, it's to excess! And while those acts I consider to fall within those parameters may not be viewed exclusively as such by those more in tune with the specifics of the scene and its sub-genres, I'm happy for it to fall into line there.

Though this cut is not on 'A Date With Elvis' it is one of my fave Cramps tunes and a rollicking good video to boot. 'The Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon'.



This record, in fact all Cramps records have a pretty sparse sound and what's definitely a big draw is the vocal stylings of frontman Lux Interior. Many criticize guitarist Poison Ivy's seemingly minimalist approach to guitar playing, but that's another element that gets them across the line for those people who like the punk rock injection of acts like the Cramps over the more rootsy rockabilly sound.

With classic cuts like 'Can Your Pussy Do The Dog', 'What's Inside A Girl' and 'How Far Can Too Far Go' this is a great album to begin with... both for those interested in the legacy of the Cramps as well as those with a punk rock lust keen to dabble in a little rockabilly...

DARKTHRONE It's all about the riff

It's funny when you think about bands like Darkthrone, and their evolution over the years. It cannot be considered without also taking into account the fans' evolution over the same period and the loosening point of view as to what is considered acceptable by fans. Would some of the lyrical offerings that Fenriz has coughed up in recent years found a home on 'Under A Funeral Moon' or 'Transilvanian Hunger'? I don't believe so. And while I think debates over whether one album is better than another is in this case something akin to comparing soil to fish, there are some constants in Darkthrone that have enabled people such as myself to remain loyal fans... even citing their last two offerings as among their very best.

And this is of course, the riff. Darkthrone write some killer riffs. Sure, there's that ripping guitar sound, and Nocturno Culto has a great vocal style and his phrasing is totally unique, but the one constant throughout all their recorded works is the riff. I think that too is another reason as to why their recent efforts 'F.O.A.D' and 'The Cult Is Alive' are so strong.

I also admire that Darkthrone live by the 'do as thou will' philosophy, caring not for rules and parameters. The same old by any other name is still the same old...

KVIKKSOLVGUTTENE Krieg

Artist: KVIKKSOLVGUTTENE
Title: Krieg
Year of Release: 1997
Label: Head Not Found
Format: CD

HNF released a lot of crap, but this is not to suggest that they always got it wrong, and a perfect case in point is this here release by Kvikksolvguttene. Most easily described as 80's black/death metal with punk overtones, this relatively obscure platter featured Necrobutcher from Mayhem and according to Encyclopedia Metallum two other former members of Mayhem... from the post Maniac/Manheim era, but before Dead and Hellhammer.

I love that this record is really bass heavy, and the general demeanour of it has a very 'do what thou will' sort of approach. Lots of black humour running through its veins, but never funny, the band manage to tread the realms of coming across almost as a joke and being completely overblown. Rumours at the time of release suggested that the cover was considered so extreme that the printers in Norway or Germany (whichever it was) didn't want to print it. Obviously someone did as it came out, so... the other rumour is that the band's drummer, who was also in Vomit, is now a born again christian. Perhaps the hilarity of lines like 'and I know that you are dead, when my penis has turned red...' was wasted on him?

Includes a cover of Ghoul by Mayhem, and some other very catchy tunes. I would strongly recommend this one to fans of old Mayhem, Witchmaster and bands of that ilk.

DWARVES Sugarfix

Artist: DWARVES
Title: Sugarfix
Year of Release: 1993
Label: Sub Pop
Format: CD

The Dwarves are gods and Blag Dahlia is a genius! There is really no other way to describe this transient mob who, year after year, release classic album after another.

'Sugarfix' is one of the Dwarves older releases, and is definitely rawer, and more stripped down than some of their recent efforts. The Dwarves are 100% punk rock and while they may not always sound like it, it's a spirit and it permeates all their releases.

I love that their records are short and convey the most in the least. They may not be as supercharged as Zeke, but their approach is different, though I'd argue if you find merit in one, you should also in the other.

I'm a big fan of Blag's sinister and depraved lyrics and they way they bubble over the saccharine sweet arrangements that many of their songs possess.

I found this great video... it's pretty recent, but I'm sure you'll agree that it's most worthwhile.

FEFU - Dirty Version by Dwarves

KISS The only thing more ridiculous than KISS is their fans

And here's proof positive!

Ever wanted to see how a pro applies the patented KISS makeup? One crazed fan shows us how.

SONG OF THE DAY - February 6th, 2008

Artist: IRON MAIDEN
Song Title: The Number of the Beast
Album Title: Live After Death
Year of Release: 1985

We're off to see Iron Maiden tomorrow, and I couldn't help but to get out the old 'Live After Death' recording and give it a whirl. The audio alone from this recording is so kick ass! I'm not much of a fan of live recordings, but this one is not only timeless, it rates among the very best.

And 'The Number Of The Beast' - not only a truly immortal track, but in this live arena, with the legions of fans singing out in the background... it's really second to none!

SIGH Scorn Defeat

Artist: SIGH
Title: Scorn Defeat
Year of Release: 1993
Label: Deathlike Silence Productions
Format: CD

I picked this up on vinyl a few years back when Hammerheart's sub-label made a pressing available. The reason I got rid of it in favour of this classic DSP CD version is that a classic album like this should NOT be padded out with bonus tracks and the like and that's exactly what had occurred to that LP version. Not only were there bonus tracks, but there was one at the end of side A and then at the end of side B. That may seem a logical place to put them, but like I said, this album is truly immortal and should be respected as such.

Does anyone wanna hear those bonus tracks on the end of 'Reign In Blood'? Fuck no! Same logic applies here... it ain't rocket science, and it isn't increasing the 'value' of these releases. You can take my word for it!

Without question, Sigh have reigned as one of the most unique BM bands, and their debut, 'Scorn Defeat' was not alien from that statement. They started out with an avant garde approach which has increased for the most part over their almost 20 year existence.

Despite being named after a lyric from the Venom track 'Welcome To Hell', 'Scorn Defeat' is a heavily keyboard laden affair that doesn't completely ignore the band's 80's BM influence, though it does little to come across sounding like a pastiche. Sigh do what many Japanese bands do extremely well with their Western influences, taking them to seemingly bizarre and previously unexplored degrees, though unlike other bands from their part of the world, Sigh also draw heavy inspiration from Japanese tradition and folklore. This is before you consider that the music, though on this occasion seemingly primitive where the guitars and drums are concerned, is also deeply rooted in classical direction.

A great primal sound is on offer, though its never muddy, or raw for the sake of being raw and a fine balance of instrumentation is made available to the listener. A host of catchy riffs propel the majority of the album which is interspersed with classical piano pieces and the occasional acoustic guitar.

There is no simple way to describe what it is that makes Sigh the revolutionary act that they are, though for my mind, their 'do what thou will approach' is the quickest explanation.

Read some other reviews:
Encyclopedia Metallum

LUBRICATED GOAT Plays The Devil's Music

Artist: LUBRICATED GOAT
Title: Plays The Devil's Music
Year of Release: 1987
Label: Black Eye Records/Am Rep
Format: LP

I got hold of a vinyl to CD converter player thing and this was one of those releases I could not wait to get onto CD/iPod format. I lost interest in this conversion process pretty quickly, but am grateful that this record made the cut as it is definitely one of my faves!

Recorded during 1986, it kicks off with one of my fave cuts 'Jason The Unpopular' and throughout the course of this all too short opus, listeners are treated to beer bottle solos, deflating balloons and host of other alternative means for generating sound. 'Plays...' is in no way an industrial album, but guitar rock would also be far from accurate. Lubricated Goat's output was generated by what you'd describe as more or less a traditional 'band' set up, but the confines of traditional instrumentation were never going to restrict this transient horde.

Elements of punk, jazz and trashy rock 'n' roll are all on show on this debut, and the band became a household name here in Australia by appearing naked on a national television program and performing a track called 'In The Raw'. Lubricated Goat were as punk rock as a band could be and their legacy suggests their drug intake to be in the realms of legendary. I generally prefer bands who generate an unholy noise based on the expulsion of their inner demons as opposed to chemical influences, but there's not a thing I would have suggested that LG had done differently.

Originally released by Black Eye Records in Australia, it was picked up a little while later by Amphetamine Reptile for a US release, and was only ever available on LP and Cassette. The band (mostly Stu Spasm) have formed and folded at least 4 times since their inception and while I doubt that the magic they possessed on this album could ever be recaptured, who am I to say. Spasm definitely lent a fine hand to Nunbait's immortal EP 'The Hub' though that was a scant 3 years after 'Plays...' first materialized.

A quick look around did not see me turning up many leads on availability of this album, but some of their other releases were available here . I'd be inclined to think that there would be a few of these LPs floating around stores here in Australia at any rate.

Read another cool insight into LG here

WINTERBLUT Das Aas Aller Dinge

Artist: WINTERBLUT
Title: Das Aas Aller Dinge
Year of Release: 2007
Label: End All Life Productions
Format: CD

I naively thought I'd like this as I had heard it referenced among bands such as Deathspell Omega and that it was released by EAL gave me some modicum of hope. Unfortunately, I found it to be base, generic and completely uninteresting. Yeah, the guy can play and yeah it has some fast and savage parts, but what doesn't?

Other than the sound of the drums and some of the timings in the first track, which inspired thoughts of Ved Buens Ende (not that they sound the same, that's the thought it inspired), I find almost zero interest from this release. And that sucks as I, like everyone, wants to spend money on releases that fall into the realms of excellent to extraordinary.

Life is cruel.

Instead of going on further, I'll invite you to read the Metal Archives review of this release. Not exactly my thoughts, but similar enough to save me exploring it any further. You can read that here.

I would offer a link as to where I bought this from, but by doing that I am creating the possibility that you may buy this.

Caustic Transmissions

Track 1 from the forthcoming ATOMIZER album 'Caustic Music For The Spiritually Bankrupt'.

Experience it below in Video form, or here

WITCHMASTER Witchmaster

Artist: WITCHMASTER
Title: Witchmaster
Year of Release: 2003
Label: Agonia Records
Format: CD

Definitely one of my fave Polish bands, though to qualify that, it's not as though I worship many beyond they who are starring in this critique, Kat and Turbo. There are probably more, but it's they who come to mind right now.

This is such a cool, chaotic and catchy album. I think it could have benefited from having the guitars more up front, but that's a minor complaint. The sound is pretty filthy, the vocals grim and it's generally all laid out at a great pace.

It's not as Venom-esque as some people may have you believe, and while there is the rock 'n' roll element, it's definitely faster and over the top!

The album closes with 'Bloodlust' by Venom, but I think the chaotic opener 'Never Stop The Madness' sums up Witchmaster stylistically and philosophically.

Don't give a penny of your money to Agonia Records. Pay Witchmaster directly to burn a copy or something like that.

AVERSE SEFIRA Tetragrammatical Astygmata

Artist: AVERSE SEFIRA
Title: Tetragrammatical Astygmata
Year of Release: 2005
Label: The AJNA Offensive
Format: Double 10" MLP

Another commentary that needs to be prefaced with some thoughts regarding the exquisite packaging of this record. Double 10" splatter vinyl (Transparent Red/Black) complete with matt gatefold cover and gloss, double sided, full colour inserts. The art is excellent, despite not being one of my more favoured styles - animation, and visually, this is a most impressive release.

Musically, this is a fierce and commanding offering, though at times the sheer speed of it all makes it a little repetitive and de rigeur where BM is concerned. It's fast in the vein of bands like Antaeus, and like the French horde, they manage to contain, or better said, unleash a vast and corrosive atmosphere despite that speed.

The first half of this record is pretty much unbridled intensity, while the 3rd or 'Death' side allows a little more of that atmosphere the band are clearly capable of injecting, to come through.

This record has a somewhat unconventional sound, though it's not as far removed as say Katharsis or a band of that ilk who I think are managing to push boundaries, even if by virtue of their raw and filthy sound. If you haven't heard 'VVorld VVithout End', I insist you change that now. Truly one of the most mezmerising and punishing BM releases of recent times.

'Tetragrammatical Astygmata' definitely has something worthy to offer, though for me personally, I truly wonder how many more fast BM records I need to own. And when I do wnat to listen to that style, Axis Of Advance and Revenge, like Katharsis are adding enough colour and distinction that it provides for a more unique listening experience. 'Tetragrammatical Astygmata' is no reinvention of the wheel, but I'm sure it will command a few more listens.

This record is available from The AJNA Offensive

Things You Never Thought You'd Hear Yourself Say..

I saw Nightwish the other nite and it was awesome.

I'm not a fan or anything, but with Anette on vocals they are a completely different band.

Their manager used to play guitar in the Babylon Whores. Finnish Death Rock forever!