This is one of the albums of 2012 I really waited for, but on the other hand I was kind of afraid of. When Twiggy Ramirez was often quoted as saying “It’s our best record yet, I think. I mean, everyone always says that, but I think this is our best work so far… It’s kind of like a little more of a punk rock “Mechanical Animals” without sounding too pretentious.”, and since the previous “The High End of Low” it’s an almost four years gap, the expectations are pretty high. “No Reflection” kind of scared me further because it doesn’t actually sound pretty convincing, although it’s a quite fair Rock track.
So, “Hey, Cruel World…” just set things right, it’s a huge Manson sound like (almost) anthem and even the following “No Reflection” make more sense now, still don’t know why it was picked to be the leading single of the album while it’s almost one of the weakest track of it. Or maybe this is the reason. Or simply there is no reason. And well, no weak tracks, boring moments on this album. Read more Marilyn Manson – Born Villain (2012)
Bang – my head! Free on-line game, play now!
I wouldn’t even think of, not to believe it: I’ve become a figure (face, actually head 😀 ) in a game. F*ckingunbelievable!
It all started with the Weekly Brief of February 22, 2012 on Indaba Music, for which I submitted an ironic track called “Bang [The weirdest party I ve ever been]” – while the task was to submit something defined as”the best party jam”. Said “ironic” because I’m quite convinced that some people up there (Mantis actually 😆 ) fucking hates me and generally I do not belong in this (so-called music) industry while I’m (still) interested in music and not in kissing asses and delivering tasteless, predictable, boring, trend following… products.
Anyway, JohnnySix asked me if it would be fine with me if he make a video for this track, and of course I said, go for it.
But he didn’t make it. He did something better! Read more Bang – my head! Free on-line game, play now!
Slide On Venus – Topless (2012)
Blending genres and styles, Slide On Venus find their own. Alban De Luca – Guitar & Vocals, Victor Malé – Bass & Vocals, Thibault Malé – Guitar & Vocals and Mathias Perles – Drums & Vocals, find the perfect balance between a gentle part of melodic and catchy Pop and the energy of the Indie Rock spiced with a tasty part of Post-Grunge feeling. The opening title track of their debut album, “Topless” simply explode in your face.
The parallels with bands such as Biffy Clyro and Foo Fighters are obvious, but this French quartet from Besançon added their own approach to it and this debut album flow in the right groove from the very first beat till the… last drop. Read more Slide On Venus – Topless (2012)
Chris Quirk – District One, EP (2012)
I googled Chris Quirk, but it’s like googling John Doe, half of the planet seems to use this name, so it did not get me any further and without any other available background information, I left with this two tracks plus two remixes of the title track.
The energy is captivating, the sound is fat, modern, almost contorted, not that typical and absolutely tasteless all the same “boom boom” s*it. Actually “District One” is quite a killer track, it’s all about high energy, grooves, and good vibe. “Rude Awakening” continues in the same vain, slow down for taking a breath and only to blow up even noisier. Read more Chris Quirk – District One, EP (2012)
Jack White – Blunderbuss (2012)
Sex is probably the most powerful driving force in nature, in arts, implicitly in music. Some people believe that the power behind The White Stripes was the (sexual) tension between Jack and Meg White. When this flame faded out, Jack White moved over, eventually Jack find Alison Mosshart and we’ve got The Dead Weather.
The roots of “Blunderbuss” Jack’s first official solo album goes back several years when White was recording songs for several artists such as Tom Jones, Insane Clown Posse, etc. White was in contact with Wu-Tang Clan member RZA and they were going to do a recording session, but RZA couldn’t attend the session, so White recorded several tracks, which would ended-up into “Blunderbuss”. We’ve got 13 tracks, Jack delivering from raw blues to garage Indie Rock all the tricks and approaches he tried out in the last 15 years. Still, Jack managed to be timeless and fresh, shiny. This music is both simple and flawless! Read more Jack White – Blunderbuss (2012)
Environments – 2 (2012) – free download
Ambiental experiment, both strange and intimate, have the exotic smell of a country-side field-recording re-shaped with post-industrial, urban noises. When Alex “Para” Ghita decide to involve more noisier with his drums in the flowing build-up of the tracks, its reminds me of Sigur Rós, although I admit it, I have no serious references in this field of experimental music.
Environments is a Bucharest (Romania) based experimental ensemble build around Stefan Panea’s compositions involving with help from Alex “Para” Ghita on the drums and Marius Costache on effects and noise shaping. The project is already on its second release, starts with the forth track, exactly from where the first release left off in 2011. Read more Environments – 2 (2012) – free download
Vagiant – Gospel According To Vagiant (2011)
Vagiant is a five-piece union of antisocial, paranoid still life loving, good-mannered and joyful nerds. That’s what they think about themselves, I think they need urgent medical care, lots of colorful pills, eventually biscuit cases. This is totally madness on loose. No genre attached, this is a quite contorted, experimental, glowing and flowing (post) Rock journey through different sounds and styles, from quiet, warmer moments to energy full, nervous breakdown-like explosions. In an extensively patterned and predictable, standardized world, Vagiant brings chaos and disorder, bring a fresh breath of music.
And what’s even better, you can grab for free (name your price) this 5 track release from their Bandcamp page. Read more Vagiant – Gospel According To Vagiant (2011)
Not Your Fault [Mad About U RMX] – AWOLNATION remix contest
When I had listen for the very first time this track, the first thought of mine was The Stranglers. Then the chorus kicked in and it was like Green Day raging. What a challenge!
AWOLNATION, is an American indie pop band, formed and fronted by Aaron Bruno, formerly of Under the Influence of Giants, Hometown Hero and Insurgence. The band is signed to Red Bull Records and now the label push them hard as hell. Part of the promotion of their album “Megalithic Symphony” released last year in March is this Indaba remix contest.
I wasn’t sure about this till the last minute and I put this mix together in the last few hours, kept the original drum track, but filtered through EQ because I felt like the highs were pretty messy and even distorted, and I did some radical vocal editing and vocoding. The result is somewhere between The Kraftwerk, The Damned and… very twisted Skrillex on highly dangerous dopes… 😆 Read more Not Your Fault [Mad About U RMX] – AWOLNATION remix contest
Masked Toys – Bipolar Disorder preview
Some authentic Thrash which reminds me mainly of Exodus and Tankard and the good-old-days of the late 80’s, beginning of the 90’s. We’ve got three pretty raw recordings, but it definitively goes with the style. Luci – Voice & Madness, Bogdan – Guitars & Ideas, Sorin -Bass & Other strings, Ursu – Drums & Techs and set-up get back together last year determined to kick it hard again after a 16 years hiatus.
Originally formed in autumn of 1993, by Sorin (bass and vocals) and Bogdan (guitars), both freshmen at Iasi University, the kine-up was completed with Debo on drums, Cip on bass, while Sorin has concentrated exclusively on the the lead singer duties. After finalizing several songs, the band had gigs at “Rock Gala” in Bacau, “Young Rock for Youngs” in Piatra Neamt, where they were awarded the “Best Newcomer” prize, along with other regional shows. In February 1995 they recorded the demo “Greatest sHits” whose exciting originality blew up the underground scene. After an impressive participation at “Top-T Buzau”, Sorin had to leave the country in 1996 and the band failed to compensate his absence while Bogdan and Debo joined the Romanian-American band Destroyer.
But real passion never dies, therefore, in 2011, after Sorin had the chance to meet Luci (vocals) and Ursu (drums), the Masked Toys’ adventure began again. They quickly co-opted Bogdan again, and the band is back on track with full force. Taking by assault the stages again and working on the brand new set of songs, we’ve got a three track teaser of what’s coming up. Read more Masked Toys – Bipolar Disorder preview
Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol (2012)
Hopefully this will be a “lucky 13” – although this is quite a dark and heavy one. Scheduled to be released on 23 April 2012, the upcoming 13th studio album by Paradise Lost is 101% classic Metal with strong roots back to Doom and Gothic and eventually since their 1991’s second album, “Gothic”, the band did not delivered something like this. Just like two decades ago the album was written by Nick Holmes and Gregor Mackintosh, drummer Matthew Archer left the band in 1994 and after several rotations, behind the drum kit since 2009 is Adrian Erlandsson, but although, the band seems totally unchanged. In a good sense. We know, the road back here was not so smooth and flawless as it might seem, but what’s matter it’s we are here now. Well, I’m aware, the journey might be much more significant then the final destination, but this is quite a different philosophical issue. So, I love “Tragic Idol” as it is, I loved it as I saw the cover for the first time. Read more Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol (2012)
