Banging the head that does not bang

[southofheavy]

New Ulcerate album, Shrines of Paralysis, is out today.

And, naturally, it's fucking awesome.

[Curt McGirt]

On 10/24/2016 at 0:34 PM, Death From Above said:

There's something extra about rock shows in South America that makes me feel like never being at one is a loss of a life experience.

 

 

You just reminded me of the part in the Flight 666 documentary where the guy catches Nicko's drumstick and completely breaks down in tears as a result. Just thinking about it makes me a little misty. 

[Curt McGirt]

This album, turns out, is awesome. And its artwork is fantastically creepy to boot. In moments one can think that it should've been the third in line in Overkill's discography after Taking Over. 

[Curt McGirt]

While y'all are geeking out over that Metallica I'm geeking out over this. The whole album is on Youtube and I just let it run through, it's so good.

[Curt McGirt]

Some misanthropy for your Saturday

[Curt McGirt]

 

On the 26th day 26 years ago this was recorded. Hail to Dead and Euronymous, RIP

[Curt McGirt]

Well damn, I went all December without a single post here? Let's rectify that with an album from 2016 that I've been begging to hear until it finally hit Youtube. Now if only I could find it on Soulseek, or someone in the US would actually sell it -- I'd even buy a CD for a change! The legendary Mortem from Peru:

 

[Curt McGirt]

In a drastic constrast in styles, the two metal albums I got in the mail today (the punk ones were Black Flag - The First Four Years and The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette -- still different but not as far removed as these) were:

and

Yep. BTW, that otter-man whatever thingamamascot of Riot's is way creepier to look at real big on vinyl. And it's a painting?! I kinda feel like Stewie on Family Guy freaking out over the cover to Queen's News of the World when I look at it, only not as strong of a reaction. 

[Brian Fowler]

Last two metal albums I got on vinyl are Technical Ecstasy and The Devil You Know.

[Curt McGirt]

Dammit, I really want Technical Ecstasy. But then I still don't have Sabotage and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (in order of preference) on vinyl either so hey, first thing's first. 

Of course because I'm getting paid tomorrow my addiction went into overdrive and I ordered Candlemass - Nightfall, Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, and Witchfinder General - Death Penalty (!) on LP today. They're all going to befit the current winter season so I can't really say it's a bad thing.

[Brian Fowler]

That gives me the first seven. I got it used for twelve bucks at a new record store that just opened this past weekend.

I guess that means I should try to get Never Say Die. I'm hoping that the recentish Deluxe Editions of the first three on vinyl and the A Decade of Dio vinyl box set have sold well enough that Warner/Rhino will issue the three Dio era Sabs deluxe editions on vinyl (especially Mob Rules because the bonus LP would be the amazing Live at the Hammersmith Odeon which is absurdly expensive on vinyl)

[Curt McGirt]

Oh man, I've never heard that Hammersmith recording. AND I don't have Mob Rules on LP either; it was actually something I asked my best friend to try and find for me for my birthday but it was probably way out of his price range after he looked it up on Discogs. He ended up getting me Blood Fire Death by Bathory so I can't complain. Those deluxe editions are the double LP sets, right? He was thinking about dipping his toe in the water and grabbing those (he's a Sabbath newbie -- a punk guy getting into metal still) but the price turned him off. 

Sabotage should be in my back room right now and I have no clue why not. It's probably my favorite next to Vol. 4. Or Paranoid. Or Master. Or Heaven and Hell. It all depends on the day really

[Curt McGirt]

In addition to those last three records I've now got THESE coming from my old buddy Mike (Zuul/High Spirits). Fucking pay day makes me splurge every time

Spoilered for badly painted nudity and Satanic sacrifice

Spoiler

Overlook the art on this, it's an incredibly classy '80s metal record, one of the top of the entire decade. Builds in quality to a hell of a crescendo. "Light of a Torch" is magnificent. 

This is the middle album between the direly dark slowness of Worship Him and the build to electro-dom of the still amazing Ceremony of Opposites. The production is as dry as the crust in the corners of your eyes in the morning and makes it even darker. The bass solo at the end of "Macabre Operetta" is so pretty it will clear that crust right out. 

 

[Brian Fowler]

The deluxe editions are double LPs, but thus far they've only released Self-Titled, Paranoid and Master of Reality on vinyl. I've got my fingers crossed that they've sold well enough, and the Dio set has sold well enough, to get the Dio ones issued.

As a side note, the albums that got the CD deluxe editions is really a weird set. The first three Ozzy, all three Dio, then Born Again, Seventh Star and Eternal Idol. (Technically Past Lives and Live Evil as well, but the first one is identical to the previous CD release, and the latter to any other double disc version but at least it replaced the severely trimmed single disc.)

Anyway, the Hammersmith set was the second disc of the CD deluxe Mob Rules. It's a triple LP though, so I'm not sure they'd actually go through with it even if they did want to issue the deluxe editions. I'm yet to find anyone selling the vinyl for less than a hundred bucks though, so I'm really hoping. I'd kill for a vinyl version of the Rules of Hell boxset with Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Live Evil, Dehumanizer, all the deluxe edition stuff, and maybe a 7" with the three original tracks from the Dio years.

I'd also really like Spitfire/Sanctuary/whoever to issue the remaining four DIO albums on vinyl, just so I could have all ten. Right now I have eleven albums with Dio on vocals in my vinyl collection, only the four Liverpool lads occupy more space in my collection.

[Brian Fowler]

Oh, and I think all the editions of Jane Live by Converge on vinyl are going to sell out before I get paid, goddammit

[Curt McGirt]

I could go for a copy of Holy Diver on LP for sure. That Rules of Hell boxset just makes me drool reading about it, wow. Matter of fact, I could also go for another copy of Black Sabbath's first (my copy was given to me from a friend and it's seriously beat to shit) and Live Evil (which was one I snagged from a buddy at a record store for free because it had water damage or something that ripped up the whole top of the gatefold). As far as the amounts of a single band in my collection go, it'd have to be BOC; I have everything, studio and live, up until The Revolution By Night (yuck).

If Jane Live shows up at one of our local joints I'll let you know. Seems like something one of them would get in stock. 

[Curt McGirt]

Oh and thankfully my Dio Rainbow collection got completed last year! 

[Brian Fowler]

I have Rainbow the Polydor Years box set that gives me all of his except Live in Munich. And I have the A Decade of Dio box set (Holy Diver, The Last In Line, Sacred Heart, Dream Evil, Lock Up the Wolves, Strange Highways and a 7" with Time to Burn and the radio edit of Evil Eyes) along with having just got Heaven & Hell The Devil You Know.

Christ I love Ronnie James Dio.

[Curt McGirt]

I suppose! A lot of his solo albums are a blind spot for me. I bought The Last in Line when I was a kid but never ventured beyond that, and still, sadly, don't have Dehumanizer. All the same he is legitimately my favorite singer of all time -- period. (The runners up would be Rob Halford, Udo Dirkschneider, and King Diamond, if anyone wants to know. Yes, I am a freak)

Of course none of them are Freddie Mercury but then, who is?

[Brian Fowler]

I will begrudgingly admit Freddie was a better singer, but Dio is definitely hands down my number 1 favorite.

[Brian Fowler]

As for Dio the band, while there are some isolated really good songs, the stuff in-between Sacred Heart (or maybe Dream Evil if you really dig them) and Magica is awfully thin. The first three are classics, Magica was a shockingly great return to form, and I quite like Killing the Dragon and Master of the Moon. The rest... I'd definitely say stream them before you buy. 90's Dio trying to stay relevant is not his strong suit. 

[Ryan]

The first post says hardcore, so I suppose this can go here.

 

[Curt McGirt]

Works for me

Excellent lyrics there. 

[Brian Fowler]

Had a little more money than I thought, managed to get Jane Live preordered with the last edition not already sold out. Big win!

[Curt McGirt]

More wax in the mail yesterday, this time a thrash double-feature

Yes, Dave Lombardo might be the best thrash drummer ever, but the 1.B to his 1.A is Gene Hoglan (who, incidentally, got Lombardo to use double bass in the first place). And speaking of double bass this might be the best ever example of it. 

Canada's criminally underrated Razor. I might favor Malicious Intent and Evil Invaders over Violent Restitution, but it's been a favorite ever since I bought it at a pawn shop as a kid. Same place I found Voivod's Dimension Hatross and Nothingface, incidentally

Oh, and Sleep's Holy Mountain which I never bought for some reason. Which as it turns out, despite making the film Gummo iconic for me, wasn't really all that.