>>Nostalgia For Infinity

Del.icio.us links for June 14th through June 25th:

» Read the rest of this entry «

Del.icio.us links for May 19th through May 21st:

» Read the rest of this entry «

Deathwish isn’t a label I’ve really followed over the years, as in my head I had it pegged as a repository of boring macho metalcore. But while it probably has had such bands on its roster at some point, it has also played host to hardcore luminaries like Cursed, Breather Resist, Modern Life Is War, I Hate You, Boysetsfire and Converge. The moral of the story, I guess, is that I’m kind of a fool.

Anyway, this album cropped up on a couple of best of 2009 lists I read last month so I picked up a copy, and hoooly shit this is some seriously pissed-off hardcore. Pardon the cliche, because I am really serious. The riffs and drums rain down like hammerblows, and their vocalist punctuates every bar with a snarling bullet of vitriol.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Collected via the Throatsofgold club, I have this record in grey vinyl (only 50 copies in the UK) as well as a limited CD edition (200 available) and the regular and promo CD releases. Yes, I’m boasting about this. I don’t normally go in for limited edition stuff and I am definitely not the sort of guy who is nerdy enough about records to collect vinyl in different colours. Still, I am rad stoked to have this release in a variety of formats, because it’s a sufficiently exciting release to feel like a landmark record.

Throats have been tearing shit up for several years now, and in recent years their split EPs with Maths and The_Network have garnered them praise from those in the know, as have their incendiary live performances. But with this self-titled EP (I really can’t call it an album; it’s 6 tracks and 17 minutes long) they’ve established themselves as a major force in UK hardcore.

For me the standout track is ‘Fuck Life’, which begins with thick, chunky hardcore punk riffs and speedy fret-walking, before seguing into even faster-paced black metal-esque guitar work and – towards the end – a blistering solo. This song is quickly followed by ‘Something Low This Way Comes’, deploying riffs that sound not unlike a more pissed-off Converge with some severely angry gang chants.

Four of the first five tracks leave you wanting more; they’re over so quickly, and use their best riffs and parts so sparingly, that the desire to replay the song is only trumped by the next hammerblow of crushing violence to impact your ears. The band are clearly well aware that less is more.

The final track, ‘Oaken/Wait’ stands out in contrast to the songs that preceded it. It’s a two-parter: ‘Oaken’ begins with a heavily distorted bass lick before kicking into the same speedy territory as its predecessors, and if anything it’s even faster – the kick drums ratcheting up the tempo, the guitars seemingly barely under control. It steadily downs pace into a neck-thrashing middle, which is where I reckon ‘Wait’ kicks in, more or less, before closing with a sparing, minimalist outro. Together with the drawn out and restrained opener ‘Wake’ it bookends the EP nicely and demonstrates that Throats aren’t only about playing at a breakneck pace… although that’s what they’re ultimately here to do.

I feel like I don’t really have the terminology to talk about metal, as my metal listening is pretty patchy so I lack reference points, and Throats are definitely coming from the metal side of things. But hopefully the above gives you some idea of just how fast, loud, angry and essential this record is to anyone who walks on the heavy side.

I’ve written about the independent comics publisher Big Head Press once before, indirectly, when I wrote about their excellent story La Muse. Their tagline is “thoughtful stories” and this was certainly true of La Muse, a comic in which a young woman with superpowers set about to change the world to something better.

They have recently concluded the story Odysseus the Rebel, which begins ten years after the fall of Troy. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s a re-imagining of the classic Odyssey with a distinct spin. Writer Steven Grant (an industry veteran, thought as a comics n00b I’m not that familiar with his work – he did a Punisher mini-series and has written for most of the major IP of the biggest comics companies in the last three decades) presents a much more cynical view of the great Greek heroes. Achilles and Ajax are simple-minded bullies, Agamemnon a selfish murderer, and Odysseus is a man determined to make his own way in life in defiance of what is demanded of him by higher powers. Following the fall of Troy, Odysseus’s fate tangles directly with vassals of Poseidon – god of the sea – who demands that Odysseus bend his knee to the will of the gods. Odysseus rejects him, refusing to willingly play a role as a mere pawn. And so begins an Odyssey quite distinct from the one you may be familiar with, in which the plots and power struggles of the Greek Pantheon, heroes and monsters play out in a manner not entirely expected.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Okay, okay. I’ve been terrible for the last few weeks. Without even the del.icio.us round-ups this blog’s been looking like a ghost town. Here’s the thing: I’ve been torn two ways between sleeping really badly (insomnia is no fun) and being really busy with the day job. I know no one reading this gives a rat’s ass about excuses, but that’s yer lot.

I also need to shake up what I’m spending my time on. Project 365! has been fun, but it’s also quite intense and I’m routinely leaving it a fortnight between posts. I think I’m going to knock that little experiment on the head unless anyone is really enjoying it. As in masturbating whilst reading and unable to achieve climax without an update. Project 52! I’ll probably keep going because it doesn’t require such regular updates, and this allows me to think a little deeper and write a little more broadly about the books I’ve read.

I’ve enjoyed the few music reviews I’ve done recently and I want to start doing more of those. Every time I listen to a new record or attend a show I’m thinking about what I can write about it. The actual writing it up part is a bit trickier, but I’ll work something out. Even if it means taking a little notepad to shows and looking like a bit of a dork.

Friday flash fiction: as you’ve no doubt seen there’s been very little of this for a while. I’m pleased that the few people who got back to me about ‘Funeral’ had positive things to say as that was an interesting one to write. Going back a bit further, however, to the week where I posted four stories in five days, I realised that I was pushing myself to achieve quantity rather than quality, and often I was writing up half-formed ideas. ‘Heralded By Iron’ isn’t even an idea: it’s a collection of vaguely cool images. I don’t want to be sharing sub-standard fiction. Or at least, sub-standard for my own meagre abilities.

So as far as the flashfic goes, I’ll post one up when I feel like writing one. No promises. I get the most readers and feedback for my short stories, though, so don’t think this is me abandoning the Glorious Experiment altogether.

I also want to get back into writing longer fiction. In fact I have a couple of novel ideas floating around that I’d like to try and make a start on. It’s been some time since I attempted a novel (not since ’07, I think). This is not even mentioning the dozens of longer short pieces that I need to rewrite and try to get published. Did I mention that I’m lazy and poorly motivated?

Here’s the plan: I’m not going to force myself to meet any sort of schedule. I react poorly to deadlines and very quickly grow to resent them. What I am going to do is write what I want, when I want, as often as I want. This may be a music review or flash fiction or a P52! post or even one of my intermittent political ragebursts, and you folks will see these. Or it may be some work on something longer, and you won’t see these, but if there’s something interesting about the creative process, my mistakes, or my successes, I will probably share these anecdotes. I may even write occasionally about my band, Wrecktheplacefantastic, because our new drummer has pretty much nailed all our old songs and we’re looking to write new material and start gigging again.

Sound fair?

Thanks to everyone who regularly visits this blog: you make it all worthwhile.

Del.icio.us links for March 16th:

» Read the rest of this entry «

Del.icio.us links for January 29th through January 30th:

» Read the rest of this entry «

It turns out that my review of The Mist went up last week – I was looking for it in the wrong section of the site. Sigh. Rookie error, eh?

You can read the full review here. The Dragon Quest review should be appearing tomorrow.