http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sat, 28 Oct 2006 12:41:00 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/28/124100.php Chris PuzakRonnie James Dio will be doing some live shows with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward under the name Heaven and Hell early in 2007. While Dio-era Sabbath may not be as popular as the Ozzy material, Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, and Dehumanizer are still excellent albums and I'm thrilled the band has decided to play these songs again. I like the Ozzy years of Black Sabbath as much as the next guy, but it would be nice to hear the band play something besides "War Pigs", "Paranoid", and "Iron Man". Ozzy Osbourne's camp issued a statement declaring tthis reunion has "nothing to do with Black Sabbath," although I suspect the statement actually comes from Sharon Osbourne, who seems to have a problem with Ronnie James Dio. The statement also mentions a new studio Black Sabbath album with Ozzy coming in 2007, although considering there have been rumors of Ozzy recording a new album with Sabbath since the early '90s, I doubt this alleged album is going to be recorded any time soon. Heavn and Hell may not bring in the crowds that Ozzfest does, but considering how Ozzy's stage performance has deteriorated in recent years, this may be many fans' only chance to see Black Sabbath with a front man who actually remembers the lyrics to the songs. No tour dates have been released yet, but having seen Dio in concert a couple of years ago, I can tell you this is sure to be a real treat. Music54972@blogcritics.org Sat, 28 Oct 2006 12:41:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/06/08/223156.php Chris PuzakIt’s not been officially released, but according to a story on Blabbermouth.net, Metallica aired their first new song since St. Anger at a concert in Berlin, Germany. The article contains several links where you can download the song. It’s an audience recording, but the sound quality is pretty good. There’s no title, and the band hasn’t finished working on it yet, but you do get to hear about eight minutes of new Metallica music.My first impression is that it’s better than anything on St. Anger, if only for the fact that Kirk Hammett has been allowed to play guitar solos again. However, I keep hoping the band will return to their thrash metal roots, and once again, I was disappointed. Then again, I think the last really great song Metallica recorded was “The God That Failed”, so listen for yourself. The song would fit pretty well on either Load or Reload, although in its current form it’s a bit more aggressive than anything on those albums. There are parts of this song they definitely have potential, and hopefully producer Rick Rubin will be able to help the band separate the music wheat from the chaff, something which was sorely needed with St. Anger. Hopefully, the band will find it within themselves to release something that can hold its own against their first four albums. If not, well, Slayer has a new album coming out soon, too. Music48992@blogcritics.org Thu, 8 Jun 2006 22:31:56 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/17/004225.php Chris PuzakWith bands like Cryptic Slaughter and Wehrmacht broken up, D.R.I. seemingly only interested in touring, and Corrosion of Conformity finding more satisfaction as a Molly Hatchet tribute band, America could use a band to pick up the fallen bandana of crossover metal. But who will step up to the challenge of recreating the glory days? Can any band skateboard into our hearts the same way Excel and Suicidal Tendencies did? It seems Municipal Waste are going to give it their best shot. The band's appeared on split releases with Crucial Unit and Bad Acid trip and released the impressive EP Waste 'Em All in 2003. Now they've returned with their first full length album and best offering to date, Hazardous Mutation. Hazardous Mutation delivers 16 tracks of blistering thrash metal in 26 minutes. There's nothing particularly new here, especially if you're a longtime metal fan, but the music is delivered with such enthusiasm and ferocity that you'll want to start a circle pit about three seconds into the first song. And while you're moshing it up, be sure to take a peek at the CD booklet, so you can enjoy the hilarious lyrics to songs like "Thrashin' of the Christ", "Guilty of Being Tight", "Terror Shark", and "The Thing", a tribute to the John Carpenter film. The whole package is topped off with a cover painted by Ed Repka, who contributed cover art to such classic albums as Peace Sells...But Who's Buying and Leprosy. And while Hazardous Mutation may not be quite as good as those albums, it can certainly hold its own against many of the classics. Municipal Waste may not be the most original band in the world, but if you're still trying to recover from the trauma of listening to the new Nuclear Assault album, they're a dream come true. Music39659@blogcritics.org Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:42:25 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/03/125234.php Chris PuzakAlthough normally I would view reunion albums with some skepticism, the 80s thrash metal revival has yielded some pretty impressive albums. Exodus' Tempo of the Damned was one of the finest works of their career. Destruction's various releases over the past few years have pretty managed to make everyone forget about the sonic abortion that was Cracked Brain. Death Angel's the Art of Dying was pretty snazzy too. If you're feeling nostalgic for the days when metal bands wore Bermuda shorts, it's a good time to be alive. When I first heard Nuclear Assault were doing a new album, I was excited. Although the band was never enormously popular, they put out some pretty solid albums. Their 1989 album Handle with Care is a criminally underrated masterpiece. Unfortunately the band ran out of steam and ideas with the Out of Order album. Then came Something Wicked, which was so bad it made Out of Order look good by comparison. By the time the band broke up, not many people cared. Still, I always thought that it was sad the band just sort of faded away and never really came up with fitting finale for their career. So, I regarded Third World Genocide as a chance for them to make up for their missteps in the early 90s. Well, file this one under missed opportunities of the century, because this album is awful. It's bad enough that John Connelly's voice is shot to hell, but even worse is the fact that the rest of the band has pretty mush lost their ability to thrash. The first four songs on this album are plodding, lifeless affairs, but they are downright brilliant compared to "Whine and Cheese". I think the band was trying to go for some sort of punk rock song here, but they ended up creating the audio equivalent of an Abu Gharib naked-man pyramid. It's that awful. Things pick up a bit with "Exoskeletal", one of the few songs on the album that did not make me want to vomit blood. However, it's a pretty weak track compared to their earlier material. And then things rapidly go downhill again with the inane "Hockey Song" and country/western track "Long Haired Asshole". The album was so bad, that after I was done with it I immediately listened to it again because I was convinced that no Nuclear Assault album could possibly be that bad. I was right the first time around. If there has been a more disappointing album released in 2005, I haven't heard it. Bassist Dan Lilker is currently in two excellent projects (Venomous Concept and Crucifist), so I'm stunned that he willingly took part in this nonsense. Third World Genocide sounds like it was concocted over a weekend in an attempt to bilk unsuspecting fans out of their money because someone in the band was having trouble paying his rent. Hopefully, the band will break up again soon before they embarrass themselves further. Music38997@blogcritics.org Thu, 3 Nov 2005 12:52:34 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/08/03/003431.php Chris PuzakThe new Dissection album isn't done yet, but the band's web page is hosting rough mixes of two new songs "Starless Aeon" and "Xeper I Set". You can download them here and here These songs are the first new material from the band since the release of Last year's single "Maha Kali". The song was not well received by many black metal fans, and for good reason: it was an awful song that bore little resemblance to the Dissection of old. The new songs are slightly better, although anyone expecting anything like "Where Dead Angels Lie" or "Son of the Mourning" should prepare to be disappointed. In fact, the new material sounds like pretty much every other melodic Gothenburg death metal band. Whereas Dissection was once at the forefront of black metal, they are now just a second-rate clone of Soilwork. Granted, these are early versions of the songs, and perhaps the the new album will be better than I'm expecting, but right now I think there's little hope that Dissection will be able to recapture past glories. Music33570@blogcritics.org Wed, 3 Aug 2005 00:34:31 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/18/003607.php Chris PuzakJada Pinkett Smith and her band Wicked Wisdom, described in this MTV News article as a "Christian-leaning rock and soul hybrid" have been added to this year's second stage line-up. Metal fans will no doubt be delighted to learn that the band was the opening act for Britney Spears' 2004 European tour. I'm sure bands like Mastodon and The Haunted are worried about being be blown off the stage by these ferocious headbangers. Now, I can't say that I've heard Wicked Wisdom, but if this article is any indication they don't seem like a really good fit for Ozzfest. Now, maybe I'm wrong and there are some Ozzfest attendees out there who want to hear Jada Pinkett Smith sing about growing up with Tupac Shakur and how young girls should feel good about themselves. After all, people have gone to Ozzfest in previous years and actually paid money to subject themselves to the music of Limp Bizkit and Korn, so there's no accounting for taste. Still, I can't see this going over well, although I'm sure many people will have a great time throwing things at the band. Music29666@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 May 2005 00:36:07 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/04/05/001929.php Chris PuzakIf Ted Nugent and I ever met, I'm sure our conversation would consist of long, awkward pauses, much clearing of the throat, some uncomfortable silence, and maybe a few mumbled words about his music. On my part that is.Ted Nugent would no doubt spend the whole time whooping and hollering before shooting me and then hauling my carcass off to be turned into beef jerky. And yet for some reason I think I'd be OK with that.Ted Nugent and I don't have a lot in common. Ted enjoys hunting for his food, and I enjoy microwaving mine. Ted likes the outdoors, and I hope that mankind completely ruins the atmosphere so we all have to move into huge underground cities. Ted's also into God now, and Jesus and I had a falling out over Him constantly leaving his dirty dishes in the sink. Yet, I find myself drawn to his music.There's something about the guitar soloing of a demented redneck that speaks to something deep within my soul. When I found out Ted Nugent would be playing a show in Philadelphia, I was powerless to resist his rustic charms.I feel awkward and uncomfortable almost everywhere I go, yet I felt particularly out of place at the Trocadero a few weeks ago. As one of the few people in attendance without a mullet or camouflage ensemble, I felt like an impostor. If anyone there had known that I was taping Gilmore Girls so I could watch it after the concert, I probably would have been shot on the spot. Ted Nugent's co-headliner for the tour, Toby Keith, was not appearing at this date. Which is just as well, as I have a very low tolerance for country music. But the lack of an opening act meant there was a lot of standing around before Ted actually graced us with his presence.Finally, the strains of Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful"could be heard through the Trocadero's speakers. I had heard that back in the 70s Ted Nugent used to take the stage by swinging on a rope a la Tarzan, but it seems he doesn't do that anymore. Instead he came out waving an American flag and playing "The Star Spangled Banner". Then he started playing "Snakeskin Cowboys", which was just as rockin' as it is on vinyl. In the middle of the song he started talking about how the song was dedicated to "real, American cowboys", in this case the various branches of the armed forces and George W. Bush (How the Bush family went from being the epitome of Rockefeller Republicans to authentic residents of the heartland, I'll never know).The crowd cheered wildly; considering what a heavily Democratic town Philadelphia is, this was probably the largest collection of Republicans in the city since the 2000 national convention. These were proud conservatives - fans of hard work, traditional values, and the idea that Ann Coulter's Adam's apple is just a figment of the imagination. And they were all absolutely nuts for Ted Nugent.Ted was just getting warmed up. He played classics like "Wango Tango", "Free for All", and "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" with the kind of ferocity and enthusiasm you'd expect from a man half his age. His trademark stage banter was also present, although to tell you the truth I didn't really understand much of what he was talking about."You can't do that in France!" he exclaimed after one song, an assertion I would have to disagree with, as France has not banned rock music. And I could swear he yelled "Remember the Alamo!" before playing "Stormtroopin'", which would make sense if "Stormtroopin'"had anything to do with the Alamo. Ted Nugent may rock out in a drug- and alcohol-free manner, but he really manages to live up to his Motor City Madman appellation.He played some new songs, which I wasn't all that familiar. Most of them sounded pretty good though, especially the ones from his latest album Craveman. But most people were there for the old stuff, which he stuck to for most of the show.Ted also talked about how much he loved America, but he was wearing a Confederate flag shirt for part of the show, which would suggest while he loves our country, he wants to secede from it as well. He was also wearing a camouflage cowboy hat, perhaps an indication he would like to join a tribe of pro-slavery Ents. His most overtly political statements, however, came during the song "Kiss my Ass", in which he spewed bile at John Kerry, Michael Moore, and pretty much every other liberal in the country (not to be confused with his new song "Stand", which features some truly dumb lyrics, even for Ted Nugent).Then he shot an arrow at a cardboard cutout of Saddam Hussein. I was hoping he was going to shoot a flaming arrow or maybe use some of the guns he had lying around on stage, but no such luck. Still, it's nice to see someone supporting the beleaguered cardboard-cutout-of-Saddam Hussein industry.Nugent finished his almost two hour show with "Cat Scratch Fever", "Stranglehold", and "Great White Buffalo", all of which were completely awesome. There were a couple older songs I was hoping he'd play, but overall it was a really good show. It did bother me, however, that some guy yelled at me for me for wearing earplugs. Since when is tinnitus a sign of manliness?Ted Nugent takes a lot of flack for being uncouth and uncivilized, and he certainly seems to revel in his redneckery. Then again, I live in a town where public urination is an enormously popular activity, so I'm not in a position to judge. I don't share Nugent's enthusiasm for hunting, and I still have a difficult time believing the same man who once legally adopted a 17-year-old girl so he could have sex with her is really all that committed to family values.In Ted's defense, she was really hot, but still, that's not what Jesus would do. But I do believe that Ted Nugent is a consummate showman and can still put on a great concert. Ted and I may not have much to say to each other, but I will go to my grave as one of his fans. Music27751@blogcritics.org Tue, 5 Apr 2005 00:19:29 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/02/000407.php Chris PuzakAfter 16 years and a plethora of albums, the Swedish symphonic metal band Therion is finally doing a U.S. tour. No word on how many additional musicians they're bringing with them aside from the four core members, but their shows are sure to be a treat. The band has the confirmed dates up on their web page. Music25004@blogcritics.org Wed, 2 Feb 2005 00:04:07 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/12/23/005644.php Chris PuzakSlayer is one the world's most popular and influential heavy metal bands, so it's a little surprising that their home video material has been so unimpressive. 1995's concert video Live Intrusion showcased a lackluster performance, and 2003's War at the Warfield was similarly underwhelming. If you've ever seen Slayer in concert, you know that when the band is firing on all cylinders, they are absolutely devastating. For a band known for its amazing concerts as well as a truly awesome live album Decade of Aggression, the substandard home videos have been very frustrating. However, Still Reigning goes a long way to fixing the problem. It's still not a perfect DVD, but it is by far the best home video release Slayer has ever done. The DVD was filmed on one of the band's recent tours, in which their played their classic Reign in Blood album in its entirety. Although I don't have any real quarrel with Slayer's recent concert set lists (except for the stubborn insistence on playing "Stain of Mind", even though it's easily one of the weakest songs they've ever done), it's nice to be able to hear the band play forgotten classics like "Piece by Piece" and "Epidemic". For the finale, the band is showered with a rain of fake blood, which looks kind of cool, although not worth the amount of hype that it's received. Yes, blood actually rains on Slayer. So what? The music is the real draw here. What is really nice about this DVD is that unlike Live Intrusion and War at the Warfield, the band puts on a great show. On previous releases they sounded kind of sloppy and tired; here, they're actually putting forth some effort. There's nothing like actually seeing Slayer live, but not since Decade of Aggression have they released something that comes close to reproducing the experience. To top things off, a documentary about the band has also been included on the DVD. All four members get a chance to talk abut the band, and we get to see the preparations for the show. It's nothing spectacular, although it is much, much better than the idiotic "Fans Rule" documentary on War at the Warfield. Although I like the DVD, I still a few complaints. For one thing, it's missing part of the show. The live rendition of Reign in Blood was the encore of the show; why not include the rest of it. Five other songs from the show are included as "bonus tracks", but it simply doesn't make any sense to not include the rest of them. Or why not just throw in an old concert from the Reign in Blood tour; I'm sure they could scrounge something up. With all the material that could have gone on this DVD, there's no excuse for the band not to include it. After War at the Warfield and last year's rather pathetic excuse for a box set, it's difficult to get excited about any new releases from Slayer. However, Still Reigning is the first quality release from the band in some time. It's not perfect, but at only 15 dollars, it's definitely a DVD any Slayer fan should consider purchasing. Music23565@blogcritics.org Thu, 23 Dec 2004 00:56:44 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/09/23/014107.php Chris PuzakExhumed is one of my favorite death metal bands, and I don't just say that because one of the band members vomits on stage during live performances. Exhumed is not some wimpy Gothenberg band, awash in clean vocals, keyboards, and a shimmering Bon Jovi-like production in a play for mainstream acceptance. Instead, the band delivers up raw, brutal death metal that recalls the glory days of bands like Carcass and Autopsy. The band has been extremely prolific over the past decade or so, and while their full-length albums are easy enough to find, they have a great deal of material that's not too easy to get a hold of. Until now. Platters of Splatter is billed as "A Cyclopedic Symposium of Execrable Errata and Abhorrent Apocrpha". Or, put simply, this is a collection of Exhumed's numerous non-album releases. And what a collection it is. The compilation contains the songs from the In the Name of Gore split CD with Hemdale, tracks from the bands' numerous other split release with bands like Nyctophobic and Santiy's Dawn, and the band's early demo tapes Horrific Explusion of Gore, Grotesque Putrified Brains, and Dissecting the Caseated Omentum. There are a total of 56 songs, with very few duplicates. And honestly, who's going to complain about about having multiple versions of "Carneous Corneal Carbonization", "Vagitarian , or "Oozing Rectal Feast"? Certainly not me. To top it all off, you get the band's covers of songs from King Diamond, Sarcofago, Impetigo, Carcass, and Possessed. When it's all said and done, the listener is treated to over 2 ½ hours of truly excellent death metal. Although it's not on sale on Amazon, the truly obsessed can try eBay for the special three-disc version of Platters of Splatter. It contains some unreleased versions of songs, a live radio session, and a cover of Venom's "Schizo" as well as an amusing cover of Madonna's "Material Girl" recorded on a karaoke machine at Six Flags. The third disc isn't quite as strong as the first two, but it's still a nice treat for the die-hard Exhumed fan. Exhumed has pretty much hit a career high with their latest full-length album Anatomy is Destiny, so the material found on Platters of Splatter isn't the band at their absolute best. But it comes damn close. I would say it's worth buying simply for the tracks from In the Name of Gore, but there's so much high quality material here that you really can't go wrong. If you're a fan of death metal, then you simply must own this collection Music20161@blogcritics.org Thu, 23 Sep 2004 01:41:07 EDT