A Hidden Hand...of Love

I just found this dude's Twitter and I'm so stoked. Andrew W.K. is by far THE greatest artist of any generation. Granted the only record he made that's any good is "I Get Wet", it's absolute gold. I saw the video for "Party Hard" when I was a freshman and immediately fell in love. Everything from the nuances of the video to his album packing when I bought it later that week. Especially the album cover! Just as brutal as Pantera's "Vulgar Display of Power" except AWK hit himself in the face with a brick until he bled instead of paying some dude to get jacked in the fact with a meaty fist. Then he started blowing up and his other videos got lots of air time. "She Is Beautiful" showed AWK playing all the instruments and running through a house just rocking out. And his best video, "We Want Fun", is all out mayhem with the Jackass cast and fucking Butterbean. There's a scene where AWK is walking around with Butterbean on his shoulders. Now that's fucking metal. This song and video are the epitome of his style and message. Yes he wants everyone to party 'til they puke, but he's about more than that. He also embodies the ideas of self-affirmation and unnerving positivity in the face of any and all adversity. Seeing him live was a great way to experience this. I've only seen him twice. Once in IN for free and at the final US Hellfest in New Jersey. The Hellfest performance was one of the best things I've ever seen. Three thousand hardcore kids going absolutely batshit. There were two circle pits going, one clockwise the other counter-clock wise and everyone had someone on their shoulders giving high fives. The stage was full of people the entire time dancing, stage diving, grabbing for the mic, taking pictures, throwing beach balls, and then there was the inflatable party dolphin of death. Fucking Boston Beatdown tough guys were grabbing it and crowd surfing or "riding the bull" around the floor where everyone was dancing, two-stepping, HB strutting, taking their pants off and just generally loving life. I've never seen so much enthusiasm from so many people all focused one thing until that night. And all 3,000 people were focused on one thing: having fun. When was the last time any of you saw that? I also have to mention that AWK headlined that day's performances and direct support on the bill for him was Mest. Those poor pop-punk poser pussies. I, as well as 20-30 other people were throwing water/soda bottles at them (some full, some empty) their whole set beckoning them to fucking go home so we could see AWK. If there were more than ten people (i.e. pubescent girls and their boyfriends) there actually enjoying the set I'd have felt bad, but of course no one felt any remorse.
What does this have to do with anything? Well it's getting to be the time of year for holidays and parties. And with AWK being a mainstay for Halloween costumes and New Year's soundtracks I'm posting his best work for everyone to really start their parties raging. I've uploaded 90 percent of "I Get Wet" (the two or three filler songs I don't like have been omitted), the original version of "We Want Fun" from the Girls Own Juice EP, the first two tracks off his second full-length "The Wolf" (Victory Strikes Again and Long Live the Party) which both sound like they belong more on his first album and finally his contribution to the Aqua Teen movie soundtrack "Party, Party, Party" which is also in a hilarious Aqua Teen episode with a montage and a raging animated Andrew himself.
I've also just found out he did an entire cover album of the original Gundam soundtrack for it's 30th year anniversary, which is fucking balls. The first few incarnations of the Gundam series are classic slices of no only anime but good t.v. in general. Speaking of which I'd love to point out his DVD "Who Knows" is fantastic. It covers his performances from like two years of him touring. He spliced together all kinds of fan recorded footage of his worldwide tours including right when "The Wolf" came out and he broke his foot on stage on night and then finished that tour cycle in a wheelchair! And it has some amazing footage of his Furnace Fest performance, which I imagine would have been amazing if I could have went. Fucking HUM reunion for christ's sake.

This is where the link usually goes but the internet connection I'm using right now is worse than a fermented offal discharge, so when everything finishes you'll be able to party hardy.

From Soft to Hard

I bought this slice of hardcore gold when I was a sophomore in high school from Used Kids and I downloaded it from here. And the first thing I have to say is everyone should go to the 7inchpunk link and read the story about how this was recorded, it's good shit. It also might be one of the most DIY things ever done outside of Black Flag pushing the school bus they took on tour. As for the music, you get two songs of 90's style youth crew hardcore. The band name is from a DYS song and there are a couple of dudes from Chain of Strength in this band so you know at least this isn't a mediocre band wasting wax. There are all kinds of little things I dig about these song, but they're all standard hardcore cliches, like the gnarly gang vocals for instance. But a lot of the things that make this music simple and standardized are the thing I enjoy the most about it. And in all honesty, a little energy can go a long way and these guys have that shit amped up to 11.


"I won't fucking turn away!"

From Soft to Hard

This is going to be a new regular "feature". When I buy an album on vinyl(maybe a CD (less likely) or a cassette) of something I already have digitally I will post it on here and take it off of my iPod. This is significant for me as I'll be able to fully enjoy those songs the way they are intended. I'm also going to post a bunch of stuff I have both vinyl and digital copies of just for fun.

I ordered the Krallice LP three weeks ago and was finally able to pay for and bring home today. If this was a CD I would have probably worn it out at work and in transit to and from. I've already posted a song by these guys and here's another one. It's a way faster song with all kinds of peaks throughout instead of a huge build up at the end like "Forgiveness In Rot". No matter what I'm doing, riding my bike, cleaning the house, or stabbing people in the chest this songs rising and falling crescendos never fails to pump me up. No fan of extreme metal will be able to resist head bobs and/or foot tapping. The vinyl copy of this sounds so raw which sort of clashes with the upbeat, shredding and severely epic songs on it. But this juxtaposition is very pleasing to me, the dichotomy of ugly and beautiful and there are so many happening in this track. The aggressive but melodic guitars; the smooth bass carving out grooves of bestial low end destruction.
On a related note I get to see Dysrhythmia Sunday night. I think I'm going to talk Colin Marston's head off about this band (maybe an interview?) and then I'll try to be that awesome guy to feed the band and let them stay at my house. Regardless, I'm stoked to see that dude doing what he loves with a rad band. I saw him in Behold...the Arctopus with Mouth of the Architect and Intronaut last year, and needless to say, that was sweet.

Krallice also has a new album coming out 11/10. I'm not going to do all the details, the internet press has them already. I'm sure it will be worth all the hype.

"Black as in evil and darkness."

Songs to Break TVs To

As the title says, here are some songs guaranteed to make you want to punch your mom right in the fucking face with a tv.
This is some older Ringworm. Fucking classic Cleveland hardcore from the 90's. These guys shared members with Integrity, so there's a good reference point to start at. It's metallic, thrashing hardcore full of vehemence and spite. Human Furnace has really distinct vocals that really lets his abhorrence at humanity seethe out in the lyrics. This is hateful music by mean dudes. They've been "banned" in various clubs for the insane antics at their shows. When I was in high school they played with Terror and Full Blown Chaos for free at a shithole called Bernie's in Columbus where 2x4's were being taken out of ceiling and used as a mosh prop, to scary results. So it's obvious that Ringworm fans are raging alcoholic meatheads. Tough guy hardcore at it's finest. In fact Frank 3 Gun is the guitar player for hatebreed now, so these guys are on the back burner which I find totally disappointing. I know he makes way more money now, but just in a band that hasn't been good since "Perseverance" came out, and that's being nice. These guys also have been fucked by the long Victory Records dick. Tony Brummel has one of the best bands his label ever signed still on his label but he won't do anything with them. The press for their last two albums was fucking pitiful and their American tours were small. I can only hope some miracle happens and these guys gain their rightful place in the hardcore "limelight".


Birth is fucking PAIN!

I saw Bane on Wednesday with Foundation and a couple of local bands. It was fucking awesome. Hopefully I'll have a post about it soon.

Keep It Mean

I've been having a shitty couple of days mentally. I can barely pay rent, I eat once a day if I'm lucky, I have no heat/cold air in my apartment during this season change etc. Am I being a whiny bitch about the whole situation? Maybe. But all this sulking has made me full of hate right now so I've been combing through some Cd's (yeah, I own a few) and I found this gem. I bought this at the only show I ever saw the Cursed play, and it was the first time I'd ever heard of them. I saw them play after Daughters and before Most Precious Blood (who never showed, van problems) and American Nightmare (GUtG). By far the most intense set of the night was from Cursed. No one moved, everyone just stared. I think partially because most people had never heard these four Canadians before. It was just so intense. They played every song on the CD with ferocity and energy. And somehow they managed to have fun, every band member was smiling and just rocking the fuck out.
I'm sure everyone already knows who Chris Calohan and two other Cursed members from The Swarm or possibly Ruination and Left For Dead. But apparently someone from Haymaker was in this band too, which I didn't know. But it helps explain the rancor and acrimony pouring out of this album. This kind of picks up where The Swarm left off, or another good comparison is His Hero Is Gone. There's a fair share of droning instrumentals but this is mostly crusty hardcore album and less of a spiteful hardcore record like previously. I feel like previous bands were a much more youthful and hate filled version of something like Sheer Terror while Cursed had grown into it's own entity (Disclaimer: I heard Cursed before the other 9 bands these guys were in) of seething, pounding fucking rocking hardcore.
I should also point out that "Guilt Parade" is a Swarm cover, so you get 9 originals, a cover and an instrumental track.

Turn the dollar, dig the hole deeper, regret as you get another year older...."But tomorrow's another day", that's what the hopeless say.