By Natalie Zed

I’ve always been honest with you, loyal Hellbound readers, and this review is going to be no exception. I came to this show needing to blow off some steam. Things had gotten a little intense in the life of Natalie Zed, and this show provided the perfect outlet for the tension and nervous energy I’d been carrying around all week. I accomplished this, of course, by attempting to drink my body weight in rum. Hence, this review may be a little more “impressionistic” than usual.

It was a great night for women who rock at Rancho Relaxo. Not only did I get to hang out with some of my very favourite ladies (including Lily the Pirate, my hetero-lifemate), but I was able to enjoy the rare treat of seeing a stage dominated by women. Spitfist and Mares of Thrace are not “female-fronted” bands; they are composed entirely of tough, talented musicians who all happen to have XX chromosomes. As much as I love watching shirtless men wield gee-tars, there’s something about rocker girls that fills me with the warm fuzzies, like a hi-five to the ovaries.

Before the ladies stormed the stage, Drunk Hussy started the night off right. The Thin Lizzy influence to their sound leapt out at me immediately, as did their charisma. These guys are naturals on stage, every single one, though front man Josh “Fucking” Last stole the show with his banter. He particularly enjoyed the fact that he and his band mates were the only men performing that night, reminding the crowd, “each of us represents 20-percent of the available penis that will be on stage this evening.” His distinctive “sore throat” vocals screeched and crumbled just enough to match the rough edges of Drunk Hussy’s sound. This was the first time I’d seen them live, and will be the last for the foreseeable future — the day after this show, Josh left for Vancouver (“Fuck this heat. Soon I’ll be surrounded by sweet rain.”). This being the final performance the band would give in their current incarnation lent a bittersweet twist to the otherwise straightforward aural assault of the set. I am curious to see how each of these natural performers goes forward from here.

Next up, Spitfist took over the stage. Gangly and crass, covered in body art, these girls are friendly and confrontational all at once. They also project a fantastic energy while on stage, as affectionate as it is aggressive, hard as nails yet relentlessly positive. They expressed a profound mutual respect for the bands with whom they shared the stage. When they asked the audience to cheer for Mares of Thrace or Drunk Hussy, they were doing so not just because it was appropriate, but because they wanted to hear the crowd give their comrades in arms some love. And speaking of love, their sound definitely hit home. Their roller derby/punk/riot grrrl aesthetic is inexpressibly cool, and listening to them made me remember exactly why I grew up loving Tank Girl. Their song “Baby Bird” belongs on my iPod.

Mares of Thrace played last on the bill, and brought the night to a thunderous close. I am profoundly interested in the aesthetics of constraint and the way art can be produced by limitation. Mares of Thrace plug directly into this particular obsession. Consisting only of vocals, baritone guitar and drums, this two-woman force of nature produce a wall of sound: intense and varied, deep and resonant, pulsating and urgent, and shockingly complex. They refer to themselves as “technoisesludgedoomcore,” a dizzying description that suits them just fine. The visceral drone of “General Sherman” grabbed me by the throat. Mares of Thrace are heavy — everything drags, clutches, digs in and tears, equal parts fingernails across flesh and glacier across mountain. Thérèse Lanz‘s voice doesn’t just want blood; it wants an offering of flesh; it wants the listener raw. Their songs throb, organic as muscles clenching.

By Rob Kachluba

One can say Kataklysm have found a formula since In the Arms of Devastation that for the most part has been a solid slice of heavy grooved death metal. Their previous album, 2008’s Prevail, had a few bumps in the road but for the most part it was a true and tested formula of chunk infused riffing with a strong sensibility of songwriting.

Strange thing for me in this new album: it starts off in true Kataklysm fashion but it seems recycled as if it’s all been heard before. It is not a bad thing, but I expected more. Then lo and behold track five “Hail The Renegade” starts to show the band in a new light. A heightened sense of dynamics and some extremely hooky melodic flourishes show their head but what surprised the hell out of me was a bass and a guitar solo. These are as rare as a Bigfoot sighting.Those little touches that go off their structured patterns really make the album stand on its own. The arrangements on these later songs show you that there are still some new ideas in this Canadian northern hyperblast machine that keeps them at the top of the death metal pack.

(Nuclear Blast)

Rating: 7.5

By Justin M. Norton

When a Brooklyn teenager named Marc Bell was hired as the replacement drummer for Tommy Ramone he had little idea what would follow in the ensuing years. The Ramones were helping define punk in the 1970s but weren’t in any way a household name or a recognizable brand. They were still broke. The Bee Gees and disco ruled the airwaves and platform shoes were more common than tattered jeans and leather.

Things certainly changed. During Marky’s long tenure as a Ramone the band recorded End of The Century with famous “Wall Of Sound” producer Phil Spector; appeared in the Roger Corman directed cult classic Rock ‘N’ Roll High School (the second choice after Devo); toured the world and became the de facto face of American punk. Marky conquered an alcohol addiction that kept him away from the band and ended his career as part of the longest running Ramones lineup (15 years) . Whenever you play classics like “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “The KKK Took My Baby Away,” and “I Just Want To Have Something To Do,” it’s Marky laying down the classic Ramones backbeat.

Marky is in some ways the proto-Dave Grohl, a musician with an almost boundless appetite for side projects and bands. As a teenager he played with the hard rock band Dust (he claims they were among the first heavy metal bands); jammed and recorded with legendary bluesman Johnny Shines and played with Richard Hell and The Voidoids. He drummed on his longtime bandmate Joey’s solo album and recorded with Canada’s Teenage Head. He briefly toured with the Jerry Only-fronted Misfits and now keeps the Ramones music alive with his band Marky Ramone’s Punk Rock Blitzkrieg.

He keeps busy when he’s not touring with radio work and business pursuits. For years he’s hosted a popular punk rock showcase on Sirius Satellite radio. He’s selling Marky Ramone pasta sauce and a patented leather jacket. He’s working on remastering the early Dust albums. And finally, he’s helping establish a music scholarship at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He hopes it will be to help a young musician like him: plenty of drive, but few resources. The scholarship will kick-off with a tribute concert of Ramones songs in Los Angeles in October.

“Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee died too soon,” Marky says “These songs are too good not to be played, and this new generation wants me to play them.” The punk legend and Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member spoke to Hellbound in late August.

Hellbound: You’ve been at punk rock for decades now. What is it that motivates you to keep going when you could probably retire at this point?

Marky Ramone: It’s the fun of doing it. I started playing drums because I enjoyed it. As a little boy I fantasized about going places, traveling. When I saw the Beatles and Ringo Starr I immediately wanted to be a drummer. Keeping the punk legacy alive and doing it right is very important. Now the fathers are bringing kids to shows. I want to bridge the generation gap. I’ll keep doing this as long as I can.

What do you think it is about the Ramones music that resonates with each new generation?

It’s the level of energy. It’s also the lyrical content. I also think it’s the way the band looked. It was a real look. I grew up in Brooklyn and I always wore a jacket and jeans. We appealed to youth. It doesn’t matter what era or generation…you can go back to Elvis Presley or The Beatles and see the same thing.

What’s your favorite Ramones album? Why?

From Tommy’s era I like Rocket to Russia. The albums I’m on it’s Road to Ruin and Pleasant Dreams. I like Rocket To Russia because the production and arrangements were really good. It was the pinnacle of the Ramones up to 1977. When I did Road To Ruin there were some lead guitars and some new tasteful things but it didn’t interfere with the punk ethos. It brought the band something more. There was a joke that it was The Ramones’ Sgt. Pepper. And Pleasant Dreams was our pop punk album.

What was the difference for you between playing for huge crowds as a member of the Ramones and then in the late 1990s opening to just a handful of people with your band Mark Ramone and The Intruders?

I wanted to go back to the clubs, the small places. We (The Ramones) were playing these huge clubs and Warped tours and Lollapalooza and in South America in front of 50,000 people. For some reason when the band retired I wanted to do club tours. It felt great. There was something about the closeness of it that I missed. You need to do everything. You need to do clubs and venues and big places.

There’s something so powerful about a Ramones song – there are many technical players out there that are amazing at their instruments, but nothing sticks in your head like “Cretin Hop” or “Psycho Therapy.” Did songs always come first with the Ramones?

We didn’t want to overindulge in anything other bands were doing. In the mid-70s people were just doing guitar solos and drum solos and albums only had five songs. Rock was being diluted by jazz rock and folk rock and blues rock. We wanted the two-and-a- half minute approach. It was the same when I was with Richard Hell and the Voidods. We all liked Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. Those songs were only two minutes and twenty seconds long. We only cared about the song. We didn’t care about solos. We just wanted a chorus that could be remembered and a song structure that wasn’t 20 minutes long.

What’s the status of your lawsuit claiming that you were cheated out of royalties you are owed for the band’s back catalog?

I wasn’t cheated. They weren’t sent to me. I’m not supposed to be talking about it. It will all work out.

You are in good company at Sirius Satellite radio with other djs like Kim Fowley (Runaways manager) and Andrew Loog Oldham (Rolling Stones producer). What do you do to keep your show fresh and interesting? You don’t shy away from playing songs out of your own catalog.

I’m on so many songs, you can’t ignore them (laughs). You can’t ignore the Voidoids or Teenage Head or “I Want To Be Sedated” and “Rock And Roll High School.” Kids e-mail me and they want to hear these songs. But I also try to play middle school, new school and old school punk. When I grew up DJs were pushing disco and Saturday Night Fever was out. Now, I get to play what I want. I also know the punk scene since I was there when it started. I get a lot of kudos from people that we finally have a punk station and there is no one telling me how to play and when to play it. I always keep my ears open for bands that need help. If you have a CD send it in and if I like it I’ll play it. My theory of life is this – if I could help someone the way I would have wanted to be helped I’ll do it.

What did you think about Phil Spector’s murder conviction? There were already stories from the End Of The Century recordings that he was pointing a gun at band members.

(The story was) that he carried it and pointed it at Dee Dee. But that might have been exaggeration. Only The Ramones, (musical director) Ed Stasium, Phil and (engineer) Larry Levine were in the studio. Phil was used to working slow and we were used to working fast. There was a clash between Johnny and Phil about the work ethic. Phil didn’t like John’s work ethic and vice versa. Phil was the producer so he won out.

We remained friends and I was at his court case. He claims his innocence. That’s the way it went. It was sad when they took it away. But he never pointed a gun at us. He had them there, but he never waved them around. There were on the console. They were too heavy for him. He left them in a holster on the board.

You are going to help fund a drum scholarship for the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. When I hear the Ramones I don’t exactly think of school or music school.

Either do I (laughs). I had to go to night school to graduate from high school. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to college and I remember that. If I can help a kid with great talent but without the means I’d do anything. I wish it was around when I was a kid. Things now are so competitive and it’s hard to compete because of downloading and the influx of so many touring bands. Being part of the education thing, this scholarship, I could help a kid who financially couldn’t afford college.

Is the idea to help someone who might be like a budding Ramone, who doesn’t have the means but an amazing desire to play music?

I don’t know if they want to be a budding Ramone. It doesn’t take technical skill, it’s more physical. Maybe they want to use the scholarship to join an orchestra and have a career. To learn Ramones songs you don’t need to go to Juilliard. Who knows how they will develop.

I noticed on your YouTube page you have a video with your thoughts on heavy metal songs and bands…do you listen to much metal?

I was in a metal band as a teenager. I think Dust was one the first metal bands in America. I don’t think the term was even invented yet. It was just called hard rock. Our album was out in 1971. We were listening to The Kinks and The Who and Jimi Hendrix but we were too young to tour. We couldn’t play places that served alcohol without a parent.

I love the first Black Sabbath album. It was the start of metal. There were other heavy bands at the time. They’d take old blues standards and put a Marshall behind them and that was it. Sabbath was the first.

In 2003 Canada’s Teenage Head recorded an album that finally came out five years later as Teenage Head With Marky Ramone. It was the last official recordings done with TH vocalist Frankie Venom, who died in 2008 of throat cancer. What do you remember about that session and album?

I was in Canada doing a spoken word tour. The band’s guitar player asked if I’d help redo the whole Teenage Head album. The Ramones were big in Canada and I loved the people there. The first album wasn’t produced well and that’s why they wanted to redo it. When they asked me to do it I had to hear the songs first. I had to see if I could play it and if I liked it. I loved Frankie’s voice. It took me one day to do the album. Frankie’s voice is just great on it. When I was around he wasn’t in the best of health but he was able to rally.

You also did an album with legendary bluesman Johnny Shines when you were just a teenager.

I was just out of Dust and I was working with (Andrew Loog) Oldham who had produced the Stones. I got a call to do a blues album. I loved B.B King and Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker. It was really an honor to play with him. The album came out great. I was happy I was asked to do it and it gave me a little more street cred. His stories were great. What Johnny experienced in life was rough until the English invasion came along. Until then, people overlooked the blues.

You were on the road with the Jerry Only fronted version of The Misfits for a while. Why did you decide to stop touring with them?

That wasn’t The Misfits. That was one guy (Only) milking the name. He’s a great guy. But I had to leave because the kids kept yelling out Ramones songs, and they couldn’t play Ramones songs the way we had done it. I’d like to see Danzig and Doyle come back and have it be original Misfits.

You’ve also branched out. You designed a leather jacket with Tommy Hilfiger and are selling your own brand of pasta sauce (called Brooklyn’s Own). Do you think these pursuits clash at all with what some people consider punk ethos?

A lot of people have bought it (the sauce). My grandfather was a head chef. He worked at the Copacabana and the 21 Club in New York City. We went over there on holidays and I would be in the kitchen watch him cook. I saw what he did and I copied it. It started with some plum tomatoes. When I left my parents when I was 18 it was easy to make pasta. At the time, that’s all I could afford.

Tommy is a friend and asked me to be involved. I looked at the back of the first Dust album cover and based it (the jacket) on those jackets. Tommy is great. He’ s a punk guy and loves the Ramones. He helped finance a Rolling Stones tour. He’s a dedicated punk guy and a friend. I have nothing against capitalism. We live in America. If you can do it properly why not? I don’t think people will say Green Day sold out for doing Broadway, if their music gets to more people.

What is it like to play The Ramones music without your old bandmates? Is it ever bittersweet or is it a celebration of what you did together?

They didn’t get to enjoy their fruits of their labor because of cancer and a ridiculous overdose. The songs are too good not to be played. If we had two to three years off after 22 years of playing we could have reformed and played again. I feel that I’m keeping the legacy alive and they’d be happy I was doing it. It brings the music back around and it also sells the back catalog and merchandise. That’s part of being in a band. It’s not a cop out. Kids want merchandise.

If someone ever had to put together a time capsule a Ramones album would probably be included as the “punk rock” item.

The first one would, along with The Sex Pistols and L.A.M.F. by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers.

http://www.markyramone.com/

With a rash of Hollywood remakes surfacing, especially in the horror genre, it has become quite obvious of the motivation behind stream of projects getting the green light. Throw in a familiar name in the genre, and the movie sells itself. Mega franchises such as Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween have all seen remakes/reboots/sequels, and have been gobbled up by both horror fanatics and casual fans alike.

When I learned of a remake of the 1978 classic I Spit On Your Grave, I was quite hesitant on grouping it in with the previously mentioned group of films. Would the makers of the film take a more mainstream, modernized approach (which I thought was more likely of a scenario), or would we actually get to see a faithful homage to the original, embracing today’s technology to make some great quality films on a smaller budget? It’s always a roll of the dice these days.

When I got a chance to view the Toronto premiere at the Toronto After Dark Festival, I jumped on the opportunity to see what director Steven R. Monroe had put together. I even had the great opportunity to chat with him prior to the screening to discuss both of our issues with the original. Even though it’s considered a classic, there are some great flaws with the storyline and characters that really put a stop to me being totally immersed in the theatrical experience. Thankfully, Monroe addressed all of these shortcomings.

For those unfamiliar with the plot, it’s a standard revenge story. Jennifer, a young woman from the “big city”, escapes to a small cabin where she can focus on writing her new novel. When a group of men from the nearby town discover that she’s there alone, they assault, humiliate, and rape her, and leave her dead (or so they think). Jennifer eventually gathers her strength back, and searches for revenge on those who were involved. It’s a rather simple plot, that has been done many times over, but it was the brutality and graphic nature that set this film apart from any other that had come out at the time.

One of my biggest problems with the original was the character of Matthew, the mentally challenged man, who gets tangled into the web of abuse through the mockery and encouragement of the other men. In the original, the character of Matthew is a cartoon-ish parody of himself – a bumbling fool who has no thought of his own. While this might be the blame of the time period that the film came out in, it really takes away from the otherwise grave seriousness of the film’s subject matter.

My other main problem with the first film is the method of Jennifer’s revenge. The original Jennifer seduced her victims, even going as far as engaging in intercourse with them en route to their vicious demise. Considering what she had just been through, would anyone believe that the character would be willing to do this? Would the victims be so naive as to fall for her trap? Again, a suspension of reality comes into play just to move the plot along, and it just didn’t work for me.

Thankfully, I didn’t have any gripes after seeing Monroe’s updated version.

Instead of rewriting the story, the remake adds additional context, fills in some obvious holes, and ups the ante on the vengeful terror that Jennifer thrusts upon her “victims”. Chad Lindberg does a great job in the modern version of keeping the character real and appropriate to the mood of the entire film. Jennifer traps her victims, not with sexual advances, but with the ferocity of a blood-thirsty killer. With the introduction of a new character, the question of “why doesn’t she just call the police” gets answered. Even the acts of vengeance have much more depth behind them, as the deaths of the victims heavily relate to the characters and their previous actions.

Monroe executed a remake successfully in every way possible: keeping faithful to the original in both mood and basic story; updating the characters to be more relevant to our time period; using current technology to improve the quality of filming and effects; and addressing the problems of the original. The cast do a wonderful job of really creating believable characters, especially considering some of the troubling scenes that they had to endure. Sarah Butler does an incredible job in portraying Jennifer in all aspects of the character – both the terrorized victim in the first half, and the vengeful murderer in the second half.

While the subject matter, along with the intensity of its display, may not be for everyone, 2010’s I Spit On Your Grave is a must-see for horror fans. For those who have a bitter taste in their mouths from a number of less-than-satisfying remakes, rest assured that this maintains the spirit of the original classic, while making the material fresh enough to warrant it’s existence. Despite already knowing the story and even the outcome, the massive amounts of suspense and anticipation will leave you on the edge of your seat; the perverse and violent abuse of Jennifer will have you covering your eyes; and cheering the protagonist along in the second half.

8.5/10

I Spit On Your Grave opens in Canada on October 15th. Due to the film being unrated, it will only be playing in select theatres – check your local listings for availability.

Official Movie Site

By Kevin Stewart-Panko

This record isn’t so much a split EP as it is a clash of the titans concerning those who revel and relish in the slow and painful. First up – depending on which side you throw on the turntable first – is Thou, one of the newer breed of brooding, low-gear misanthropy masters who continue in their consistent ways. The band plays sludge, but refrains from having their surly sound approach doom territory. There is a difference; there’s absolutely no romanticism, elegance or aristocracy to Thou. They are purveyors of pure slimy sewer wall sludge wrapped in a layer of hatred for European imperialism rivalled only by idealistic, overly-PC, bleeding heart, annoyingly loud-mouthed first-year history majors or the Indians who originally populated North America and despite the molasses pace of their two tracks on showcase here, Thou is surprisingly driving and, in turn, rather catchy.

As you may know, I recently spent part of this past summer on tour. For an unrelenting 90-plus-percent of the time I was out, our travelling posse was dealing with some unbearable heat and killer humidity with not as many opportunities to shower and change clothes as passable hygiene recommends. During this time, it perpetually seemed like my sweaty nutsack was crazy glued to my moist inner thigh. Thou is the sonic representation of this, albeit with much more hatred and a lot less homoerotic imagery.

Moloch hammers the listener more from the feedback-abusing Eyehategod/Graves at Sea tip – especially on “Dry Cough” which is basically a mess of bouncy, swampy southern rhythms about how whiskey and cough syrup are the cures for what ails ya – which is funny considering they’re from Nottingham, England and Thou hail from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Brits don’t have the musical infectiousness of their counterparts, preferring more to beat you about the head and ears with a furious sledgehammer about the size of a distortion pedal and a Gibson SG. Their three offerings are more straight-ahead, pounding and spiteful, but also more monochrome and, if I didn’t know better, affected in their misery.

(Perpetual Motion Machine)

Thou – 7.5
Moloch – 6

By Gruesome Greg

A self-proclaimed “stoner metal” band from San Jose California, the quartet Zed has some of the elements you would expect: fuzz pedals, slow-rolling breakdowns, heavy bottom-end. They also have a crisp, commercial sheen that you could file under modern rock. Their vocals are more aligned with Audioslave or Velvet Revolver than Kyuss or Fu Manchu, and these songs all hover around that radio-friendly four-minute mark. There are no spaced-out, free-flowing solos, no extended instro jams, no 12-minute desert rock opuses.

In other words, this isn’t good music to get stoned to.

http://www.myspace.com/zedrocknow/

(Self-released)

Rating: 5.0

By Rob Kachluba

The second offering from this Polish progressive rock outfit sees them going for a more atmospheric laden sound than their debut, which has created a far more mellow and less obviously progressive direction on album number two.There are a few occasions where they break out into some heavy riffing but for the most part this a relaxed album that brings to mind Riverside and Porcupine Tree with some Opeth-like moments thrown in. The drum work is intelligent, the two guitarists have different styles to catch the individual moment of every song, the singer is very good with his vocal melodies and when this sucker is played loud the production just sounds incredible. The amazing thing about this release is the drastic change from their debut; with some work put in by the listener they will be rewarded with such a intelligent laid back prog masterpiece. This new direction may put off some of the heavier progmetal fans out there but if you are willing to put in the time and this could sit nicely by years end for top ten material.

http://www.myspace.com/votumband

(Armoury Records)

Rating: 8.0

Review by Natalie Zed; Concert Photography by Adam Wills

On tonight’s episode of My Stupid Life: Metal Edition, I managed to give myself food poisoning, doubtlessly because of the sketchy ham that topped the iffiest piece of pizza I’ve eaten in years. The infamous Natalie Zed Stomach of Iron is not what it used to be, so I spent a good chunk of this show either putting on a brave face or hiding in the bathroom, praying for sweet oblivion to embrace me. Despite the grotesque physical discomfort I was in, this show was a blast. I salute all the bands for showing me a good time — this night stands out in my mind as a particularly excellent show in 2010, and that was despite my innards actively trying to kill me.

An increasing amount of metal shows are happening at the Mod Club and, generally speaking, I approve. The stage is great, the sound tends to be solid and the lighting is excellent — intrepid Hellbound photographer extraordinaire Adam Wills is always pleased when we’re covering a show at this particular venue, as the odds of his photos looking extra slick increase significantly. However, I have one major beef: seven dollars for a fucking beer!?! And by beer, I don’t mean something obscure and heavy like Maudite; I am talking a goddamn Steamwhistle. With any tip at all that’s eight dollars, friends — highway robbery. Making drinks prohibitively expensive for a room full of metalheads is completely backwards thinking.

This concludes the Complaints Department portion of the review. Now, onto the bands.

Toronto thrashers Black Elysium started the night with a set that felt distinctly like a warm-up for the rest of the bands. Like most ’80s-inspired thrash acts, they advertise the sizzling intensity of their sound. Live, however, the experience was a lot less like a dip in a cauldron of boiling oil and more like a soothing soak in a hot tub. Their tunes are straightforward and catchy, working within the aesthetic they’ve chosen well enough, but when on stage they don’t commit fully to their performance. Their energy level was surprisingly low, resulting in a chill, groovy experience for a thrash band. I’d like to see them throw everything they have into a show to see what they’re capable of.

The night truly began when Fatality took the stage. And I need to emphasize the word “took,” because it’s something that always strikes me about their performances: whatever stage they happen to be on, they own. I have a great deal of affection for Fatality; they are there to have a great time on stage and make sure the audience has an equal amount of fun — and also that they will get back from a crowd exactly what they put forth. So, they put in everything they can possibly give: all the spit, sweat, screams and shit-eating grins they can muster, and their audiences scream it right back. Fatality managed to get just about everyone in the Mod Club moving, stomping, throwing elbows and grinning ear to ear. Their stage presence is strong enough to stand out on any line-up, even with the likes of Holy Grail and Exodus.

I owe Bonded by Blood an apology, or rather, my stomach does. Their entire set, I was desperately trying to get air outside or whispering to a toilet affectionately. (“You’re my only friend, toilet; you understand.”) Next time, guys.

Speaking of affection, I also have a special, warm place in my cold, little ice pellet of a heart for Holy Grail. I last saw these L.A.-based shredders when they opened for Eluveitie and Amon Amarth back in April, another show that still glows in my mind as an unreasonable amount of fun. (Also, one day, Johan Hegg and I will be wed. Just saying.) Holy Grail certainly know how to have fun, a necessary characteristic for any band that work within the classic ’80s metal aesthetic. Unlike many of their comrades-in-thrash, however, Holy Grail invest a great deal of effort into their look. Both their sound and visual aesthetic are extremely posh and polished, giving them the stage presence of gleaming metal paladins. They played a selection of material from their debut EP, Improper Burial, as well as their upcoming full-length, Crisis In Utopia. Their cover of Accept’s “Fast As A Shark” (which appears on their EP) was particularly strong. I look forward to watching these old-school rockers thrash it up again the next time they inevitably come through Toronto.

Just as my energy level was reaching a crisis point, the audience’s had risen to a fever pitch, becoming positively explosive by the time Exodus took the stage. I made it about halfway through their 90-odd-minute set before throwing in the towel, but what I saw was absolutely spectacular. They are without a doubt a band not to miss, and I was glad for every moment I hung in to soak up some of the torrent they unleashed upon the crowd. In my weakened state, I could only passively absorb the show, but most of the crowd drank it in greedily in deep, thirsty gulps. Vocalist Rob Dukes baited the crowd relentlessly, demanding evermore energy and exultation. I was particularly amused when he taunted the audience, saying the fans at the show Exodus played in Montreal the night before had been much better and crazier, when they would not, in fact, play Montreal until the following day. The fib had the desired effect, however, and somehow the crowd managed to up their game and become even more aggressive. Their renditions of “Iconoclasm” and “Piranha” stuck with me, forcing me to bang my head even as I found myself sitting in a corner, reeling. When I finally crumbled, dragging myself out of the Mod Club and off to bed, it was with “The Toxic Waltz” vibrating in every sore, tortured muscle. It was a hell of a show; I regret only that I didn’t have more to give.

By Jason Wellwood

What is it about black metal, and death metal, guys that makes them want to drop the corpse paint and put on a biker jacket? Black River aren’t the first side project formed by some guys who needed a break from their ‘day job’ band to just rock (see Chrome Division for example) but they certainly have created an album in Black N’ Roll that will get them noticed outside of the usual metal circles they travel in. Black N’ Roll is a pretty apt title for the music that Black River play, very much a rock n’ roll spirit, but without any sort of feigned innocence. The album is full of muscular groove, fast punk rhythms, shouted choruses and sing-a-long verses. The obvious punk influence in the title track would definitely not fly in their regular bands (Dimmu Borgir, Vesania, Behemoth and Rootwater) but it flows incredibly well with the straight ahead biker metal of ‘Isabel’ and the slower, groovier mood in ‘Breaking The Wall’.

I would have left out ‘Jumping Queeny Flash’ which is supposed to be a mash up of ‘God Save The Queen’ by the Sex Pistols and ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ by the Rolling Stones. I suppose it was included to give folks an idea of where the band was coming from, but it’s completely unnecessary (and not very good). I would have preferred another original, perhaps in the vein of lead off ass kicking, rump shaker, ‘Barf Bag’. I don’t think Black N’ Roll is meant to be incredibly serious (lyrics like “Never You No More Lie” are pretty telling) but it is a whole lot of fun. Overall, it’s an effective record for Black River allowing them to rock out and bring the fun to the listeners. The vocals of Taff (Rootwater) really capture the sleaze feel of the sunset strip biker bands but he beefs it up with an extra dose of jack and cigarette edge (think Danzig with less Elvis and more Lemmy) although his Polish accent does mangle the pronunciation of some of the lyrics.

I doubt Black River going to result in anyone leaving their main band, but Black N’ Roll will probably result in a lot of people pumping their fists out of car windows as they blast it on their stereos.

(Armoury Records)

Rating: 8

By Laina Dawes

This year, the annual music portion of the SXSW international music festival hosted a plethora of metal-related events, but the music panels were another story. This year was my third time presenting at SXSW and my first as part of the music portion and I was able to attend a number of music industry – related panels. I found that there were a dearth of panels related to the metal music scene, so I pitched a panel idea – Are Metalheads Smart Enough To Be Online? – but I wanted to let y’all know about Metalsucks.net contributor Corey Mitchell, who is pitching an interesting panel for the film component of the festival.

Mitchell is also a Los Angeles Times and Border International Group bestselling author of seven true crime books, is working on a biography on vocalist Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Superjoint Ritual, Down). He is a contributing writer for Bloodydisgusting.com and is a former blogger for the Discovery Channel’s Hollywood on Crime blog.We met via the SXSW Panel Picker site (which closes today at midnight, hint, hint) and I didn’t want to simply ask y’all to just check out his really cool pitch, but to keep an eye out on some really cool projects he is working on. Here is a quick Q&A:

Why (the genre) true crime? What about it compelled you?

I read HELTER SKELTER when I was nine and have never made it back from the dark side! There is something about ultimate evil that fascinates me and I am on a lifelong quest to unearth what causes it.

How did you first get involved in the metal scene? Were you a music journalist before you became a crime writer?

I have a bit of history before I became a writer. I was the college metal DJ at University of Texas from ’88-’90, a metal concert promoter in Austin during that same time, a band manager, and record label owner.

What bands did you work with?

I worked with several musicians who went on to careers in several well-known bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Rob Zombie, Danzig, Crazy Town, KMFDM, Prong, A Perfect Circle, etc. I also managed the industrial metal band 16 Volt from ’96-’98.

What you do like about metal blogging? Is it different beside the blogging you do for Bloody Disgusting – besides that it is focused on music?

I love to write about metal because it’s fun! It’s a great break from the murder and mayhem I surround myself with every day. Plus, I’m a lifelong metalhead and like it all from Ratt to Mekong Delta to Portal. I am the horror film festival blogger for Bloody Disgusting so my focus there is very narrow.

It’s funny, my “relaxation” tools consist of horror films and heavy metal. That should tell you something about the type of books I write.

How do you react to negative commenter’s on Metal Sucks?

I don’t care. Seriously, after managing bands and writing books, I have developed extremely thick skin over the years. There is almost nothing anyone could say to me that would upset me. I’ve read it all, seen it all, and lived it all and I don’t care. Life is far too short to worry about angry keyboard warriors.

I read on Metalsucks that you are working on a project with Phil Anselmo.

I am working with Philip on his book. We are currently in the proposal writing stage and hope to land a publishing deal with a major publishing house later this year.

Are there any specific areas about Anslemo’s life that will be focused on in the upcoming biography? Are there any areas that will be off limits?

Just like the man himself, Philip Anselmo’s autobiography will be a no-holds barred brutal assessment of one hell of a life. Some of the material Philip has passed along to me is so frank and visceral that it will make some readers close the book and not want to read on…for about 15 minutes. Then, they’ll be right back in it wanting more. You never know with a final manuscript what all will be included, but I can assure his fans that nothing is being ignored, conveniently forgotten about, etc. This will easily be the most honest, vicious, and in-your-face rock autobiography to come down the pike in years!

If all goes well, when can we expect his biography to come out?

Depending on our schedules, we hope to have the book turned in sometime in 2011 with a possible release date of late 2011/early 2012.

My panel outline (Music): Are Metalheads Smart Enough to be Online?

Corey Mitchell’s panel outline (Film): Reel Murder: Crime Scene to Big Screen

You can purchase Corey’s books through his Amazon page here

The 2011 SXSW Panel Picker closes at midnight tonight – Friday August 27. Go and vote!