kill eat exploit the weak

contesting easy assumptions (about metalheads)

2012-01-24T10:00:00.002-05:00

Highly recommended reading (if you haven't gotten there already): Natalie Zed's new feature for Canada Arts Connect Magazine.

Titled "Girls Don't Like" metal, the column sets out to demonstrate how wrong that assumption is by profiling some of the diverse and fascinating women actively involved in the metal scene (including, indirectly, the talented and stereotype-defying author herself). Here's the opening blurb:

Girls Don’t Like Metal is a new column by Natalie Zed (aka Natalie Zina Walschots), developed exclusively for Canada Arts Connect Magazine. This biweekly column examines gender issues, feminism and sexuality within heavy metal music. Each post will come in the form of an interview with a member of the heavy metal community, including artists, writers, magazine and website editors, road crew members, merch folks, sound techs and fans. Interview subjects may identify as female/femme/trans/genderqueer or be allies, and share a deep love of, and commitment to, heavy metal.

There's a need for this kind of writing, as Natalie's first column makes clear (describing her ire-raising inspiration via recent demonstrations of explicit sexism in metal journalism, promotion and fandom).

In that vein, her kick-off interview with "Grim" Kim Kelly doesn't gloss over the difficulties of being a woman in a stereotypically male-dominated scene. At the same time, the emphasis here is on empowerment (not marginalization or barriers). In Kim Kelly's words:

The whole “women in metal thing” has become less of a novelty and is edging closer and closer to becoming a true “of course there are chicks here, why wouldn’t there be?” situation.

Check it out!

---

Natalie's column applies a critical (feminist) framework to the metal scene and assumptions about it (including who belongs and who doesn't) within an arts context. This critical approach brings her work, in some ways, into conversation with the emerging field of heavy metal studies in academia, where assumptions about the world of metal are also being tested.

So, on a somewhat related side note then, an example... Emma Baulch's 2007 book, Making Scenes: Reggae, Punk, and Death Metal in 1990s Bali, barely touches on gender issues but it does look at how metal gets taken up outside of its traditional locales in ways that defy the globalization = homogenization theory.

Baulch investigates how male youths in Bali adopted a kind of metal (or punk or reggae) fandom and performance that made sense for them in terms of the political, social and cultural tensions and struggles that shaped Balinese live at the end of the twentieth century. I belatedly reviewed the book for Popular Music History (now published), going into more detail about Baulch's argument and approach.

(For a series of case studies on metal in a global context, check out the newly published Metal Rules the Globe.)

benefit performance of "Sanctuary Song" (for the elephants)

2012-01-05T10:39:00.002-05:00

(via Niagara Action for Animals)

Presented by Everyone Loves Elephants and Zoocheck Canada:

SANCTUARY SONG

Saturday February 11, 2012 7:00pm -10:30 pm (8pm Performance)
The Wychwood Theatre at the Barns
76 Wychwood Ave. Toronto, Ontario
Pre-show silent auction offering unique items and cash bar
Elephant Labyrinth creative display
"Sanctuary Song" performance
talk-back with the creative team
post show reception
Tickets: $50
Patron: $100 ( includes program acknowledgement and tax receipt for maximum amount allowed)

Proceeds go toward moving the Toronto Zoo's elephants to PAWS Sanctuary and providing assistance for wild and captive elephants around the world.

For more information/tickets:
zoocheck@zoocheck.com
www.zoocheck.com
(416) 285-1744

back to the more recent past (not-quite-best metal 2011)

2012-01-03T17:45:00.012-05:00

Okay, I've waxed nostalgic with my favourite metal releases of 2001.

And over at Hellbound.ca you can peruse the individual top 10s of all us Hellbound writers.

But 2011 was a pretty good year for heavy music, so here is a list of stuff I enjoyed listening to but didn't make the 'best of' cut for whatever reason (lack of utter awesomeness and sketchy or multiple release dates included):

40 Watt Sun – The Inside Room (Cyclone Empire)
A Forest of Stars – Opportunistic Thieves of Spring (Prophecy)
Anaal Nathrakh – Passion (Candlelight)
Atlas Moth – An Ache For the Distance (Profound Lore)
Belphegor – Blood Magick Necromance (Nuclear Blast)
Bruce Lamont – Feral Songs For The Epic Decline (At a Loss) [see what the computer world has done to my alphabetization!]
Death Wolf – Death Wolf (Regain/Blooddawn)
Decaying – Devastate (Hellthrasher)
Entrails – The Tomb Awaits (Dark Descent / FDA Rekotz)
Fen & De Arma – Toward the Shores of the End (Nordvis Produktion)
Gates of Slumber – The Wretch (Rise Above)
Ghost – Opus Eponymous (Rise Above)
Glorior Belli – The Great Southern Darkness (Metal Blade)
Hammers of Misfortune – 17th Street (Metal Blade)
House of Capricorn – In the Devil's Days
Iced Earth – Dystopia (Century Media)
Lake of Tears – Illwill (AFM)
Mastodon – The Hunter (Reprise)
Megadeth – TH1RT3EN (Roadrunner)
Midnight Odyssey – Funerals From the Astral Sphere (I Voidhanger)
Mournful Congregation – The Book Of Kings (20 Buck Spin) and The Unspoken Hymns (20 Buck Spin)
My Dying Bride – Evinta (Peaceville) and The Barghest O' Whitby (Peaceville)
Novembers Doom – Aphotic (The End)
Pentagram – Last Rites (Metal Blade)
Riverside – Memories in my Head EP (Laser's Edge)
Septicflesh – The Great Mass (Season of Mist)
Subrosa – No Help for the Mighty Ones (Profound Lore)
USX – The Valley Path (Neurot Recordings)
Vallenfyre – A Fragile King (Century Media)
Woebegone Obscured – Deathstination (I Voidhanger)
Wolves In the Throne Room – Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord)
Yob – Atma (Profound Lore)
(and whatever else I may have forgotten was good)

* my Canadian list is another (upcoming) story

old news, free music (happy new year!)

2012-01-02T16:15:00.005-05:00

This announcement is a little out of date, but the links are still good!

New video from Finnish band Tenhi for their latest release, Saivo.

The long version: 9 minutes of "Saivon Kimallus" and "Siniset Runot"
And the short: "Siniset Runot" promo clip

And a long the sames lines from Alcest.

"Autre Temps" promo clip

Happy new year from a science-fictiony vegan metalhead.

best metal 2001

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

If you're curious about my thoughts on recorded metal in 2011, you'll find some of my year-end commentary at Exclaim and Hellbound. (more on Canadian metal picks to come at hellbound.ca, and I may post my full year-end list here if it doesn't show up anywhere else - stay tuned)

But in good old Kill Eat Exploit the Weak tradition, the approach of the new year is not just a time for reflecting on the year gone by. As I get increasingly more old and nostalgic, this annual event provokes me to step deeper into the past, reminiscing about what I was enjoying ten years before.

It's been a few years since I've been able to play you my favourite songs on campus radio on New Year's Eve. However, I can list some of the best metal albums that came out in 2001. Without further ado (and in no particular order) here they are (according to me, of course). I grant, good things are missing from this list, but my tastes are ever peculiar and arbitrary, then and now. Plus I could have forgotten something (my memory is reliably unreliable).

Opeth – Blackwater Park (Koch)
My Dying Bride – The Dreadful Hours (Peaceville)
Katatonia – Last Fair Deal Gone Down (Peaceville)
Virgin Black - Sombre Romantic (The End Records)
Killswitch Engage – Alive Or Just Breathing (Roadrunner)
System Of A Down – Toxicity (American)
Cathedral – Endtyme (Earache)
Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin (Century Media)
Iced Earth - Horror Show (Century Media)
Savatage - Poets and Madmen (SPV/Steamhammer/Nuclear Blast)
Annihilator - Carnival Diablos (SPV/Steamhammer)
Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait (Nuclear Blast)
Dragonlord - Rapture (Spitfire)
Moonspell - Darkness and Hope (Century Media)
Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Nuclear Blast)
Cradle of Filth - Bitter Suites to Succubi (Spitfire)
Lacuna Coil - Unleashed Memories (Century Media)

In memoriam: David Gold - Woods of Ypres

2011-12-30T11:32:00.001-05:00

It seems so many years ago now my first introduction to Woods of Ypres. Ever mining the latest Knuckletracks compilation from Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles I happened upon some promising looking CanCon for Kill Eat Exploit the Weak. Was it "Crossing the 45th Parallel"? I think so, but in no time at all I sought out the EP the song belonged to - Against the Seasons - and was playing every track on my show (though I admit, "A Meeting Place and Time" got a little extra attention).

The band's live line-up wasn't the most stable, especially in those years, so my efforts to get them to play live on air never panned out. But I began my own small campaign of support nonetheless, starting with my reviews of Against the Seasons for a metal webzine called Urkraft and for Exclaim. And after corresponding with Dave Gold for a while, I saw Woods perform and met the man behind the band for the first time - at the inaugural Northern Lights fest in Toronto. Dave gave me a Woods shirt and asked me to wear it on my upcoming European metal adventure and I did. In fact, Mark Coatsworth and I showed up at Summer Breeze 2oo3 in Germany with matching Woods of Ypres logos plastered across our chests.

Oddly the band seemed to be there for some of my most memorable metal moments, from the celebratory to the indescribably sad - their live performances at Day of the Equinox (2005) and the memorial to Adrian Bromley (2009) representing two of the most momentous of such momentous occasions.

I saw them live several times, mostly in Toronto but once in glorious close-up and Ontario camaraderie at Heathen Crusade in Minnesota (2008). I reviewed their albums repeatedly and played them on air as long as I had air time to offer. And I even discussed them in a recent IASPM-Canada conference paper. Strangely I only interviewed Dave Gold once, and that only by email. But he was a meticulous and eloquent correspondent, giving me lots of moving material to work with.

By now a longtime fan of the band's work, I was looking forward to getting better acquainted with Woods 5. And I still will. But sadly, it's the last full Woods of Ypres album I'll ever get to know.

RIP David Gold (1980-2011) and Woods of Ypres (2002-2011)

a concert year in review of sorts (including Devin Townsend Project live x2)

2011-12-29T11:30:00.001-05:00

2011 wasn't the busiest of concert years for me... Does that mean I was working harder than usual, or budgeting myself for key events? Hard to say. Maybe the latter, since I was thinking of running down some highlights from this list of live shows but couldn't decide what to leave out. Then again, there were also lots of killer performances I missed...

My own schedule and concert choices aside, it's pretty sweet when too much quality live metal becomes a serious dilemma. And to mark that sweetness, here's a retrospective and chronological look at what 2011 in live metal looked like for me.

I took a break from live music in January but got back at it in February with some serious Finnish metal representation.

Eluvietie, Death Angel, Lazarus AD, 3 Inches of Blood @ Opera House, Toronto, Feb 6
Finntroll, Ensiferum, Rotten Sound, Barren Earth @ Opera House, Toronto, Feb 22
Cradle of Filth, Nachtmystium, Turisas @ Phoenix, Toronto, Feb 26

Only one event for March and April but it was one hell of a memorable show:

Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, Musk Ox @ The Music Hall, London, March 25

Something a little lighter and punkabillier in mid-May:

The Creepshow @ The Casbah, Hamilton, May 14

And then a mega-metal-event to end off the month:

Maryland Deathfest IX @ Sonar, Baltimore, May 26-29

On a smaller scale in Montreal, some intimate indie metal:

Unborn Dead, Forsaken Flesh @ Pub La place Dupuis, Montreal, June 18

Then some metal and poetry:

The Wrecking Ball with Vilipend, Sylvus, and more @ Hard Luck Bar, Toronto, July 9

A delicious dose of summer doom:

YOB / Dark Castle / Sons of Otis @ Courthouse, Toronto ON July 15

And Toronto's idea of heavy metal festing:

Heavy TO (Megadeth, Rob Zombie, Slayer, Motorhead, MAdM, Opeth, Diamondhead, Testament, Anthrax, Death Angel, Billy Talent, etc...) @ Downsview Park, Toronto, July 23-24

Some heavy sounds in my hometown:

Mares of Thrace, Enabler @ Casbah, Hamilton, August 13
Secret Chiefs 3 @ Casbah, Hamilton, August 31

And a road trip!:

Katatonia @ The Montage, Rochester NY, Sept 24

With headliners ranking high on my list of best live metal bands:

Enslaved, Alcest, Junius @ Opera House, Toronto, Sept 30

Two of my favourites (after a vegan dinner at The Cornerstone):

Opeth, Katatonia @ The Guelph Music Hall, Oct 30

And what more fitting conclusion to a year's live music adventures than watching the Devin Townsend Project perform two nights in a row?

Devin Townsend, Today I Caught the Plague @ The Opera House, Toronto, Dec 10
Devin Townsend, Today I Caught the Plague, MDM (& American Hell) @ L3, St Catharines, Dec 11

(Note, as pictured, the latest additions to my Hevy Devy merch collection: a DTP wooden puzzle, and a tour shirt featuring a live photo by the one and only Adam Wills.)

...and again with the Devin Townsend

2011-12-08T13:28:00.000-05:00

Look at this concert list, every show a headlining date by the infamous Canadian musical mastermind Devin Townsend!

Dec 09 London, ON – London Music Hall
Dec 10 Toronto, ON – Opera House
Dec 11 St. Catharines, ON – L3 Nightclub
Dec 13 Kingston, ON – Mansion House
Dec 14 Montreal, QC – Foufounes Electriques
Dec 15 Ottawa, ON – Mavericks

I'm still trying to figure out how I can squeeze multiple Devin Townsend concerts into my weekend. It's a rare treat, at least for me, to have the chance to see the man perform several days in a row.

I haven't quite worked out those details yet, but I did manage to pull together some more interview material to get myself (and hopefully other people too) into the Hevy Devy spirit:

http://www.hellbound.ca/2011/12/devin-townsend-talks-seriousness-humour-and-interesting-art/.

scimetalvegan holiday guide for the last-minute shopper (2011 edition)

2011-12-07T16:18:00.005-05:00

I have mixed feelings about this whole Christmas/xmas thing. I enjoy celebrations, excuses to get together with people, maybe dress up, and eat and drink decadent things. And I'm a sucker for things with schnazzy lights (even if I cringe at the energy getting sucked up into strings of plugged-in xmas decorations). But sometimes it's all a bit much in too short a time.

It's a similar deal with the xmas gift exchange. I get a kick out of the challenge of finding the right present for the people I care about, but there are more people I care about than my time/money budget can cope with. And, like many folks, I take issue with the uber-consumerist insanity that this time of year has a tendency to perpetuate.

In a lot of cases, I just try to see people, share some good food and drink, and enjoy the company. But there are still a few people I need (and want) to buy for, which raises a whole string of related quandaries... How do I satisfy several important, but often competing criteria, while on the quest to find the right gift?

My main goals:

support local and independent businesses, especially socially-conscious and vegan-friendly ones (or use gift-giving as a way of supporting important charities)
get people something they can actually use, need and appreciate (and avoid contributing to unnecessary clutter or waste)
be generous but thrifty (and I don't have any particular talent for making gifts)

I can't check off all these ideals with every gift, but I make an effort. So, in the spirit of ethical giving, here are some holiday shopping resources it can't hurt to keep in mind.

Bazaar of the Bizarre: neat, usually handmade stuff, much of it vegan-friendly. The holiday version takes place in Toronto on December 11.
Vegan Etsy: discovered this through Sick on Sin. The worldwide shipping might be a turn-off for the greener shoppers, but there's also a chance there's a member nearby, wherever you may be.
Local farmer's market (Hamilton version): aside from the usual fruits and veggies, local markets tend to be a go-to source for delicious baked and prepared treats, but they often feature great homemade crafts as well.
Artists' co-ops and galleries: Hamilton features at least a couple of stores run by or supporting local artists and filled with their unique creations, and I expect this is true of many cities. I've happily perused the goodies at Textures and AllSorts Gallery.
Simply Zen: begun as an online business, this eco- and vegan-friendly shop in Hamilton has an amazing array of gift-giving possibilities packed into a relatively small space. Smells good too!
Animal shelters and wildlife protection: as a Burlington Humane Society volunteer I came home with several gift baskets designed for friends' and family members' pets. But there are other ways to support groups that care for animals while working through your xmas shopping list, and donations are only the start! (but giving someone a surprise pet is NOT recommended)
Metal: how could I complete any list of gift giving suggestions without at least one shout-out to metal? From a heavy-metal playlist designed with someone's particular tastes in mind, to an independent/underground artist's merch, to concert tickets or a music DVD, it's hard to go wrong with metal (well, as far as I'm concerned, anyway). A few potential sources - Sonic Unyon Metal, Catacombs, Dr. Disc.

This list (just a start! - there are many more deserving places for your holiday business!) comes a bit late for online shoppers (many small online businesses have to set a fairly early xmas order deadline). Maybe next year?

November(+) recap and round-up

2011-11-30T22:00:00.003-05:00

I usually tweet what I've been writing for other venues, but I may have missed an item or two this month... With that in mind, along with a nod to the non-twitter folks, a month-end review of reviews (and other stuff) seems in order.

This is a modest list, but probably the last of my reviewing for 2011. It's all year-end coverage from here on in! (and check the latest Exclaim in print for the beginnings of it)

My exclaim.ca contributions, ranging from late October throughout November:

Opeth and Katatonia live in Guelph (quick summary: I loved the performances but not the audience)
My Dying Bride The Barghest O'Whitby (a good fix, but not a full meal)
Vallenfyre A Fragile King (part of my recent death metal appreciation bonanza - I also very highly recommend The Tomb Awaits by Entrails)
Cradle of Filth Evermore Darkly (my experience of the visual component was delayed - fun stuff, British humour, solid live performance, but not an absolute must-have)

And for hellbound.ca:

It's Kvlt to Eat Your Vegetables (a much delayed report of a group cooking effort inspired by Vegan Black Metal Chef)

Stay tuned for December liveliness, what with that aforementioned year-end coverage and other festive nonsense.

Dan Swanö and Ohio Prog 2012 (pledging to help a festival)

2011-11-29T00:08:00.005-05:00

In the late 90s (maybe 1998?), Edge of Sanity played the US, appearing at Milwaukee Metalfest. Without Dan Swanö. I almost went. My Edge of Sanity appreciation transcends Swanö as an individual, though just barely. But the stars were not aligned in favour of me making the trip, and really, it wouldn't have been the same.

In November 2001, it was a reverse sort of scenario. Swanö's solo-ish band, Nightingale, were booked for their first North American performance – at Atlanta's ProgPower festival. I wanted to go. I began to plan. But things happened. My plans never came to fruition. And as it turned out, the airline I would have tried to fly on went belly-up days before the fest. Once again, the stars weren't aligned. I did, however, manage to snag a copy of the limited release live recording of the show (signed and numbered by Dan Swanö himself).

In the summer of 2003 I had the honour and pleasure of meeting Swanö in person, and received a personally-guided preview of his about-to-be-released Edge of Sanity comeback-of-sorts, Crimson II. But no live performances were in the cards.

But in September 2012 I may have another chance to see Swanö live. Nightingale is booked to play North American soil once again, this time at the in-the-works OhioProg 2012, presented by the Ohio Progressive Rock Association. The tricky bit is, the festival organizers are looking for funding help, in the form of pledges, to get the festival off the ground.

Making a pledge is only a commitment if the fest takes place, and though you can make a donation, you can also get stuff in return: fest merch for smaller pledges, tickets and merch for larger pledges, and if you've really got some cash you could introduce your favourite artist on-stage, or even join them for dinner.

Where the things getting tricky bit comes in is that the organizers have a pretty big funding goal and a long way to get there in very little time. Interested in helping? Swing by funding platform KickStarter to make your pledge.

For more info, including the list of bands confirmed for the fest, visit OhioProg.com.

more free metal (UK thrash this time)

2011-11-28T14:27:00.002-05:00

According to PR for Earache records and UK band Savage Messiah, the thrashers' latest album is available to fans as a free download.

Collectors will have to wait until the new year to get their hard copies of Plague of Conscience, but in the meantime the band and label are encouraging a little viral record promotion. Savage Messiah's frontman explains (in video format).

Check out the download option here: www.earache.com/savagemessiah.

NAfA fundraiser: online art auction

2011-11-26T14:08:00.002-05:00

Niagara artist Jan Yates is donating a portion of her proceeds from online art sales to Niagara Action for Animals this holiday season. If you want to bid (this is an auction rather than shopping cart-style deal), or even just see what's up for the bidding, check out her website.

Some info about Yates:

For the past decade Jan Yates has been compelled to create work directly from the land. Inspired by Canada's Emily Carr, Yates paints almost entirely plein air, enabling her to engage in an intimate dialogue with our natural and agricultural world. She examines the correlation between her own practice and the cycle of harvest- each having faith in what the land will give. Protection and the importance of maintaining ecological integrity concerning protected land also informs her work.

vegan events in st. catharines

2011-11-25T10:13:00.003-05:00

From Niagara Action for Animals, two events of interest to socially-conscious vegans and their political allies...

First:

Wednesday, November 30 at 7 pm, Brock Animal Rights Collective Film Screening Series presents, along with the Live Free Collective and Queer Action Niagara, MARK, winner of the Best Feature Documentary, The Accolade Competition, La Jolla, CA, 2010.

Director Mike Hoolbloom, who will be at the screening, introduces us to "an impassioned animal rights activist, political vegan, [and] dedicated mental health worker," through visual remains and interviews with family, friends, and "his life-partner of ten years, trans performance artist Mirha-Soleil Ross." Mark Karbusicky committed suicide in 2007.

The event is free to the public and everyone is welcome. Vegan treats will be provided. Contact dylanjamespowell@gmail.com or checkout the event page on Facebook.

And a regular event with a special guest:

NAfA Potluck Series presents Justice for Migrant Workers, Friday December 2, 7 pm at the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara, 223 Church St., St. Catharines (Beside Delta Bingo).

This event features guest speaker Tzazna De Las Tunas from non-profit collective Justice for Migrant Workers.

The potluck is free to the public, but all food must be vegan and marked for common allergens.

Also accepting non-perishable food donations for a vegan food serving program at The RAFT!

More information on the event page.

cats and metal (like birds of a feather)

2011-11-24T10:16:00.002-05:00

I know a lot of cat-loving metalheads, so I was pretty confident I'm not the only crazy cat freak in the metal world. (Apparently I would have understood this better had I been a more dedicated Decibel reader, since they published a feature on metalheads and cats in 2009.)

My contributions to cat rescue have been modest so far – sharing my house with cats, being nice to strays, donating and spreading the word when I can (in print and online), and volunteering for a short time at Burlington Humane Society. Compared to Nuclear Blast USA accountant, Tanja Schoor, I'm a complete amateur!

Nuclear Blast announced this week that Schoor has opened her own cat shelter in Virginia: Clover Cat Rescue. The mandate is to save cats from euthanasia and other sad fates, adopt them out to good homes, and to promote spaying and neutering to help reduce the numbers of uncared for and unwanted cats.

The main ways of helping are adoption and donation - check out their Facebook page for more info (website to come). Perhaps we'll see Clover Cat Rescue benefit shows or recordings in the future as well...

free music: farsot's insects

2011-11-22T10:07:00.002-05:00

The album isn't out until early next year, but you can hear the whole thing already:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1D98C4F322A0640A

Not familiar with Farsot? Maybe you are, but I wasn't, though I'm kind of digging their new record on first listen. They're German, vaguely black metal (assuming you have a flexible sense of what that might mean).

Insects (Lupus Lounge) is only their second full-length release, following two demos. They credit Kafka, among others, with some atmospheric and thematic inspiration, although I'm not sure I would have picked that out on my own.

Also of note - I haven't heard it, but they covered Katatonia's "I Break" on the December Songs tribute album (Northern Silence, 2006), or so the Encyclopaedia Metallum tells me.

heavy metal window onto Occupy Oakland

2011-11-14T19:15:00.004-05:00

Forbidden guitarist & songwriter Craig Locicero wandered into Occupy Oakland with a mic and a video camera on November 2. A link to the resulting YouTube video made its way into my email inbox today via Nuclear Blast.

I haven't had a chance to watch more than the first ten minutes (the clip I linked is more than 40 min long), but I'm interested so far. In between ultra-short heavy metal interludes, Locicero gives us a glimpse of Occupy Oakland, asks people about their experience and reasons for being there and what they hope to accomplish.

In the bit I've seen so far, Locicero seems to have a pro-action stance on the movement, suggesting that his interest is in the possibilities of the Occupy movement rather than in undermining or belittling this wide-scale attempt at political action. (I'm hoping that persists through the whole video...)

This is advertised as part of Locicero's Omega Wave program. Does that mean Forbidden's latest album is political too?

opeth: heritage recorded and live (belatedly)

2011-11-11T08:32:00.000-05:00

An exclaim.ca review recap (in case you missed the tweets or facebook posts):

I like Opeth's new album, Heritage. Here's where I attempt to explain why.

Both Katatonia and Opeth are on top of their live game (Heritage sounds nearly as good in concert as on record). If only the entire audience would shut up and listen...

scimetalvegan and friends meet vegan black metal chef

2011-11-10T00:24:00.003-05:00

As the weather gets cold and autumnal (I'm ignoring the fact that, despite the rain, it was actually kind of warm in Hamilton today), it's nice to recall warm summer evenings spent dining and drinking in the back yard with friends.

Keeping that in mind, here (at Hellbound) is a four-month late report on my vegan black metal cooking adventure with Adam Wills and Mark Coatsworth.

(and the recipe, in case you're inclined to view or try it yourself)

pop culture meets academia in Canada (call for papers)

2011-11-08T23:32:00.003-05:00

In some circles I'm known as an academic conference junkie. I've been trying to get a handle on my habit, but the constant temptation as I see one tantalizing call for papers after another come through my email in box... Well, I am learning to exhibit (what I would call admirable) restraint.

The first half of my 2012 is more for writing and teaching than presenting and networking, but I expect to make an exception for this event:

CFP: Popular Culture Association of Canada (PCAC) 2^nd Annual Conference, May 10-12, 2012

Last year's conference was a blast (intellectual stimulation included), so a follow-up visit seems entirely in order.

punk is still political (or can be, anyway)

2011-11-01T12:20:00.006-05:00

Remember Canadian punk band D.O.A.? Following any of their 21st-century activities?

A recent press release from D.O.A.'s Sudden Death Records (describing the band as the "godfathers of hardcore") is a reminder that some punk and hardcore retains its active political edge.

Apparently D.O.A. member ("band leader") Joe Keithley is expressing his current politics by supporting the Occupy movement in multiple Canadian locations - activism enabled by the band's recent cross-Canada tour. After performing acoustic sets for Occupy Ottawa and Occupy Regina, Keithley now plans to keep the momentum going while back home in Vancouver. Here's the info for you West Coasters:

D.O.A. performs on Guy Fawkes Day (Saturday November 5) at Occupy Vancouver. This event also features a pre-D.O.A. talk by Rex Wyler, one of the founding members of activist organization Greenpeace. From the band and Sudden Death:

"See you there this Saturday and remember friends, that we can, we will and we must make this world into a better place than it is now!"

That's an impulse I can support.

skinny puppy + peta2 = free song download

2011-10-18T11:35:00.003-05:00

News from SPV/Synthetic Symphony:

Animal rights organization peta2 has joined forces with industrial music legends SKINNY PUPPY to offer a free download of a new SKINNY PUPPY song. The song "Wavy" comes from their new release "hanDover" which is being released October 25^th via SPV/Synthetic Symphony. Get your free download of "Wavy" courtesy of peta2 HERE

peta2 is the more youth-oriented division of parent organization People for the Ethical Treatment of animals. The partnership with Skinny Puppy is a logical one, building on early associations between the band and animal rights activism, especially in relation to the anti-vivisection song "Testure."

My review of the new Skinny Puppy album should be up next week at exclaim.ca [edit: see comment below], but the site has some preview info plus a video you can check out in the meantime.

fall concert going is limited: thoughts on enslaved

2011-10-17T09:22:00.002-05:00

I had never heard Junius before I saw them open for Enslaved at Toronto's Opera House. I was impressed enough to peruse their merch table but a few weeks later I find Reports from the Threshold of Death less inspiring than their live performance.

After missing Alcest headlining in 2010 (for various unfortunate reasons) I was excited to see how they come across in concert. I enjoyed their set - they sounded good - but felt the atmosphere wasn't quite right: too big, too bright, too rock'n'roll? The stage-front fan raising a single leaf in emblematic tribute amused me (unanticipated entertainment). Am I misremembering, or did people try to get a bit going during the heaviest of Alcest's songs?

I was thoroughly wowed by Enslaved's set opening for Dimmu Borgir last December (and kicking myself for missing earlier performances). They were my main motivation for this Friday night run to Toronto and I was not disappointed. Grutle Kjellson's bad puns are no match for the stand-up comedy routine of Opeth's frontman but the jokeyness was cute. (in fact, I'm thinking there's a research project here on Scandinavian metal humour) And Enslaved, as a group, are fantastic performers, playing persuasively to a diverse crowd (including the guy yelling, "play some black metal!" behind me). There was no pyro or blatant theatrics beyond the charisma and talent of the band members themselves, but there might as well have been in terms of dramatic effect. Enslaved have secured a place near the top of my list of favourite live performers.

If you want a more coherent review with some excellent visual documentary evidence, check out the killer Walschots-Wills combo over at Hellbound.ca.

office goth: two interpretations

2011-10-06T09:06:00.003-05:00

Several years ago I discovered a Toronto clothing maker called Gloomth, and own a few of their pieces (they used to have an affordable line of one-offs, often made from repurposed materials). I haven't shopped there in a while but still see their Facebook posts. This week a link to a blog post on their interpretation of "Office Goth" caught my eye.

Also several years ago, I invited a band called Organical to guest on my radio show. Our conversation on and off the era was often led us to laughter, and though the guys were serious about their music they were less-so about themselves. While chatting about aging and subcultures, music and fashion, they (or we, perhaps) decided the term "Office Goth" might best describe where they were at. I'm not sure the tongue-in-cheekness came across when I wrote up the story for Echo, but the interview ranks among some of my most memorable.

Somehow these two interpretations of "office goth" don't quite seem to gel.

more animal advocacy in st. catharines

2011-10-05T08:56:00.004-05:00

Another animal advocate is speaking at Brock - this time it's Nathan Runkle, founder and Executive Director of U.S. based Mercy for Animals. The talk is free, open to the public, and will take place in the Sankey Chamber at Brock University in St. Catharines from 12-2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11th.

From the press release:

The presentation, titled "Inspiring Compassion: Putting Our Ethics on the Table", will focus on how industrial farming has changed the way cows, pigs and chickens are treated and how our food choices can become a powerful tool in preventing cruelty to animals. Nathan’s presentation at Brock is sponsored by the Department of Sociology.

Mercy for Animals is the fastest growing farm animal protection group in the United States, gaining international attention with their undercover investigations and powerful ad campaigns. Founded in 1999, Mercy for Animals has 75,000 members and a growing list celebrity supporters, including Ellen DeGeneres.

Again, thanks to Niagara Action for Animals for the information.

katatonia, last fair deal gone down, and rochester ny

2011-10-03T09:48:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, Spetember 24 – right after wrapping up a presentation on Justina Robson's Quantum Gravity series at SLSA 2011 – I began working my way toward Rochester, New York, to watch Katatonia play a headlining gig and to hear every song off 2001's Last Fair Deal Gone Down (plus several older tracks) performed live.

My brief email interview with guitarist/songwriter/back-up vocalist Anders Nyström explains the wherefore of these headlining gigs amidst a tour opening for Opeth. And my show review, also for Hellbound.ca with excellent live photography by Adam Wills, relates the ensuing results. But it no more than mentions our mouth-watering dining experience in Rochester.

The weather was lovely. The border crossing was smooth. The drive was pleasant and the company delightful. We checked into a downtown Rochester hotel, recharged a few battery levels and headed out to a local restaurant called The Owl House for dinner.

The menu features mostly home-made and locally-produced goodies, with lots of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free items and options. In fact, most of main dishes had built in vegan/non-veg choices.

A plate of homemade chips with a fancy (raspberry?) glaze provided our tasty appetizer. For a main course we each went with the special, mine tempeh-based with capers, quinoa and asparagus. It was so delicious we went back for brunch the next day. Consider this a vegan metalhead recommendation.

tidying up the review link backlog (happy autumn)

2011-09-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

In the absence of a more substantial post, here are links to various exclaim.ca reviews (by me). If you follow me on twitter you may have seen them already, but if not...

Wolverine - Communication Lost (Candlelight)

Eyeswithoutaface - Monotoneotony (Independent)
Leprous - Bilateral (InsideOut)
Opeth - Heritage (Roadrunner) (and thanks, Metal Matt, for the kind comments, even if you don't like the record)

Next up, links to Hellbound.ca coverage of my recent Katatonia love-in (metaphorically speaking), and perhaps a few words here about Enslaved and Alcest - set to play in Toronto Friday, September 30.

just because it's not metal doesn't mean I can't support what they're trying to do

2011-09-15T11:20:00.002-05:00

In this case, raise awareness and money to help women victims of male violence...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kojo Damptey
Songwriter/Music Producer
Hamilton, Ontario
(289) 700-7514
easythepianoman@gmail.com

September 15th, 2011

Hamilton Artist Raises Awareness Through The Power Of Music

Hamilton Ontario- Songwriter, Kojo "Easy" Damptey, is determined to help battered women in his community
with the release of his new, soul single, Broken Promises. Every purchase of the song raises money for Interval
House (a non-profit agency in Hamilton that serves women who are in or have been in abusive relationships) so
that they can continue to provide a safe place for mistreated women across the city.
Damptey has scheduled a lineup of upcoming video release parties for his inspirational single in hopes of gaining
further donations for Interval House. He invites the public to come out, enjoy a drink and experience the haunting
horns and sharp lyrics of "Broken Promises" on:
Friday September 16th at The Casbah Lounge with Toronto Hip-hop group Magnolius, Guest appearance from Canadian Winter
Friday October 7th at Sky Dragon.

When asked why he chose to raise awareness for violence against women, Damptey replied, "I felt it was needed.
It's an issue that needs to be discussed so that our mothers, sisters and daughters are safe in our community."
Originally from Accra, Ghana, Kojo "Easy" Damptey moved to Hamilton at the young age of 17. It was his years of
beat-making and love of instruments that eventually lead him to co-producing Kae Sun's EP, "Ghost Town Prophecy",
with Jordan Abraham and Kae Sun. He later joined Nicola Moore to record "Ways on My Own", which circled the
Honey Jam Circuit in Toronto.
Damptey continues to write, compose and produce with various artists locally and around the world. He finishes by
saying, "my main purpose is to use the arts to bring attention to issues that affect everyday people."
To purchase "Broken Promises" and donate to Interval House, visit http://kojoeasydamptey.bandcamp.com/track/broken-promises

talk against animal experimentation in medical science: Sept 17 at Brock University

2011-09-13T21:05:00.003-05:00

An announcement, courtesy of Niagara Action for Animals:

Dr. Ray Greek, MD and critic of animal research

Friday, September 17, 7–9 p.m. @ Brock University, Pond Inlet

Sponsored by Brock's Department of Sociology

Teacher, author, and research, Dr. Gray is also president of the not-for-profit Americans For Medical Advancement.

arch enemy + chthonic + amnesty international

2011-09-05T11:14:00.004-05:00

Heavy metal, aside from a few select subgenres, tends to be anti-political. But there are, of course, many exceptions to that stance - some admirable, some less so. In another mark to chalk up to the admirable side, Arch Enemy has gone explicitly pro-human rights on their latest North American tour, inviting Amnesty International along for the ride.

According to Century Media, many of Arch Enemy's upcoming tour stops will feature Amnesty International booths, where reps from the organization will be handing out information and seeking signatures of support. Apparently Arch Enemy's Taiwanese tour mates Chthonic are in full support of the move as well as championing Amnesty International's humanitarian goals.

Bravewords.com (among other sites) has the full press release and list of upcoming Arch Enemy and company tour dates, including a night in Toronto on September 14.

where has all the summer gone? (august review/interview update)

2011-08-15T14:00:00.001-05:00

More than a month since my last post! Where have I been...?

Well, I interviewed Devin Townsend for exclaim's Where I Play feature - read it in the August issue or online.

Checked out some metal and poetry for hellbound.ca.

Lost myself in a night of doom in the most elegant looking concert venue I've ever seen a metal show in... I didn't review it, but others did:

Yob / Dark Castle / Sons of Otis live review @exclaim.ca (by Laina Dawes) and @hellbound.ca (by Gruesome Greg)

I reviewed two days of Heavy TO.

Others from Hellbound were there too.

I hosted Mares of Thrace and Enabler (delightful house guests, they are) after their much too short sets at Casbah.

If I did anything else I've already forgotten what it was.

Amorphis interview @ exclaim.ca (and other music writing stuff)

2011-07-03T15:39:00.004-05:00

Last month I got a chance to do an email interview with Amorphis guitarist Tomi Koivusaari. Read it over at exclaim.ca. My review of their latest, The Beginning of Times, is up too.

Other recent Exclaim reviews:

Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction

Devin Townsend Project – Ghost

And if you haven't checked it out yet, swing by hellbound.ca to peruse our staff members' favourite Canadian metal song picks for Canada Day. Devin Townsend is well represented, but Voivod is on there as well (with a great write-up by Steve Earles) alongside some lesser known / less expected selections.

Plus... Hellbound Summer Metal Meltdown continues on McMaster's CFMU. I pulled out some nostalgic CanCon for our post-Canada Day show, including local(ish) 90s artifacts like Varga and Soulstorm. Tune in Saturday nights at 10:30pm (though I've heard there may be a podcast archive as well).

able to foster a rabbit?

2011-06-23T08:25:00.002-05:00

Back home and back to work... More of the usual posts to come, but in the meantime here is a request for help from a group called Rabbit Rescue. Get in touch with them if you can lend a hand.

Via Niagara Action for Animals:

Friends of Rabbit Rescue,

Many of you may have heard by now that we are involved in helping in a specific case with hundreds of rabbits that desperately need us! We have until Thursday to gather as many foster homes as we can to help these wonderful bunnies. Most of them are Holland lops or dwarfs, ranging in age from babies to adults, with every colour under the sun!

We are specifically concentrating on helping the adult bunnies. These rabbits have been through hell and back, and while we cannot share details on this specific case right now, we will be able to shortly. What we can tell you is that if we do not get enough foster homes for these bunnies, the outcome is not going to be positive for them. There are still about 70 rabbits that need foster homes.

If you can foster a bunny, please email us immediately! We will provide a cage with supplies, plus a bag of food kindly donated by Martin Mills!

If you cannot foster right now, or miss this Thursday deadline, please contact us when you can foster! As our current foster homes are going to be completely filled up, this means we will not be able to offer our help to the shelters that rely on us to take their rabbits in when they become full. The situation for them, will become dire quickly too.

We need your help, and the bunnies need your love. Please consider fostering or adopting today. If you can't foster, donations are greatly appreciated. We will be spaying/neutering every rabbit that comes in, plus providing them all with medical care. You can donate
here: http://www.rabbitrescue.ca/donate.html

Thank you for your support!
Haviva Lush
Executive Director, Rabbit Rescue Incorporated
www.rabbitrescue.ca
Finding Rabbits Loving Homes

back on the road again

2011-06-14T13:07:00.003-05:00

...or, more precisely, the train tracks.

My next trip is to Montreal, for my third conference of the year (whether I will do any concerting while I'm there is yet to be determined). My first of 2011 was ICFA-32, the annual conference held by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts. Conference two was held by the new Popular Culture Association of Canada in Niagara Falls. Next up, IASPM-Canada (International Association for the Study of Popular Music). I'm off to present my nth conference paper on metal.

In preparation I re-watched the DVD Pagan Metal: A Documentary, and was again surprised by how much interesting dialogue could emerge from and despite the deliberately stupid and careless interviewing, editing, and general film making that went into the production. But it turns out that multiple viewings only make me more annoyed with the attitude toward women and 'girlie' metal displayed here, demonstrated through the way Leaves' Eyes is framed, particularly singer Liv Kristine and her sister Carmen, whose band Midnattsol appears only in a spliced performance clip. What qualified appreciation I have for the movie clearly emerges from the dynamics of the scene itself and the intriguing personalities involved in it.

There are at least a few other papers on metal scheduled for this week's conference. We'll see if after hearing them I've picked up enough to report back.

hellbound summer metal meltdown continues (plus more to read)

2011-06-11T17:39:00.005-05:00

Hellbound's Summer Metal Meltdown is on air again tonight on CFMU 93.3 FM. We're down at least one voice since Heavy Metal Adam is off gallivanting around Europe but the show goes on!

And while I'm on the subject of Hellbound... Our Maryland Deathfest recap continues with Day 2 and Day 3. Plus Hellbound's 2nd birthday celebrations are ongoing as well, with more staff interrogations. Mine went up this week!

With all this going on, among other things, I'm having a hard time keeping up on all the cool new releases that have been coming out lately (never mind the mediocre and bad ones...). I did manage to cover a couple things for exclaim.ca though, including

the North American release of Anathema's We're Here Because We're Here

and the new Amorphis, The Beginning of Times.

stronger than metal (I am not) and happy birthday, hellbound!

2011-06-01T11:26:00.004-05:00

Monday evening I arrived home from Maryland Deathfest: four nights and two afternoons of live metal bombardment, sandwiched by two days of first class heavy metal roadtripping. It was an amazing time with awesome people. I, however, am now a lump of aching, viral-infested quasi-human flesh. Was it worth it? Of course! Will I again sit in a vehicle (admittedly, a comfy one) for sevenish hours each way and stand on concrete for four days - all in the name of metal? Don't doubt it! (that's assuming I survive the recovery process...)

My initial review of the four-day MDFest is already up at exclaim.ca. And stay tuned for Hellbound's MDF coverage of the performances, to which I will contribute, starting this Friday. For now, I'll just say that I was delighted to be provided with free water and to a selection of vegan/veg food to eat while I was there: veggie burgers, veggie penne, hummus and chips, fruit salad, all provided by the on-site food tent, plus veggie and fruit kebabs offered by the Hollywood Diner just outside the gates. I'd also like to throw some heavy metal horns of thanks to the hotel staff who greeted us warmly every time we made our way through the front doors, and to one man in particular, who made sure to say goodbye at the end of his shift and give us a cheery 'see you next year'.

We Hellbounders will have our say about the music, plus some live photography courtesy of Albert Mansour. But I know Kevin Stewart-Panko was engaged in some people-watching as well so I expect some amusing quips on more than just the bands. If you're looking for more insight into the festival experience, check out the four part MDF round up already in process at Toronto in Metal - as told by a chick. Alexx and her dude Kevin generously chauffeured me and Heavy Metal Adam to Baltimore, and I look forward to her entertaining commentary, photos, and links to live fest video clips.

And speaking of Hellbound.ca, we're two years old today! I'm thrilled to have been a part of things for the past two years and look forward to many many more. Celebrate with us on the site or, if you like, by tuning in to hear some of us hosting Hellbound's Summer Metal Meltdown on McMaster's CFMU this Saturday night at 10:30pm.

p.s. my review of the new epic My Dying Bride - Evinta, is also now up at exclaim.ca.

Maryland Deathfest and other updates

2011-05-25T17:43:00.004-05:00

Ever been to an American metal festival? I haven't. But that's about to change. Tomorrow I embark on a heavy metal road trip, tagging along with three veterans to this year's Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore.

I'm particularly pumped to see Cathedral - probably for the last time, sadly. I saw them perform once in 1993 and it's about time for a follow-up. I missed Kylesa their last fewvisits to southern Ontario, so I'm looking forward to that because I've been digging their latest album. And though mid-era Corrosion of Conformity is my favourite version of that band, I won't turn my nose up at their vintage line-up, or at the Aura Noir set scheduled right before. And Marduk? Sure. Neurosis? Absolutely! Even more absolute: Voivod. Can't wait! I'm also geared up for Hooded Menace, Inquisition, Skinless, Ghost, Nuclear Assault and more, plus hoping for some delightful sonic surprises.

Check out Hellbound's MDF previews for a run down of a few of the bands:

Last week's Hellbound Summer Metal Meltdown was our MDF preview show on McMaster's CFMU. I'm not sure when I'm back on air again but I'll try to remember to post a reminder.

I've been caught up in legitimate (ack!) work and academic conferencing (Popular Culture Association of Canada inaugural conference) so my review writing has fallen a little behind. Stay tuned for my thought's on My Dying Bride's new symphonic epic Evinta. But in the meantime, a belated link to my review of Samael's Lux Mundi. And I may tweet from the fest if my digital tether remains intact.

when summer starts chomping at the bit (metal radio and other fun stuff)

2011-05-09T08:59:00.004-05:00

A few highlights from my (tasty) weekend:

lentil soup from the Bean Ladies: you add water, an onion, and a carrot (if you have one) and half an hour later you have yummy soup.
fresh ale bread from Urban Parisian (Port Dover): ever drink the Devil's Pale Ale? ever think it would be delicious in bread? well, it is, at least when the Urban Parisian folks make it!
vegan 'quesa'dillas from Mex-I-Can (Hamilton): good friends, good food (if you're in no particular hurry) and birthday fun (not mine).
home BBQing
goldfinch feeding (under threat from a hovering clan of yellow birds unimpressed by the sunflower seeds I'd put out earlier)
flower planting (I'm a sucker for the garden)
replacing the sneakers I had literally worn through to the ground (new shoes, same old style)
the very odd film Rubber: a sadistic tire awakens to discover its own violent psychokinetic powers while the audience watches through binoculars...

and

Hellbound Summer Metal Meltdown on CFMU 93.3 FM!

My first official radio appearance since I laid Kill Eat Exploit the Weak to rest in 2007, this time co-hosting with Hellbound staffers Sean Palmerson, Adam Wills and Jonathan Smith.

My opening playlist (roughly a quarter of our 10:30pm-12am time slot):

Edge of Sanity "Silent" Purgatory Afterglow
Virgin Black "Walk Without Limbs" Sombre Romantic
Anathema "Sleepless" Serenades
Annihilator "Set the World on Fire" Set the World on Fire

Hellbound is invading CFMU for the entire summer. Tune us in.

and April just flew by (metal reviews but no show for me)

2011-04-30T23:07:00.001-05:00

April is turning into a dead month for me in terms of live music (at least two years running). It's not that the music isn't happening. The problem seems to be that the paths I'm moving on this month (and for many Aprils past) don't support my concert-going habits.

In the meantime, I've spent a fair number of hours listening to new music. And if I've bothered to listen to it, chances are I liked it, at least a little. In some cases, a lot.

So here I offer a little taste of what I've been hearing...

I have a nostalgic attachment to Primordial's Storm Before Calm, a re-release this year, so that album keeps showing up on my playlist. But, as you can read at exclaim.ca, I'm enjoying their new one too: Primordial – Redemption at the Puritan's Hand (Metal Blade).

A few other releases from last week caught my ear as well: the neo-folkishness of Aerial Ruin (Valleys Of The Earth, Vendlus), the black metallishness of Krallice (Diotima, Profound Lore), and the science fictionality of Graviton (Massless, Translation Lost).

The week before it was SepticFlesh that sparked my most alert attention, as my review at hellbound.ca explains: SepticFlesh – The Great Mass (Season of Mist). For a little contrast, I was also enjoying Graveyard's blues retro hard rock (Hisingen Blues, Nuclear Blast), and dipping into three (industrial/gothic) Lacrimosa re-releases.

Now onto a new month, more new releases, and more live music!

pentagram vs believer vs conflicted = pentagram for the win

2011-04-12T12:57:00.006-05:00

I went to sleep with a rotten throat and woke up will a full-blown virus infestation, so I did not imagine today was set to be a particularly good day. Surprise, surprise! It's a little chilly, but sunny. And the email gods have delivered the new Primordial album to my inbox!

Plus I remembered that Pentagram's Last Rites comes out today, and I like it. (see my Pentagram review at exclaim.ca, but for more background info you might also check out Sean Palmerston's review of Last Rites at hellbound.ca).

I discovered Pentagram late – courtesy of Max the Axe, a metal-loving, radio-listening taxi driver in KW. The discovery, not the lateness, was Max's doing when he requested I play the band on Kill Eat Exploit the Weak. Having gotten a sense of my doomy tastes from regularly hearing the show he figured I ought to know the band, or if not, that I should. Wherever you are, Max, thanks for the recommendation!

I was also considering reviewing Believer's Transhuman this week, but I couldn't settle into the record. It, and Conflicted's Never Be Tamed were grating on my nerves, but I can't tell if it's entirely due to the music or if I'm just predisposed to be edgy right now. Either way, I was disappointed. I wasn't familiar with Conflicted before but they had seemed promising. Knowing Believer, though, I had high hopes for that one. And the concept is an immediate draw for me:

"Transhumanism: The study of the ramifications, promises, and potential dangers of technologies that will enable us to overcome fundamental human limitations, and the related study of the ethical matters involved in developing and using such technologies." (www.believerband.com)

I like the opening track, "Lie Awake," but from there begins on in the complexity Maybe I'll let a few weeks go by, read the lyrics, and give it another try.

april 9 is love a cat day

2011-04-09T15:32:00.003-05:00

Here at the keew household I have declared April 9 annual Love A Cat day.

It's been one year since one of the awesomest cats ever, Xavier, passed away. Rather than being sad about it, I've decided to celebrate his memory by spreading and encouraging a little extra cat love. (though feel free to include in the affection any dogs or other critters you come across today as well)

Love A Cat day is also a good excuse to highlight some cats in particular need of love and some of the organizations making an effort to help them. (other recommendations welcome)

Close to home, the Burlington Humane Society is a no-kill shelter for cats and dogs. I happily volunteered there for a short time when I had the chance, and I can attest to the quality of care and attention the animals receive until they find humans to bond with and take them home. All the cats (and dogs) available for adoption are profiled on BHS's website, but you can also go and visit them in person during operating hours. Besides donating volunteer hours and cash, you can also help out BHS by shopping in or donating to either of their two volunteer-run second-hand stores.

A few years ago I worked in a Waterloo Pet Valu location where we regularly fostered cats and kittens who were looking for homes. The organization we partnered with is still in operation - a KW-based cat rescue and adoption group called Pet Patrol, though now they also have a website profiling all their adoptable felines. The cats that came into the store were always well cared for and I got a chance to visit Pet Patrol headquarters while profiling cat rescue groups for local alternative weekly Echo. Founding volunteer Jan rescued and adopted out numerous cats, providing clean and healthy accommodations for them in her own home or finding foster care with other caring volunteers.

While living in St. Catharines I also had a chance to get involved, in the tiniest of ways, with local organization Niagara Action for Animals. NAfA has a much broader animal protection mandate but their actions include adoption and spay-and-neuter programs for companion animals (as well as a monthly vegan potluck social). Checkout Petfinder for info on NAfA-connected adoption-ready animals.

Several years ago, through the yearly Vegetarian Food Fair in Toronto, I also discovered Toronto Cat Rescue, another volunteer-run, no-kill organization dedicated to finding homes for homeless cats. Like many similar groups, Toronto Cat Rescue features photos and descriptions on their website of cats who are up for adoption.

These are just a few of the groups in Southern Ontario that are involved in spreading a little cat love. I thank them for their hard work and encourage you to show them a little love and support too.

which blue moon?

2011-04-07T13:44:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I think I'll just give it all up and become a country singer.

(because I'm practical that way)

So last night I was listening to Patsy Cline for some inspiration, but found myself slightly less than inspired by her version of "Blue Moon of Kentucky." But I couldn't think which version I had in mind as 'the' authoritative recording, making her version fall short by comparison. Hence a little (youtube) research ensued.

The song has been recorded and performed by more artists than I care to hear. These are what I consider to be the three 'classic' recordings.

Bill Monroe wrote and released the song in '46/'47, so you might think I would let him lay claim to it. But his bluegrass invention (and re-iteration ) of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" isn't the one for me.

early Monroe

later Monroe

Patsy Cline's version isn't either. My problem with her recording isn't with her vocal performance but the 60s Nashville arrangement. The hip-shaking vibe and sax/vocal/guitar call & response, especially, fail to do the song's blue melancholy justice.

Patsy Cline sings "Blue Moon..."

I think the Elvis Presley recording may win my vote. The reverb on his voice, the clickety percussion, the busy electric guitar, and especially the rockabilly groove...

Presley's Sun Sessions version

Now I've got a hankering for a road trip.

just another tweeter (and more reviews)

2011-04-05T14:29:00.002-05:00

Now on twitter. More to follow.

scimetalvegan

an opinion or a few:

Vintersorg – Jordpuls @exclaim.ca

Amon Amarth – Surtur Rising @exclaim.ca

Agalloch live in London ON @exclaim.ca

Turisas – Stand Up and Fight @hellbound.ca

a tribute to dogs

2011-04-02T13:17:00.003-05:00

I'm a cat person, not a dog person. But over the years I have encountered a few dogs who get past my defenses and nuzzle their way into my heart. Recently, I've found myself more susceptible than ever.

Today's post is a tribute to one dog in particular, an aptly named black and white darling (Flash) who recently lost his life.

Dogs, like many other animals, communicate without needing to resort to human speech. And we are capable of apprehending some of that message, partially through interpretation and translation, but affectively as well, without needing to frame that apprehension in recognizable words.

This potential for communication, its visual dimension at least, is captured in a poignant series of photos of dogs in cars, by Martin Usborne (thanks to Boing Boing for the link).

Dog-human, especially dog-woman, intimacy is the subject of a deeply-moving intellectual study by Alice Kuzniar – Melancholia's Dog: Reflections on our Animal Kinship. I recommend it.

loud ladies and the unease they provoke

2011-03-31T14:34:00.005-05:00

Last week I jokingly declared that I live metal. But in a sense it's true. I'm so thoroughly immersed in the metal scene that I sometimes take its conventions for granted and forget that not everyone likes it heavy or can make sense of the imagery that goes along with musical aggression. So I was, I admit, a little surprised at the intense unease provoked by Mares of Thrace's "General Sherman" video when I played it for a few hundred undergrads.

The context was my short lecture on women in punk and new wave, and one of my main points was the gendering of musical genres. However far we've come in the world since the first woman picked up an electric guitar (I wonder who that might have been?), amplification, distortion and (musical) aggression are still understood as masculine phenomena. Admit it - when you see an axe-wielding woman on stage demonstrating her mastery of the guitar you still view this as counter to the norm.

It's partly a matter of numbers. Numerically, women guitarists are still under-represented. But there are deeper cultural codings at work that make women who like it heavy and loud seem to be gender misfits with uncharacteristic tastes. (As I'm one of those 'grrrls' the subject has been on my mind for a while, and I was first inspired to write about women in metal for UW's Imprint many many moons ago.)

Nevermind that almost no one in the class had heard of the early 90s women's counterpoint to grunge, Riot Grrrl. I'll give them a break because of their ages, though I know that's not the only reason why. More interesting though is many students' disturbed reaction to Mares of Thrace, their embrace of the heavy, and their willingness to engage in aestheticized representations of violence on screen - all the while displaying and subverting markers of traditional femininity.

Admittedly, the video is maybe a bit much for the squeamish. As Adrian Begrand notes on Pop Matters, the

"clip quickly shifts to a twisted, torture-porn storyline involving the ladies and an unsuspecting suitor. With MacKichan as the demure girl and Lanz as the evil, corpsepainted voice in her head, our heroines have their way with the fella in ultraviolent fashion, including an incident with garden shears that will make anyone wince."

As Begrand recognizes, the video participates in a visual discourse familiar to any fan of current horror film. There is a common, mass market precedent in contemporary entertainment. But, significantly, his comments read a kind of dark humour in this representation. And even more significantly for my point here is that he also situates the video in relation to the metal genre as a "male-dominated" world.

Because of that male domination in the aggressive music scene, regardless of its causes, any time a woman picks up an axe (metaphorically, or literally - both of which happen in the Mares of Thrace video) she is inevitably (whether she intends to or not) commenting on our cultural assumptions about music and gender, gender and violence. The degree to which the "General Sherman" video unsettled many of the students I played it for suggests that these cultural assumptions are still very deeply entrenched.

EDIT: I should add - a few of the students really appreciated the video, the fact that I played it, and that we were discussing this kind of thing in a university classroom. And even some of the uneasy students were interested in talking about the video and trying to make sense of it.

It was a pleasure to visit the class.

march metal continued

2011-03-23T00:01:00.003-05:00

A reissue:

Woods of Ypres - Woods IV: The Green Album

A new release:

TesseracT - One

And a page full of Hellbound playlists.

Next up: Agalloch live in London, Ontario!

Catch today's Heavy TO line-up announcement? As much as I love Megadeth, Opeth, and Auf der Maur, and enjoy most of the other bands on the list, it's not much different from last year's Heavy MTL line-up. (my socks have not been rocked)

music from space (what does the universe sound like?)

2011-03-21T09:47:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, as a good friend and I were leaving McMaster's planetarium (thanks to her, now a frequent attraction) we discussed the new age-y music that usually plays in the background while we listen to budding physicists and astronomers tell us about the universe and its wonders.

Apparently planetarium soundtracks represent a musical genre of sorts. And – something else I didn't realize – space is not entirely silent. So how do these synth-drenched planetarium sounds actually compare to the music of the cosmos? This short Discovery article, with links to audio/video clips offers a glimpse.

Space Music: Sounds of the Universe

I wonder who choses Mac's planetarium soundtrack and what motivates the choice...

metal in March

2011-03-01T20:22:00.004-05:00

Canadian music week is coming up. One of the (maybe THE) biggest metal events of the festivities is

Storming the Gates... Tabarnak!

... Montreal's 2011 Metal Showcase

(though not all the bands are from Montreal)

featuring

Cryptopsy, Beneath the Massacre, Fatality, The Catalyst, Disgust, Dissension, Dush, and Sykode

And as if that weren't enough, you can also download a free compilation to get a sampling of all eight bands' material.

---

But, apparently, it's not just Canadian music week that's featuring metal in March. Turns out that we're now kicking off the third annual “March is Metal Month,” a campaign to encourage metal fans to head out to some independent music retailers and do some shopping. Participating stores will have a special "March is Metal Month" CD sampler available, "which includes hotly anticipated pre-release tracks from Winds of Plague, Cradle of Filth, Agnostic Front and Kill Corps," among other interesting goodies and contests. Drop by www.marchismetalmonth.com for more info.

Finnish metal in Toronto

2011-02-25T01:48:00.005-05:00

When the Finnish Metal Tour 2011 (Finntroll, Ensiferum, Rotten Sound, Barren Earth) hit Toronto this week I was there for exclaim.ca:

Finntroll / Ensiferum / Rotten Sound / Barren Earth: Opera House, Toronto ON (February 22).

It was also my first chance to shoot a show in a while. I'm out of practice, but I got a few neat-looking shots anyway (see the killeatexploittheweak flickr page). Those Finns know how to pose!

Next up: Cradle of Filth, Nachtmystium, Turisas (more Finns!) and Daniel Lioneye at the Phoenix on Saturday, February 26.

winter metal on Hellbound (free stuff included)

2011-02-23T01:04:00.003-05:00

I try to enjoy winter. I do. But I don't like being cold. And last week's warm spell gave me a yearning for spring. I'm ready for the seasons to change – and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on this one.

I can't do much about the weather, but I can pass along a little good news: Hellbound.ca is holding another contest! The Hellbound folks can't do much about the weather either, but we can at least give someone's music collection a late-winter metal boost. Read and post to enter. Spread the word and enter some more.

And...

You may have noticed a fair bit of activity in the Motörhead camp lately, including a couple of local shows (Kitchener and Toronto) this weekend. Hellbound has been featuring a ton of Motörhead-related content this month in celebration. My part in the coverage went up last week – some thoughts on a book of artwork by Motörhead artist Joe Petagno.

live folk metal and thrash in Toronto: Eluveitie, Death Angel and company

2011-02-07T18:19:00.003-05:00

Feels strange to be into February already and experiencing my first concerts of the year.

Friday night was jazz, better than I had anticipated. I had heard Michael Occhipinti before but his new Sicilian Jazz Project has a dark, almost post-rock vibe, emerging from the fusion of traditional Sicilian songs (most of them rather melancholy) and jazz.

The traditional cultural influences continued Sunday night but in a very different kind of fusion - the folk metal kind. Pop by exclaim.ca for my review of Eluveitie's Toronto set (with an excellent shot of the band's frontman by Adam Wills). But here are a couple more thoughts that didn't make it into the review...

On 3 Inches of Blood:

After a couple familiar tracks the self-described "traditional heavy metal" band from Vancouver introduced a new song, their raw energy easily enough to get much of the audience clapping along. A little bass heavy but with leads rising to the top, they temporarily dropped a guitarist to play Rush’s “Anthem,” displaying their patriotic love of Canadiana (also extending to hockey and beer).

On Death Angel:

An acoustic intro welcomed Death Angel on stage, but the San Franciscans’ thrash onslaught quickly and drastically cut the niceties short. The classic act’s high-octane set was professional without artificial polish, whether reaching deep into their catalogue or hitting contemporary tracks. Between-song banter leaned on nostalgia with a strong dose of Toronto audience appreciation, recalling a show at the El Mocambo in 1987 plus a long-ago meeting with Danko Jones, who joined the band on stage for “Thrashers.” They played more off The Ultra-Violence, but Mark Osegueda’s channelling of Dio for an interlude of “Heaven and Hell” might have been the coolest moment.

Next up? Maybe Emily Autumn, but probably Finntroll with Ensiferum, Barren Earth and Turisas.

Feb 5 is fundraising day: NAfA and Deaflympics (cont'd)

2011-02-02T13:23:00.000-05:00

Two attention-worthy fundraising events going on this Saturday, February 5.

If you're in the Thorold, Ontario, area and you like karaoke, think about dropping by Niagara Action for Animals (NAFA) "Sing Your Heart Out for Animals" karaoke fundraiser. $10 gets you vegan snacks and prizes, starting 7:30pm at Brooklyn's restaurant.

In another corner of Ontario (Simcoe), Saturday's local fundraising has a more international goal: sending Dustin Wills and his snowboarding teammates to Slovakia for this year's Deaflympics. According to the Simcoe Reformer, "February Family Funfest (Help Send Dustin to Slovakia)" is planned as an afternoon-long winter carnival from noon till 4pm, including "street hockey on Sydenham Street and a snowboarding demonstration by Dustin in the Brick parking lot."

And then, if you're in need of something louder to reward your good deeds, you might head into Toronto on Sunday, February 6, where you'll find me checking out the Death Angel/Eluveitie show at the Opera House.

day of the robots

2011-01-25T10:12:00.005-05:00

Ninety years ago today the world was introduced to the robot. Not that the concept of a mechanical, or "artificial," person was new, but we didn't have the word for it until Karl Čapek coined it from Czech, denoting “forced labour.” His play about robots, R.U.R., premiered on January 25, 1921 (as a recycled Wired article reminds us).

Čapek's murderous robots are one possible extreme. The too lovable robots Sherry Turkle warns us about might be considered another. Turkle raises some significant issues, yes, though she sounds a bit alarmist at times, which may, of course, be a sign of how integrated we've become with our technological props. (still, anyone want to buy me a robot vacuum?)

The robotic baby seal that Turkle is pictured with in the interview I've linked above did get me thinking about robot replacements for endangered and extinct animals and how little that prospect appeals. I'd much prefer a dangerous, messy, wild polar bear than a robotic copy of a polar bear, or to think that we might soon be left with little else...

Which then, unsurprisingly, got me thinking about Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep? and the role of 'real' versus mechanical animals in Dick's novel in terms of empathy and status, just barely hinted at in the Blade Runner film adaptation...

Robot reality is usually more mundane than our fictions, but we've done a pretty thorough job imagining a wide spectrum of robot possibilities. This anniversary of the robot has inspired Wired to post a robot hall of fame of sorts (though they're playing a little loose with specs, including replicants and androids as well). I think one of my favourites has to be Marvin from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (the picture they've posted does not do him justice). I still haven't seen Wall-E though.

(Apparently there is an actual Robot Hall of Fame, recognizing accomplishments in contemporary robotics.)

And one more robot tidbit for today. It's been around for a few years, but I only just noticed Svedka vodka's futuristic robot ad campaign, writ large on a billboard in downtown Toronto. Very Will Smith-I Robot-ish in aesthetics... (and very hard to resist) (and the US moral police insisted I declare my over-21 age before viewing the Svedka site)

[now listening: Astrosoniq's Quadrant - it's not robots, but it is pretty convincingly sf]

more on Canadian Deaflympics snowboarding team

2011-01-17T18:59:00.003-05:00

The fundraising continues as does the news coverage:

Brantford Expositor: Local youth to compete in Slovakia next month

(this one includes an interview as well as some interesting background info about the Deaflympics)

Simcoe Reformer: Snowboarder soars

CD 98.9 FM, Port Dover: Help send Dustin to the Deaflympics! and Local "Deaflympics" Athlete

To help out financially or just spread the word: www.senddustintoslovakia.org

send a snowboarder to Slovakia to represent Canada in the Deaflympics

2011-01-10T11:59:00.004-05:00

Only metal or animal-related in the grand scheme of things (except in the sense that we're all animals) but a worthy cause nonetheless ...

Dover man chosen for Canadian Deaflympics team

Send Dustin to Slovakia

A snippet from the latter site (why Dustin need's financial help getting to the Deaflympics site in Slovakia):

"After some questions about whether the games would be proceeding at all, tryouts were only held late in December of 2010. With the games starting on February the 18th, I haven't had very long to save up for the costs of the trip. Although family and friends are able to help, this will only cover a small portion of the trip."

If you can make any kind of contribution (or if not, spread the word) donations by credit card or paypal can be made through www.senddustintoslovakia.org.

happy new year! (favourites of 2000 - the year, not the decade)

2010-12-29T02:19:00.004-05:00

It's been my NYE habit, since KEEW was still a radio show, to reflect back on my favourite records of ten years ago rather than the year just past. Here's a list of albums I was appreciating in 2000 (or have learned to appreciate since).

Nightingale I

Halford Resurrection

Nevermore Dead Heart in a Dead World

Vintersorg Cosmic Genesis

In Flames Clayman

Cradle of Filth Midian

Ewigkeit Land of Fog

Theatre of Tragedy Musique

Hammerfall Renegade

Immortal Damned in Black

Pain of Salvation The Perfect Element, Part I

Martyr Warp Zone

Quo Vadis Day Into Night

Novembre Classica

Him Razorblade Romance

(apologies to any great albums from 2000 that I forgot!)

hellbound's year-end wrap up and metal news (updated)

2010-12-21T21:37:00.005-05:00

Now up on Hellbound.ca...

New feature: recent news in metal.

And, counting down... I'm sorry to say I haven't heard everything on this list, but I like what I've heard. (stay tuned for more to come!)

The first five entries in Hellbound's top 20 of 2010.

Top 15 to 11.

Bottom half of the top 10.

Plus, the Hellbound writers' individual top 10s (mine included).

Hellbounders' retrospective: memorable metal events of 2010.

more agalloch. more live black metal.

2010-12-14T17:12:00.005-05:00

Every once in a while I somehow keep managing to get something written.

Like this Agalloch Q&A (already a few weeks old), now posted at exclaim.ca.

And this Dimmu Borgir / Enslaved /Blood Red Throne / Dawn of Ashes live review (with a delightfully green photo by Adam Wills).

A few more sentiments on the show that didn't make it to the exclaim site...

Cold rain creeping into ice and snow seemed like the right kind of weather to welcome Dimmu Borgir and their “Darkness Reborn” tour mates to Toronto, and the early blackening of the skies complemented the blackened sounds within. The line-up wasn’t an obvious match-up but fairly well rounded, revealing at least three different takes on extreme metal. Performing before and after Enslaved wasn’t really fair to any of the other bands and, in retrospect, the others might have been more impressive without that overshadowing presence.

(I also tried to say that Enslaved's 45 minutes might as well have been show-stopping, not that it might as well have been Enslaved...)

pre-winter december reviews (though it's definitely cold outside)

2010-12-08T22:53:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again. Cold. Hints of snow (or lots of snow depending on where you are). And end-of-year best of lists rolling out from various music publications. Exclaim's and mine have nothing in common, almost. You wouldn't even know I'd cast my votes. Stay tuned to Hellbound for what I expect will be a more complementary version of the best of 2010 in metal (and perhaps my own lists reproduced in full).

In the meantime, I have managed to review an album and a show (and mark, theorize, strategize and paint a ceiling - but that's another story or four).

My appreciative take on Agalloch's latest, Marrow of the Spirit. (interview forthcoming)

My blurry impressions of Watain and company live in Toronto.

Now if it wasn't so cold I'd go put up some outdoor xmas lights!

a personal warm and fuzzy (hellbound appreciation)

2010-11-22T21:18:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, Hellbound.ca, the metal webzine I contribute to (though not nearly as much as I'd like) won a Hamilton Music Award! We (I claim some small part of the "we" even though the kudos belong to other people) were nominated in the local online publication/website of the year award. And we won!

Check it out!

killing joke: music, technoscience, politics (and more)

2010-11-16T12:44:00.005-05:00

Killing Joke's new album, Absolute Dissent, is out today. As I listen to it one more time to turn my thoughts into review words on the page (for exclaim!), I decided to surf over to Hellbound.ca and Kyle Harcott's interview with Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman.

Not everyone likes politics mixed up with their music, and you may not necessarily agree with Coleman's strong opinions on things like world government and technoscientific development. But if you're in the mood for an interesting and stimulating read (about and shooting off of the work of a tremendously significant band), I highly recommend it.

on cbc recently: psychiatric drugs for pets...

2010-11-09T22:00:00.002-05:00

When my eldest cat first joined the keew household, the little lady came to me because she seemed to have psycho-behavioural problems. Before her human family decided to find her another home, she had been to see a cat psychologist and was on some kind of tranquilizer type pill for a while - all to tame her sudden aggression toward her new cat housemate, and none of it worked.

As it turns out, Daisy's former humans aren't the only ones to try out psychopharmaceuticals on their pet. And apparently it's big enough business to attract the attention of CBC journalists, whose investigative documentary "Pet Pharm" aired last week. If you're interested, the CBC website has some of the info, a trailer, and even the entire film available online.

week of concert awesomeness (MAdM, then HevyDevy)

2010-11-05T01:12:00.002-05:00

madm574
uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

I had the double pleasure this week of back-to-back concerts. The first event had the added appeal of taking place nice and close to home. I've been waiting for what feels like a very long time to see Melissa Auf der Maur headline a club show, and (cliches aside) it was so worth the wait. The night started off, oddly, with numerous references to balls, and it took a couple of opening bands for me to get into the right mood. But I moved, I sang, I headbanged, and I eventually gushed - while MAdM herself signed a couple items from my huge bag 'o merch.

Concert two was another headlining treat - the Devin Townsend Project - my first time seeing HevyDevy headline since (I think) 2003. He was a delight, always an incredibly dynamic performer but in especially fine form, playing some of my favourite songs. As a friend commented, he's a fascinating and amazingly talented metal hippie muppet.

And to top it all off, there were time-space alien otherworld references abounding on both nights!

What could possibly have made this any better? Seeing both performers two nights in a row instead of having to alternate between them!

I reviewed one show but not the other. For more gushing over Auf der Maur check out exclaim.ca.

because Everyday Is Halloween...

2010-11-01T07:42:00.004-05:00

If, like me, you're not yet ready for Halloween to be over for another year, this might help you keep the spooky spirit undead... we Hellbounders put together one helluva collective Halloween soundtrack for this month's staff playlists.

Happy (day after) Halloween!

small venue, big music (stream of passion and unexpect)

2010-10-28T12:01:00.004-05:00

Stream of Passion
Originally uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

Several years ago now I got a chance to interview Stream of Passion vocalist Marcela Bovio for Unrestrained!. I was enchanted by the band's first album Embrace the Storm and it was a delight to chat with her about it. New record The Flame Within hadn't really registered with me the same way (or really had the chance), but when I found out the band was doing a small Canadian tour I knew I had to go see them perform.

The opening bands initially gave me a few extra frown lines (read Natalie Zed's review at Hellbound if you want to know more) but by the time the third group, Manahil, got underway I was starting to feel it. Their vocalist's lower-pitched melodies didn't always make it through the mix, but otherwise their laid-back keyboard-heavy sound started lulling me into a better mood. Still, I hung back for the time being, waiting for the main event.

I had seen Bovio and at least one of her bandmates during Manahil's set so I wasn't surprised by the tiny woman:big voice ratio (or the high-heeled boots and short skirt), but I might have been otherwise. The band and their equipment filled up most of the small stage at Sneaky Dee's, and sadly, the crowd in front of them didn't take up a whole lot more space. Intimate might be an understatement. But Stream of Passion played to make it count anyway and every single note struck deep. I wish Bovio had played more electric violin, and a longer set would have made me happy. Beyond that they completely mesmerized me for however long they performed (I completely lost my sense of time) – it was dramatic and powerful, soulful and melodic, and totally hit the spot.

Post-set hunger pangs had me slipping downstairs for a wrap with guacamole and tofu (heavenly!) but I made it back upstairs in time for most of Unexpect's wonderfully frenetic closing set.

I've been wowed by the band's live performance several times now (and really, live is the only way I can appreciate them), beginning with Northern Lights Fest in 2004 (which I had the pleasure to shoot).They delighted me, as always, like a bizarre otherworldly organic musical machine. If you missed it there's no truly effective way to convey in words the experience that is an Unexpect show but you can at least get a visual taste (photos on Hellbound by Adam Wills - I think image 8 is my favourite).

alternative radio in canada

2010-10-25T15:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a few years now since I sat behind the microphone in a broadcast studio (though I did get to drop into McMaster's CFMU a couple times this past summer). Still, my hiatus from radio doesn't mean I've lost interest in the medium, and last week I got a chance to bring it all back to the surface for a visit to Wilfrid Laurier University's third year "Alternative Media" class in Communication Studies, taught by my friend and former colleague, Brent Hagerman.

Digging into my research and writing on radio in Canada and on CKMS (100.3 FM Radio Waterloo) specifically. I talked a bit about the role of campus and community radio, its promises and its challenges. I also had a few minutes to critically reminisce about my time at CKMS, how the station operated, and what I tried to do with my show, Kill Eat Exploit the Weak.

There's actually a fair bit of Canadian radio history online between sites run by the Canadian Communications Foundation (affiliated with Ryerson University), the CBC, the CRTC, and even a radio museum in Guelph. But these organizations don't say much about campus or community radio, so for easy access to that history the NCRA is the likeliest and most helpful resource. There's a growing body of academic research on campus and community radio but it's still a fairly small pool of work and there's more yet to be done, especially here in Canada.

Thanks to Brent and the students for allowing me to visit, for listening, and for engaging with me in a discussion of campus radio.

missing stories: government slaughter of Inuit dogs

2010-10-22T08:51:00.002-05:00

The story (a seemingly pieced-together one) is half a century old but this is the first I've heard of it. It has to do with the (enforced) transition from nomadic to settlement life Baffin Island Inuit went through in the 1950s and 60s, and the role of government and sled dogs in that shift. This Canadian Press story doesn't offer a lot of information but it's enough to get my back up and to make me want to investigate further.

"Slaughter of Inuit sled dogs misguided policy that needs apology: report"

cyborgs (including Scott Kelly)

2010-10-05T18:42:00.004-05:00

If you needed another reason to take an interest in Neurosis (and if you haven't already, what are you waiting for?), wander over to Hellbound.ca, where Justin Nortin asks guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Scott Kelly why he has called himself "a self-made psychedelic cyborg."

And, speaking of cyborgs, thanks to the International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts mailing list, I discovered that the term cyborg is now 50 years old. Wow. Get the dish from The Atlantic, "The Man Who First Said 'Cyborg,' 50 Years Later."

If that wasn't enough cyborg (and who can ever really get enough cyborg?), there's a new online journal up called Cyborg Subjects. And just so you don't think I forgot about the music, here's am intriguing little Cyborg Subjects article called "DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC VIOLINS? Music and the Posthuman."

(I'm not going to bother denying my cyborg fixation. But I also like robots. And metal. And cats. Teleporters would be cool if someone could just get around to figuring that tech out.)

recent(ish) reviews

2010-09-27T15:16:00.004-05:00

a little more of my (sparse) writing for Hellbound and Exclaim

new release this week: Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini

first impressions

revisited

concert last week: Leaves' Eyes in Toronto

September playlist

late August release: Sarah Jezebel Diva – Sublime

interim gripe: anti-piracy campaigns

2010-09-23T10:56:00.005-05:00

After being away for a couple of weeks, and not posting much in the rush up to my departure and since my return, I've accumulated a fair bit of post-worthy material. But that's still on hold for the moment. Today's commentary is a complaint, inspired by the latest of a series of offensive emails I've gotten this year - all encouraging my support for a campaign to pressure the U.S. government into clamping down on music piracy.

I should make clear - the emails aren't threatening or abusive or overtly rude. What I find offensive is the self-righteousness of the music industry reps involved in this campaign, the attack on creative freedom that these kinds of campaigns entail, and the assumption that I (whoever/whatever they think I may be) am on their side. And I find particularly offensive the way in which these types of music industry people try to pass off as a moral and artistic crisis what for them is largely an issue of money and control.

Example, courtesy of the music division of one particular multinational corporation: "Our community has never matched the noise created by those on the 'copyleft' – we need to be louder than ever to drown out those who don’t care about our art, our jobs and the difference between right and wrong." I am definitely not part of this "our." And I'm repulsed by these kinds of attempts to demonize anyone who isn't.

I won't get into my philosophical stance on copyright and intellectual property (I'm suspicious of it though I support credit where credit is due), the commodification of creative work (I have problems with commodification in general but I'm all for people getting compensation for their work), and the free circulation and exchange of information and ideas (I generally support it), and how all these issues tie into the question of anti-piracy legislation. That would be a whole dissertation in itself (and a tempting one to write, though there are other people who are already embroiled in these kinds of projects). But even just looking at the practical side of things, I do not believe that "imploring Congress to pass aggressive laws to combat piracy" is an advisable or effective reaction to music downloading.

So instead of supporting this campaign, I would urge people to consider some of the more disturbing implications of anti-piracy legislation and its application (multinational corporations vs the individual artist and/or consumer, corporate ownership and control of creative resources, threats to creative and artistic freedom, and so on...). And I offer up, instead of the web address of the group sending me these emails, a link to a group that represents one of several alternative points of view.

Creative Commons Canada

Please feel free to reproduce my words (but try not to mispresent my point of view).

metallers and oil spills

2010-08-23T13:03:00.002-05:00

Earlier this summer, after BP's catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster, a bunch of musicians made the choice to boycott BP products on their summer tours. An email from Soilwork's label was the first I heard of it, but according to this Blabbermouth story on the BP boycott, the list of artists involved was fairly large, including bands like Anthrax, Megadeth, Rob Zombie, Korn and the likes (which may partly explain Korn's oil rig stage set-up at Heavy MTL?).

The latest bit of anti-oil spill news to come my way sounds a little more proactive, and involves the new band fronted by ex-Killswitch Engage singer Jess David Leach. Apparently The Empire Shall Fall are contributing some merch money to Gulf clean-up efforts. All proceeds from the sale of their latest t-shirt, designed by Matt Yezuita, are going to a group called Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue. There's a short window for this charity-support shopping, but if you want a TSEF shirt and want to help out animals in the Gulf, you've got until August 29th at midnight to make your money do a little extra work.

summer of fun = summer of much live music

2010-08-10T09:20:00.005-05:00

Still trying to make up for the vast concert-less desert that was the early months of 2010, my summer concert-going is very healthily heading toward mid-August.

This past weekend Hamilton's Gage Park hosted the annual Festival of Friends. I first heard about the fest in the early 90s when my sister lived in Hamilton. I can't remember if she ever took me or not (that is a long time ago, after all), but either way, now I've been myself. It was a short visit – a turn on the ferris wheel, a wander round the vendor stalls, one beer and one live set – but well worth the bus ride there and the FREE admission. The event draws an interesting collection of people (all the way from babies to retirees, I would say) and is pretty successful at drumming up a festive atmosphere.

I would've liked to check out more of the performers over the course of the weekend but decided to concentrate my attention on former Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy. Fresh from a flight over the ocean, Murphy and his band had pockets of black-clad fans dancing and singing along, but seemed to keep even the more 'ordinary' listeners well entertained. I was amused by the minor costume adjustments he managed to maneuver, not to mention his lithe movements around the front of the stage, and especially the bouncing during one song. The 'goth' was kept at a low to moderate level, maybe part of the outdoor environment and mixed crowd, but he did squeeze in an (expected) acoustic version of "Bela Lugosi's Dead."

A mere 24 hours later found me in a very different space, musically and materially. As the fuzzy picture above (poorly) documents, I made it to last night's Boris / Russian Circles show in Toronto. Lee's Palace was a little slow to let us in (giving me time for a couple of samosas) and we had to wait a little more after we got inside. Then Russian Circles came out on the tiny sliver of stage allotted to them, completely ignored the audience and wowed us with their entirely instrumental performance. It was highly amusing to watch a small sea of heads bobbing as the band slipped into a heavy, chunky groove at one point and equally amusing to feel myself responding the same way.

By the time Boris took over the venue was packed at rapidly heating up. I'm not that familiar with the band and ended up hearing a lot more mellow, melodic shoegazer stuff than I expected. Even those hypnotic wandering pieces came across loud and heavy but it was the doomier bits of the set that I liked best, and the final moments brought this side of Boris's sound to a satisfying climax. The drummer provided the most visual entertainment, with his flashy vest and huge gong (you can't see it really, but in this picture he's standing up over his drum kit after delivering his part of the finale).

Next up: Mares of Thrace at Casbah in Hamilton on Thursday, August 12. It's only $5!

cynic reviewed (live)

2010-08-03T19:17:00.009-05:00

I've been enjoying much live music this spring and summer, but last night's Cynic concert may have been my favourite of the lot. It seemed to be the night of the drummer, with the percussionists from all three bands (Cynic, Intronaut, Dysrhythmia) being all over their kits plus one Intronaut guitarist banging on a few extra toms at the end of their set. With a perpetual interplay of complex rhythms the drummers were the ones propelling the machine, keeping up a driving momentum where the multiple layers and (self-indulgent? nerdy?) experimentation might have ground that forward power to a halt. Normally I'm more intrigued by vocal and guitar textures, melodies and harmonies, but this show had me drum kit focused.

I've listened to a bit of all three bands before, Cynic much more than the other two. Dysrhythmia bowled me over in the best way possible, but revisiting their recorded stuff today I find it doesn't quite match up. Intronaut was a little more hit and miss for me, winning me over then completely losing my attention till they won it over again. As for Cynic, I'm surprised by how much their newer material has wormed its way into my brain, so that their special presentation of Focus in full felt like just a warm up to the tracks off Traced in Air, Re-Traced and Portal. Even now I've caught myself singing "The Space for This" and "Integral Birth" repeatedly throughout the day.

The Mule wrote an excellent review of the Vancouver show here. And the always entertaining Natalie Zed has a review up on Hellbound with photos by Adam Wills. But if you want to read my own 'professional' account of what went on last night, exclaim has it up here.

Cynic, then Boris

2010-08-02T15:20:00.003-05:00

Two Mondays, two concerts.

Tonight at the Opera House:

Cynic, playing Focus plus some more recent stuff, with Intronaut and Dysrhythmia opening up. (look for reviews to go up at hellbound.ca and exclaim.ca)

Next week:

Boris, following an opening set by Russian Circles.

The summer of fun continues...

Heavy MTL! \m/ (the longer version)

2010-07-30T19:00:00.006-05:00

You may have read my (de-personalized) exclaim review, or followed Adam Wills's live blogging at hellbound.ca (or checked out his fest photos). Now here's my more rambling account of my first Heavy MTL weekend in Montreal (and repeated avoidance of full sentences).

day 0:

Road trip begins. Uneventful for the most part except for random (Mexican?) metalhead sighting at 401 rest stop. After a nap, time for a vegetarian dinner - a somewhat randomly chosen Yuan Vegetarian, an Asian veg place on St. Denis. The food was decent, the service a little inattentive, the atmosphere relaxedly posh. After a little (not really necessary) walk, pirate-themed service, loud (mostly 90s) metal and reasonably-priced drinks at Cafe Chaos.

day 1:

Up early for free continental breakfast and to join the metal hordes clambering (and clamouring) on the Metro line out to Parc Jean-Drapeau. After a minor lobster claw incident, headed into the venue for our free press wristbands, Heavy MTL neck things, and fancy laminated schedules (all of which smoothed our way no further than the other side of the security check). Arrived pretty much in line with the beginning of the opening set - to find the women's washroom already alarmingly short of toilet paper and the limited merch and food/drink options pretty expensive and well, limited.

Things picked up with Skeletonwitch, who I found nearly as entertaining as I had in Hamilton a few days before (which was quite a lot). High on Fire sounded big but looked small. Auf der Maur was barely audible at first but absolutely beautifully amazing (see the earlier reports for the Peter Steele connection). Kataklysm also sounded good but it was getting incredibly hot out and it was already time for a bit of a break. One that lasted through Fear Factory. I still love them but prefer to keep a distance so the glow of memory doesn't get doused by the dullness of current reality.

Revived long enough to get caught up in the inimitable enthusiasm of Anvil (I've had a soft spot for them ever since watching the documentary), a bit of Testament (with another refreshment break), and the beginning and end of Halford. Between some weird sound issues and another bout of heat fatigue I didn't enjoy Mastodon as much I hoped and decided to view and hear Slayer from up on the hill. Having seen Slayer many times and the Big Four movie recently it didn't seem important to be all that close. Same goes for Alice Cooper (minus the Big Four part) although it would have been neat to see his stage show up close -- the distant view and big screen close-ups didn't quite do it justice.

A little later, the fireworks going off just beyond the trees seemed symbolic of my feelings about seeing and hearing Megadeth perform Rust in Peace in full. I wish Dave Mustaine's singing wasn't so visibly and audibly painful, but I'm impressed by the band's current line-up and only wish I had enough stamina for the "secret" charity show later that night. Instead we tramped across a precarious sea of crushed beer cups and aluminum bottles and joined the hot, sweaty and smelly stream of the dirty and black clad heading back into the city.

day 2:

Wanted to make it back to the Parc in time for Les Ekorchés, but when that clearly wasn't happening we decided to forego the other early bands for coffee, tea, and eventually a couple of tasty falafels from Basha (Ste-Catherine-Uqam location). Made it back to the festival site in time for Chimaira drowning out Three Inches of Blood on the side stage. Mocked a few outfits, got free, disgusting samples of Rockstar energy drink and spent a fair bit of time watching and listening from the relative comfort of the grassy slope.

Hatebreed sounded good but I still can't get fired up over them. Didn't really manage to stir up any significant appreciation until Alexisonfire. I'm never been a particular fan but I sort of get what they're doing and it was a welcome contrast to some of the more simplistic aural bombardment the afternoon had to offer. Following closely behind, Lamb of God were predictably intense and crowd-stirring. Again, I more or less understand the appeal, but I tend to like these guys best in short doses - a live set strains my attention. Mike Portnoy playing with Avenged Sevenfold was the highlight of that set, which mostly had me anxious for Rob Zombie to take over.

Zombie's performance was my Sunday highlight, hands down. I wasn't totally on board with the sound of all the material but the stage show was irresistible, as (openly) ripped off from Alice Cooper as it is. I mean, costumes and robots (including a framing Zombie's entrance on stage out of the flaming robot!) and monsters and horror film clips? He had me at the robots. After that, Korn's closing set was a complete anti-climax, despite their elaborate oil rig stage decor (which I didn't quite understand - was it an attempt at a political statement?) They sounded strong, had a loyal following in hand, and I even enjoyed the songs I know more than I expected, but I just had trouble caring after all the much more impressive performances I'd seen over the two days leading up.

We ended the night with craft beer and pizza at Le Saint-Bock and more drinks and metal with friends and new acquaintances at Les Foufounes Electriques and headed out, a little short of sleep, early Monday afternoon to return to Ontario and a vague sense of reality.

Can't wait until next year!

TV looks at Canada's animal rights record tonight

2010-07-28T17:20:00.003-05:00

via Niagara Action for Animals:

Tune into Global TV tonight, July 28, at 10pm, for "Revealed: No Country for Animals" as Kevin Newman takes a look at "Canada's Real Record on Animal Rights in Canada."

If you miss the initial broadcast, apparently it will be uploaded to Global's website tomorrow.

Here's one of several pr entries about the program for more info.

Heavy MTL! \m/

2010-07-27T11:00:00.003-05:00

Heavy MTL
Originally uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

My first multi-day outdoor metal festival in North America.

The exclaim! review.

More details to follow.

Rush, more concerts and reviews, and the summer of slacking

2010-07-13T11:10:00.009-05:00

More than a month since my last post... But it's not for lack of love! It's just that time seems to be moving at an unusual rate this summer and I'm having a hard time keeping track of where it all goes. So, for the time being, here's a little recap on what I've been up to music-wise in the last several weeks and what's coming up in the near future.

On June 6 we saw Johnny Hollow open for Attrition in Toronto, though unfortunately missed Attrition's set. JH's acoustic cello opener was a particular highlight of the night.

A few weeks later, June 25 to be exact, I stumbled into a heavy gig at Casbah: Sexbeast (I'd run out of attention span by the time they came onstage) with openers The Electric Candles (who replaced their awol drummer with an ipod), SKULL (whose delightful doominess assaulted us from the back of the room) and the "amazing" and intense ViLipeNd (the band that brought me through the door in the first place).

June was a slow month compared to May. July has been quiet so far too but that changes tonight with The Creepshow playing at Casbah.

Then tomorrow night (Friday, June 16) we head to Toronto for Woods of Ypres playing with Battlesoul and The Great Collapse at The Blue Moon Pub on Queen East.

Then the noise continues Tuesday (June 20) when High On Fire roll into Casbah with Skeletonwitch and Priestess.

And if that wasn't enough... road trip to Montreal next weekend for Heavy MTL. A few highlights from the two-day fest I'm most anticipating: Melissa Auf der Maur, Rob Halford, Testament and Mastodon (all scheduled for Saturday). Full report here and at exclaim.ca to come.

I've only managed a couple new cd reviews in the past few weeks, but swing by the Exclaim site if you want to know what I thought of the new Nevermore and Witchery albums.

Last but definitely not least, if you're in need of a Rush fix (and even if you're not) you should peruse hellbound.ca for a while. If you haven't already checked out our Canada Day Rush feature be sure to have a look – we've got reviews of the new Rush documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage and an interview with directors Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, plus staff (and guest) picks of our favourite Rush songs and fav Rush albums. And as of today you can read Sean Palmerston's review of last night's Rush show in Toronto with photos by Adam Wills.

and the adventure continues (welcoming in June with Entombed)

2010-06-01T11:35:00.002-05:00

Hypocrisy @ Toronto's Wreck Room, May 29
Originally uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

June 1 is an exciting day for me this year. For one, this is my first time getting to see Entombed! I've been dying to see them since the early 90s and have two distinct and disappointing memories of missing out on them before. Finally that's all gonna change.

And two, Hellbound.ca - the metal webzine I'm proud to be involved with - turns one year old today! Join in the celebrations and post your comments here.

And of course, this comes after what (surprisingly, for me at least) turned out to be a really good May, closed out by an awesome metal weekend. Friday night was my third time making it out to DJ Miss Barbrafisch's Fistful of Metal night at Disgraceland - I highly recommend this monthly event (and should get out to it more often myself). Then Saturday... Hypocrisy! It took seeing them headline at the Reverb many years ago for me to clue in to the fact of how much I love this band and seeing them finally headline again was a helluva treat. You can read my review for exclaim.ca here, but be sure to keep an eye out at Hellbound.ca for Natalie Zed's review and photos by Adam Wills, plus you can check out Mark Coatsworth's photos for Metallus Maximus here.

Happy June 2010!

May concert madness: Covenant, Hypocrisy and more

2010-05-20T15:53:00.002-05:00

Covenant0114
Originally uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

Okay, maybe not madness, but my concert drought is finally over and I'm seriously making up for lost time this month.

Things started off with Porcupine Tree (and Big Elf) at Sound Academy. It was my first time at the venue and I was impressed - great sound, good view from where we were standing, clean bathrooms. The last time I saw Porcupine Tree they were playing with Opeth on the acoustic tour, and this was a rather different vibe, with Porcupine Tree being the main event. I loved it, but then my months of concert withdrawal (and a few other extraneous reasons) might have contributed to an uncritical appreciation of what was going on. Either way, I had a blast. Check out Natalie Zed's review on Hellbound with some great shots by Adam Wills.

My next concert was only two days later: the 16 Volt/Chemlab show at Neu+ral. Very different music and venue (and sketchier washrooms). Openers Promonium Jester sounded great but were a little short on stage presence. Left Spine Down had enough stage presence for both, but it wasn't until their second last song that they really started to win me over. But then, in terms of personality, Chemlab cranked things up even further (part of it had to be the silver jacket). And finally, for 16 Volt it was back to sound over spectacle. I saw the show with Melissa Andrews, so you can read her proper review of it at Hellbound. A couple of dudes were taking pictures but you'll have to seek those out on your own.

Since we didn't make it to Montreal for Kinetik fest, we made up for it with another electronic show on May 17: Covenant and Decoded Feedback with DJs Skin and Lazarus at the Mod Club. I actually wrote up a real review for this one, so if you're so inclined, read it over at exclaim.ca.

Up next: Hypocrisy and more at the Wreck Room on May 28, and then as the month turns over Entombed/Obituary at the Opera House on June 1. May is turning out to be a good month after all.

tribute to one amazing tabby cat

2010-04-09T17:12:00.001-05:00

X on April 1
Originally uploaded by kill eat exploit the weak

X (Xavier)
March 12, 1999 – April 9, 2010

a spring of shows (and a few more reviews)

2010-04-07T15:47:00.006-05:00

I hope you didn't miss Overkill last night. I did. (I'm seriously concert deprived right now.)

But I might make it out to see Moonsorrow and Swallow the Sun next week at the Opera House in Toronto (opening for Finntroll) if I can get my act together. A couple days later, Ludicra and Krallice are swinging through Toronto too, playing Rancho Relaxo of all places. And Gates of Slumber are part of a show at the WreckRoom tomorrow night if you can't wait till next week.

(more information about these particular concerts at www.inertia-entertainment.com)

I keep writing cd reviews, albeit slowly, very slowly. A few more are up online (at exclaim.ca and hellbound.ca):

Nechochwen – Azimuths to the Otherworld

Barren Earth – Curse of the Red River

Negura Bunget – Maiestrit

Ludicra – The Tenant

save the dragon

2010-03-28T09:10:00.003-05:00

One of my favourite finds, as a new (vegan) Hamiltonian, was the Sky Dragon Centre. Being a homebody a lot of the time I haven't taken advantage of everything the Centre has to offer, and I haven't been there as often as I might like. Still I've enjoyed many non-dairy (and often non-soy) lattes, vegan baked treats, rice bowls, microbrews, and other yummy consumables there. I've shopped at the organic market, bought fair trade coffee for home, admired the art, enjoyed the ambiance. And that's just a taste of what's going on there.

It's been reassuring to know Hamilton can harbour this kind of sanctuary. But now that harbouring is in some doubt. Sky Dragon's mortgage is scheduled to be pulled on April 18th, leaving the coop in a very tenuous position. They need a new mortgage, and probably some restructuring to stay in operation. I'm not clear on all the details, but The Spec has published some information and the Sky Dragon blog has more info on the issues than I've had time to read. It sounds like it's going to take some community mobilization to keep the Centre going. If you're willing to help, read the blog, spread the word, and think about attending the community information meeting this Monday, March 29, 7pm – 9 at Ricca’s Furniture Building, 228 James St. North, Hamilton.

---

And just a reminder for those of you in the Niagara area (I think I posted this before):

RADIO ACTION FOR ANIMALS BENEFIT CONCERT

WHEN: Sunday, April 11, 5:30pm- 11:00
LOCATION: L3 Nightclub, Downtown St. Catharines Ontario
DETAILS: $10 with all proceeds to Storybook Farm Primate Sanctuary. All ages. Free vegan food from Brooklyn's Restaurant. Live music from In Limbo, Chainsaw Lobotomy, Black Majik Movement, The Overfiend, and Sound Asleep. Raffles/door prizes. Contact BARC brockanimalrights@gmail.com for tickets.

winter reviews round-up

2010-03-25T08:14:00.006-05:00

aka part 2...

The general trend? My ears have not been wowed much yet in 2010.

A few more reviews to check out at exclaim.ca if you're in the mood:

Orphaned Land - The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR

Borknagar - Universal

Dark Tranquillity - We Are the Void

Finntroll - Nifelvind

Pagan Metal: A Documentary (DVD)

And two for Hellbound.ca:

Shining - VI Klagopsalmer

Rotting Christ - Aeolo

One more - not by me but potentially interesting to anyone who's seen Heavy Metal in Baghdad:

Acrassicauda - Only The Dead See The End Of The War

Another DVD mention if not a full review: I got a chance to preview the Norwegian black metal doc Until the Light Takes Us, though I didn't make it out to the theatre in Toronto to see it. It's a strange film, attempting to tap into the atmosphere of the scene it infiltrates. It's not cinema verité but the interviewer(s) is absent, all part of shaping the mystique that pools around three very different characters: the violent ideologist, the passive nihilist, the masochistic goth. The film represents black metal as counterculture, art, ideology, and lifestyle, particularly catering to fans of Darkthrone, Burzum/early Mayhem, and Satyricon. It's worth seeing if you get a chance.

end of march events: for the music and for the animals

2010-03-24T07:58:00.005-05:00

Of potential interest to the Southern Ontario folks...

For the animals:

OPIRG and BARC (Brock Animal Rights) are hosting a poetry reading / film screening event on March 29, 6-9 pm at OPIRG's downtown info shop, 10 Summer Street, St. Catharines. Poet James Strecker will be reading from his collection Beside the Hemlock Garden: On Life and Rights followed by a screening of the film Peaceable Kingdom by Tribe of Heart. Free event, everyone welcome, free vegan snacks provided.

Cats for convicts: not pet cats in the jail but a feral cat colony on Bath correctional institute property. Apparently the human–cat relationships involved here may be good for the inmates and for the cats. Read more (and/or sign a petition to keep the cats there).

And for the music:

In the mood for some theatrical, humorous but very frostbitten and grim black metal this weekend? The Iron Maiden of black metal - Immortal - hit the Opera House in Toronto on Saturday night, March 27.

And a pre-party of sorts: A FISTFUL OF METAL w/ DJ Miss Barbrafisch spinning all extreme metal all night, Friday, March 26 at Disgraceland, 965 Bloor St W of Ossington – "9pm till they kick us out!"

And if you want to start your weekend partying on Thursday, Nunslaughter and a bunch of other bands take over Sneaky Dee's Thursday night, March 25.

Plus Unearth close out the month at the Opera House on March 31.

If Hamilton's more your scene and you want to engage in a little community support, checkout Deathpoint, Subliminal Hate Machine, Aarsonist, and Rigorous Obliteration at Club Absinthe on March 26. The show (in collaboration with Social Service Worker students from Mohawk College) is a fundraiser for the It's My Dream scholarship program run through the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario.

And two more for my list (but far from the only events packed into the last week of March):

SONS OF BUTCHER CD Release Party with Paradox Hotel at Casbah in Hamilton, March 26 at 9 pm.

THE CREEPSHOW with The Barettas, Super Villains Exhumed, Die Standing, also at Casbah, March 31 starting at 8 pm.

and now for the good news...

2010-03-06T10:58:00.003-05:00

A lost dog, trapped on a ledge, gets saved by firefighters in Port Hope, Ontario:

Dramatic rescue saves stranded dog: Husky stranded for at least two days on a CP Rail ledge.

Okay, yes, this is good news, but on a pretty small scale. So why am I repeating it? Well, partly because hearing about a real life happy ending for an animal never hurts, but also because of where I found the story – under the "Good News" heading on the CNEWS website.

I find it intriguing that they've had to create such a category. Are they suggesting that regular news is so overwhelmingly bad that we need a safe category to turn to when we'd rather not be depressed by what's going on in the world? Or are we all so numb to what's going on that we need to be told what's good news and what isn't? Oh, journalism, you are an endless source of entertainment...

virtual musicians: bringing back musical personalities from the dead

2010-03-03T09:36:00.004-05:00

From Wired... this is a little neat and a little creepy – re-creations of a dead musician's distinctive performance style through computer technology:

Virtual Musicians, Real Performances: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Music

My tech geek side likes the idea of re-performances, the possibilities for hearing things that should have been performed and recorded, and so on. But the cynic (and paranoiac) in me cringes at the use of dead musicians' style as a cheesy gimmick or advertising hook, and the idea of copyrighting and licensing a performance flavour is really distasteful. If you read the Wired story, you'll see I'm not alone here. On top of it all, the dystopian sf fan in me imagines musicians being kept semi-/digitally alive like Dixie Flatline in Neuromancer and feels a little ill at the prospect.

So how do we use this technological potential without turning it into another tool for corporate control over creativity? Or use it respectfully without turning dead artists into caricatures of themselves? Any ideas?

---

side note: If you share your life with a pet or six, unless it's as long-lived as a tortoise, you're going to have to deal with animal mortality sooner or later – preferably later. I was hoping our next encounter with later was still a long ways away, but these things always loom sooner than you'd ever want.

If this blog is inspired, in part, by the seven cats I have shared my life with – four living with us now, two passed on, and one moved on to another family – this post is dedicated to one sick little cat who is very close to my heart. This AI stuff makes me wonder, would I hang onto him as a virtual kitty if I could? And I think no, that wouldn't be hanging on but starting a new relationship with a new different kind of cat, however closely he was related to the furry critter that was.

woods of ypres: a different kind of green

2010-02-15T21:20:00.021-05:00

The latest (February) online issue of Exclaim.ca features my review of the new Woods of Ypres album along with a Q&A style interview with Woods' main man David Gold. David was generous with his words, sharing much more than the Exclaim feature could hold. If you've read the original interview/review and still can't get enough WoY, scroll down for some more.

More on what the word "green" had come to mean and why Woods IV is the Green Album...

DG: “Green” was everywhere and I couldn’t escape being reminded of everything that I lost. It knocked the breath out of my chest every time I saw it like a punch in the heart and I saw it everywhere, mostly in modern advertising. There was a time when I was on my way to work in Seoul, Korea, when I stepped out of the subway to see a huge 50-foot environmental awareness billboard that read “Love Green” in huge green block letters. Knowing I would encounter this word throughout the rest of my life often enough and knowing that I was severely attached to it enough for it to have the potential to continue to wear me down and eventually destroy me, I needed to do something for my own survival, even if it meant tricking myself by changing the meaning. At the very least, I distract myself from the love that I lost with the consolation that I am reminded instead of Woods of Ypres and the album that I wrote about the love that I lost, of the same name, Green. My little experiment was a relative success in salvaging what was left of me. It was also the source for some unique, once in a lifetime type inspiration that I would use to create something heavy, intense and convincing, as a kind of souvenir. At least now, “Green” reminds me somewhat more of the album, than the unfortunate events that inspired the album, the same way that seeing any forest reminds me of Woods of Ypres more than it does the personal tragedies that often inspired the music. We are the trees, and now we are “green,” too. However, these are still small battles won after the war had been lost, and I still long for all that was. It’s certainly not the album I ever wanted to write but it did indeed become my story and I wanted it to be told. It was also a way for me to communicate my feelings one last time, like a message in a bottle on the ocean. See track ten: “You Are Here With Me (in this sequence of dreams).” I thought that was a fitting place and a bittersweet sentiment on which to finally part ways, in song. Some warm, nostalgic class, post-reactionary-doom-metal-chaos.

How directly autobiographical is your writing?

DG: Maybe it finally borders on “too much,” but in my defence, on the right side of the border, and doesn’t go over. I imagine (hope) that this is last time I will ever write an album like this. Woods songs have always been cathartic for me, paying tribute to some terrible experience with self-satisfying song. I already knew when embarking on my adventure to Korea that I would eventually write the “Green” album, and I’m very happy that we were successful in putting it together and making it happen as quickly as it did, in less than two years since the release of Woods III. I know that the “green” album was the only album I knew how to write in the condition I was in and I felt that it was a good idea to purge all of those feelings and get them out of my system and into song all at once and asap, so those themes didn’t continue to reappear in my songwriting, or my real life, in the future. I also had to make this album before too long, to deliver myself to a place of peace and prove to the rest of the world that I didn’t die, it didn’t kill me. I guess all that experience brought me to a point where I was weak enough to call it quits, but also too tough to die, which is very characteristically “Woods of Ypres” of me.

Early copies of Woods 4 come with Necramyth’s Slaughter of the Seoul as a second disc. Why the double release? How did your experience with Necramyth impact the writing or performances on Woods 4?

DG: Necramyth, Slaughter of the Seoul, was a big part of the W4 process for me. I don’t even know if another Woods album would have happened otherwise. Necramyth saved my life. I was a wreck over there and completely lost with what to do with myself outside of teaching, alone, for a year. Playing brutal drums for a metal band again helped me get back in shape, mentally and physically, working and sweating and blast-beating my defeated, bleeding heart back to life. W4 is like a reflection on my year in Seoul and all the stages I went through in grieving, while Slaughter of the Seoul sounds like how I felt inside during that year, with all the internal violence and chaos.We wrote and rehearsed the songs on Slaughter… throughout the year, trying them out live at shows, before finally beginning the recording process in April 2008, as my contract in Seoul was nearing its end. Necramyth really was a live band. The album was recorded without a metronome or guide tracks and it resulted in a real fluid, live feel with lots of groove. I’m really proud about that album, too! I can vividly remember the feeling of riding the Seoul subway system with my double bass pedals in a case over one shoulder, my Chinese Wuhan cymbals in a bag and a backpack on my back, in my teacher clothes, going to rehearsal at one of the many different rehearsal spots we’d frequent, depending on the day of the week. Lots of sweat and love when into making that album. I felt camaraderie in that band like I had never felt before. I will always feel indebted to the Necramyth guys and I’ll always cherish that experience.

Both albums are like a different side to the same story. There was the side of me that would have to leave my emotional challenges at the door when going in to work everyday and pretend that everything was fine in order to remain professional and do my job. I was able to work out my frustrations in a physical way at night by getting back to extreme drumming while playing in Necramyth, rehearsing twice a week and playing a show almost every Saturday. The content on W4 is like the chapters of the different stages I went through while I was there and the feelings I had but couldn’t try to deal with or even try to talk about at the time. There was my work life, my personal life, my Necramyth life, and W4 is like a chronicle of the whole experience. W4 is like a cup of green tea while sitting in a dark room in personal reflection, while Slaughter of the Seoul is like slamming soju (Korean booze) and smashing the bottle in the street.

On top of the Necramyth connection, you recruited some guest performers for Woods 4, from Ottawa neofolk project Musk Ox. Why and how that did that come about?

DG: I met Nathanaël / Musk Ox through Adrian Bromley a little over a year ago. Musk Ox played Adrian’s memorial show and also opened up for Woods in Hamilton last May on our Eastern Canada Tour. While we were in the writing process we got talking about having the Musk Ox team (Nathanaël Larochette classical guitar, Raphael Weinroth-Browne cello, and Angela Schleihauf oboe) add some melodic instrumentation. They contributed the music for the track “You Are Here With Me (in this sequence of dreams)” and Angela added oboe leads on three other tracks. I recently just saw Musk Ox live in Ottawa at Club Raw Sugar and they opened the set with “You Are Here…”. We may just end up working together again in the future.

More on the irony and the multi-dimensional nature of W4...

DG: I take the risks in believing that for every young black metal kid who says, “this is not for me,” there’s a college age doom-kid totally connecting to it, relating to it, identifying with it, thinking, “this album is about me!” I wouldn’t want to write a doom album like this unless it had a point. It would be irresponsible of me to write a depressing doom album where the message from the first track is “Abandon All Hope” and the message in the last track is “Kill Yourself.” What’s the point? Instead we have “Drag that Weight,” “Don’t Open the Wounds” and “Move On!”

On the subject of musical influences...

DG: Musically, I took influence from Type O, Sentenced, Crowbar, Katatonia, other random, unnamed goth and doom metal from my past and real-time influence from whatever $100 riffs that happen to end up in my hands while playing guitar, sitting on the edge of my bed in Seoul. I didn’t have the capacity to focus or the brainpower to be conceptualizing W4 at the time, but I would play guitar and try to write “something,” simply to keep myself occupied but not knowing what would come of it. Eventually, there came moments where some casual riffing would result in thinking out loud, “That’s going to be a Green Album riff.”

And while writing and recording the Green Album...

DG: I was listening to mostly Nick Cave and The Magnetic Fields, bawling my fucking eyes out at night in the privacy of my apartment. Lyrically, I certainly pulled some lyrical irony from those two heroes of mine, Nick Cave and Stephen Merritt. Also, the “low voice” parts that most metalheads attribute to Peter Steele (Type O Negative) could just as easily be a Stephen Merritt influence for me.

One of the songs, “I Was Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery,” names several people – Glenn Gould, Alexander Muir, Eaton, Joseph Mulgrew. This is Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto? What’s the significance of these particular individuals?

DG: The first three are real people actually buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery: Gould the pianist, Muir the composer and Eaton the businessman. Joseph Mulgrew is the real name of the character Joe Dick, played by Hugh Dillon in the movie Hard Core Logo. In the movie, it is said that Joe Dick (HCL frontman who shoots himself in the head in the final scene of the movie) is buried in Mt. Pleasant and that his body is later stolen and never recovered. I am a huge HCL fan, and I have always identified with Dillon’s “Joe Dick” character as well as Dillon’s character, himself as a frontman and band leader, being just as desperate as he is passionate. Before my job offer in Seoul came in, I spent a few weeks jogging after work in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which was just behind my apartment in Toronto. It was June, already far too hot for my liking and I hate jogging but it became an outlet, to do something with myself while I tried to think about what I was going to do next. I liked the idea that the old me, the version 1.0 me was slowly ‘buried’ there over the course of a few weeks, or that I progressively faded away a little bit more each day, evaporating in the heat, under the sun, and eventually disappeared. That’s where the Toronto part of my story ended just before the part “In exile” was to begin. This might be my favourite part of the album and sure to become a classic favourite Woods song. It’s my first choice if we are so lucky to end up making a music video to support W4.

Woods of Ypres has gone through several line-up changes over the years. What effect did line-up issues, including the current cast of characters, have on the latest record?

DG: Look, no one gives Devin Townsend a hard time about line up changes these days, so why me…? (hah! Just kidding.) I’ve been doing Woods since 2002, so eight years in which the world has never stood still. Change is inevitable and a natural, healthy part of the process, in retrospect. It all ended well this time, which was refreshing. We had another guy on bass who fought for the gig, only to quit two weeks before he was to start recording, so in classic Woods fashion, we had to think fast and adapt to rearrange the recording schedule in order to meet our deadline of doing this album between an Eastern Canada tour and a Western Tour. Evan’s brother Shane came to rescue by committing himself to the project, learning and writing his parts in less than a month and producing excellent results. Evan Madden is just a monster on drums who can put himself through all the physical abuse of the classic Woods black metal blast and double bass drumming but also understood what this new album was about and how to make it work. Last but not least, fellow Sault Ste. Marie guy Bryan Belleau contributed his lead guitar skills and added solos to the album.

Playing live seems to have been an off and on activity for Woods of Ypres, recently more on than off. How has that affected what you’re doing now with the band?

DG: Well, it’s closer to where I want us to be, being able to release albums and tour to support them. In the very beginning we played lots of shows, then we played only 1-2 a year during the challenging WII and WIII years in Toronto. In the W4 era of the last 1.5 years, we’ve toured coast-to-coast across Canada, co-headlined the Noctis metalfest in Calgary and ventured into the USA to co-headline the Heathen Crusade 3. We’re planning another cross Canada tour in June 2010, and our first real tour of the USA in July. Europe is inevitable for Woods of Ypres. It’s just a matter of time. Overall, being able to tour is a dream come true. I love writing, recording and releasing music but touring and connecting with the listeners live and in person completes the process. It’s an awesome feeling to hit the stage in any town and see listeners nodding, frowning, with fists in the air, making eye contact with me and singing along to anything from “Your Ontario Town is a Burial Ground” to “The Ghosts of Summer’s Past.”

The first Woods of Ypres release, the EP Against the Seasons, came out in 2002, followed by Pursuit of the Sun and Allure of the Earth in 2004 and The Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues in 2008. What would you say has been the biggest change from what Woods was then to what the band is now?

DG: Nothing has stayed the same. I’ve moved, grown, changed, mostly abruptly and usually against my will, and as a result the music has evolved and my reasons for continuing has changed. I guess I’ve gone with the flow, even though it rarely feels like it, and by that what I mean is that we let change happen. For example, instead of trying to force that fast, youthful black metal sound of 2002 across a career, I prefer to reflect the honesty of our dark, slow doom of 2009. That’s where we were then, but this is where we are now. We’ve had blessings in disguise, too. Getting to where we are now has been a struggle, but admittedly it’s always been a voluntary labour of love. Everything else just seems to come and go but I always come back to Woods of Ypres. I will always have it and no one will ever be able to take that away from me. There have been many good opportunities to quit, namely less than two years ago. Now, there are so many good reasons to continue, reaching new heights with the band in 2009 and 2010. It’s ironic and highly entertaining to me to reflect on the absurdity that I play in a depressive, often suicidal-themed black and doom metal band, and yet, heredity suggests that I will likely live for a very long time, in which I can’t ever imagine putting the band to rest. Eventually, I would like to bring the band and myself to a good, strong, healthy place and have that strength and sense of hope reflected in the music. It would only be fair, honest.

And a few more words on staying independent...

DG: It gives me something to do until I find a greater cause. The main advantage is that we make the albums that we want to make and there’s no one to interfere. However, the major challenge is that we must do everything ourselves and there’s no one to help share the burdens. Now in 2010, when it seems all the other bands are finally going independent, it would seem backwards for me to sign to a label, when really, we could be entering into the era in which we will finally capitalize on our years of experience in the independent underground. Or, we will continue to make albums and most people will continue to download them for free from blogs, etc… We will sign a good long-term deal with a good label who is prepared to adapt with the industry. Labels have only offered us shit so far and told us to take it or leave it, and we have always left it and continued to do our own thing and grow on our own.

animals in Haiti

2010-01-30T10:12:00.002-05:00

Since the earthquake(s) in Haiti I've been receiving reminders from various animal aid groups that the humans aren't the only ones suffering.

Humane Society International is one of the groups involved in getting aid not just to human people but to nonhumans in Haiti as well. Their website has reports on their findings and progress.

And from Niagara Action for Animals:

WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) are leading the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), apparently in response to an official invitation from the Haiti government.

HSI and ARCH are both collecting donations for the care and treatment of animals in Haiti.

winter 2010 metal reviews, part one

2010-01-28T10:06:00.006-05:00

I went to my first concert of the year this week - Devin Townsend Project and Cynic, along with Scale the Summit, opening for Between the Buried and Me. I snagged my spot on the guest list because of DTP - it's been years since I've seen Hevy Devy live and after being sucked intoAddicted addiction, I couldn't resist the chance to see him again. Cynic was an added draw - I was never a huge Cynic fan, probably hadn't listened to them in years, but I remember them standing out in the early 90s metal scene and I wanted to hear what they're up to now. Well, I loved it, and now I can't figure out why I wasn't paying more attention earlier. Scale the Summit was a pleasant surprise - much more enticing live than they sound on myspace. And Between the Buried and Me, though they weren't hitting the right spot for me, clearly put on a good show (if you can forgive a rather lame turn of phrase). If my informal reflections have caught your interest, check out the official BTBAM concert review at Exclaim!.

One of my favourite new releases of the year is the new Ihsahn record, but I can't get over how Alice in Chains-ish it feels to me: Ihsahn - After - reviewed for Exclaim!.

The Sigh I was less impressed with, a disappointing development but in line with my disappointment after seeing them live on their last NA tour. Maybe I've just lost touch with what they're up to? Or maybe they've lost touch with ears like mine?: Sigh - Scenes from Hell review.

Veggie Superfriends event in St Catharines

2010-01-06T20:27:00.004-05:00

Passing along an announcement disseminated by Niagara Action for Animals:

"Veggie Superfriends" will be coming together to raise funds for the AETA 4, 4 animal rights activists from the U.S. who are currently facing terrorism charges (10 years) for things like chalking sidewalks, wearing balaclavas at demonstrations to conceal their identities, etc. Although these charges are all frivolous, they are up against a major piece of legislation, the AETA Animal Enterprises Terrorism Act, and legal fees are mounting. Let's all get together to help all our jailed activists and show the world that unjust legislation like this will not stop the call for an end to animal cruelty. All proceeds from ticket sales are going to the legal fund for the AETA 4. The day starts at 1:00 pm and includes the following:

Cooking Demo with Vegan Chocolate Goddess Suie Moffat. Author of "Lickin' The Beaters" and owner/operator of Boardwalk Chocolates (http://boardwalkchocolates.com/), 2pm.
Guest lecture from Brock University Professor and former host of Animal Voices, Lauren Corman, 2:50pm.
Tabling from local AR organizations as well as Sea Shepherd.
Film Showing: The Cove, 3:30pm.
Free vegan food, 5:30pm.
Bands, starting 6:30pm:

I Refuse (Ottawa Hardcore) - http://www.myspace.com/irefusehc
Black Faxes (Toronto Hardcore) - http://www.myspace.com/blackfaxes
Class War (Niagara Hardcore Reunion!) - http://www.myspace.com/classwarhc
Northern Primitive (Niagara Rockers) - http://www.myspace.com/northernprimitive

Tickets can be had by emailing theveganpoliceradio@gmail.com or at 73 St. Paul St in the near future. There will be two separate colour tickets, one for those who are attending, and one for those who support the cause but will not be attending (blue). For those we are not in the area but want to support this cause, please donate online by paypal or email support@aeta4.org.

More info on the cause and the activists can be found here:
http://aeta4.org/ or http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/.

I don't know much about the case they're raising money for here, or even about the speakers and bands scheduled for the event, but I can say with a great deal of certainty that I'm against labelling animal activists as terrorists. Herbivore magazine had a story on the issue a couple of years ago. If that issue is no longer available I'll see about getting permission to scan and post the article.

new year goodies from hellbound

2010-01-01T13:55:00.002-05:00

If your holiday goodie bag didn't satisfy your metal cravings, Hellbound's got the solution: enough free music to feed your ears for days straight (longer if you give them a nap break).

The metal zine's latest contest promises

"nearly 50 CDs from bands on the AFM, Century Media, E1 Records Canada, Ibex Moon, Metal Blade, Nuclear Blast, Prosthetic, Relapse, Roadrunner, Season Of Mist, Sensory and Sonic Unyon labels. This includes autographed CDs from AUGURY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, JOB FOR A COWBOY, PORCUPINE TREE, SACRIFICE, TESTAMENT and VOIVOD, a Prosthetic Records t-shirt (either L or XL), a CRADLE OF FILTH picture disc 7″ and some more stuff TBA (we’re not gonna list everything until it arrives)."

And all you have to do is list your five favourite metal albums of 2009. For the especially ravenous, you can earn a few more entries by spreading the word and subscribing to the latest Hellbound updates (see the contest page for full details).

And while you're at it, check out Hellbound's latest feature - the return of Kevi-Metal's Rimshots. Rimshots is one more tie leading back to Adrian Bromley's sorely-missed Unrestrained! magazine and a welcome addition to the Hellbound line-up.

Hellbound is seven months old now, and for me, the webzine's emergence and growth definitely qualify among the most memorable developments of 2009.

heavy hitters from 1999

2009-12-30T08:43:00.002-05:00

I submitted my music picks for 2009 weeks ago already (see this post for exclaim! year in review info, and then check out hellbound.ca's special year end coverage with a Canadian twist and submit your own top Canadian picks to win a Canadian metal prize pack). I'm not even going to try to play the 'best of the decade' game, but since the year is almost expired, it's about time for my twist on the typical year end lists - a rundown oft what I was into ten years ago.

If you caught last year's 'best of' post you might recall that this is a KEEW tradition, first devised for a new year's eve radio special many years past. This will be my third new year's away from CKMS but here are some of the records I'd be mining for tracks if I was still on the air.

KEEW's best of 1999 (in no particular order):

Nevermore - Dreaming Neon Black

Opeth - Still Life

In Flames - Colony

Tristania - Beyond the Veil

Cradle of Filth - From the Cradle to Enslave

Anathema - Judgement

Rapture - Futile

Immortal - At the Heart of Winter

Agalloch - Pale Folklore

Moonspell - The Butterfly Effect

Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy

Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes

Cathedral - Caravan Beyond Redemption

Amorphis - Tuonela

Lacrimas Profundere - Memorandum

My Dying Bride - The Light at the End of the WorldSolus - Universal Bloodshed

Odyssey - Odyssey

Katatonia - Tonight's Decision

Sevendust - Home

Pain - Rebirth

Skunk Anansie - Post Orgasmic Chill

Korn - Issues

Disclaimers: If I screwed up any of these release dates, so be it. These are all worth mentioning whatever year they were released in. But it's also entirely possible I forgot something good too. What can I say? Memory's not my strong point. You'll also note that I start veering away from the metal canon toward the end of the list. I'm not a purist. I like what I like.

review backlog and honorable mentions

2009-12-27T21:41:00.003-05:00

My house is full of CDs. I don't have an epic collection, but it's large and grows at a rate that exceeds my control. If you're the kind of person who reads Philip K. Dick, think of the CDs in my house as related to kipple and you'll get a sense of what I'm talking about. Books are almost as bad, but that's another tale. Part of the kipple factor is that I'm rapidly running out of shelf space. On top of that, of the CDs that come to me for review, I can only squeeze in the time to deal with a small fraction in writing before they're already old news.

Consider this post dedicated to the records that I wanted to review but couldn't find time for when they first came my way.

Antediluvian - Under Wing of Asael: This brutal (Canadian) monstrosity just entered my life this year, but I gather the demo's a little older than that. Antediluvian performs a kind of blackened doom/grind that could probably annihilate any keyboard or vocal melody that wandered within 100 feet.
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Sing Along Songs for the Damned & Delirious: Starting out like a cross between the Stray Cats and The Triplets of Belleville, this collection of tracks is as odd as the band name and record title suggest. I can't compare it to DSO's first album (never heard it), and I wouldn't call it exactly enjoyable, but there's a lot of entertainment value here.
Emilie Autumn - Opheliac: This is one of my favourites of the honorable mentions. The Baroque intro sets a gothic mood but things get a lot messier (in the best of ways) as the record sinks into a nearly sinister electro-groove. Emilie Autumn channels something along the lines of a Kate Bush/Tori Amos/Hanin Elias/Courtney Love techno fusion. At first I thought it was neat, then cheesy, then I realized I was completely won over.
Epica - Design Your Universe: Epica's always been hit and miss for me, as in I mostly can't get into what they're doing but they usually come up with one or two songs that draw me in. Design Your Universe keeps up that pattern (check out "Martyr of the Free Word"), but there's a little more oomph to this record that I can't quite put my finger on and the uncertainty keeps luring me back to try to figure it out.
Gwynbleidd - Nostalgia: There's a late-90s Opeth-ish lilt to Nostalgia, a kind of folk-inflected progressive death metal with a few blackened nuances that almost seems to pick up where the Swedes left off to follow a different path. And it works (I'd rather listen to Nostalgia than Watershed).
Leaves' Eyes - Njord: I could like Njord, but the signature "beauty & the beast" thing Leaves' Eyes banks on isn't enough to carry a record on its own, and its pleasures are overshadowed by unfortunate musical choices - like an out of place cover of Simon & Garfunkle's "Scarborough Fair" and the new metal cheese of "My Destiny" that sounds like LE and Lacuna Coil have been hanging out in the same wrong places.
Secrets of the Moon - Privilegivm: I missed out on seeing these guys open for Moonspell in Toronto this fall and I regret the unfortunate timing. Privilegivm feels like complex late 80s thrash that fell into a frozen pit of black metal and came out a stronger, more ferocious beast.
Skitliv - Skandinavisk Misantropi: It's hard to describe Skitliv because inconsistency is one of Skandinavisk Misantropi's strengths. If there's any structure holding it all together, it's a kind of blackened psychedelic doom, but things get more ambient and eerie from there on in. If you're a Maniac (Mayhem) follower or a fan of his sidekicks on this record (including folks from Current 93 and Shining) perhaps that's not too surprising.
Wodensthrone - Loss: Pagan metal, clan mythology, and a little Old English make Wodensthrone's Loss a dramatic onslaught of primal power. Some of the record's raw edges are smoothed over by melody and synth textures but the result is more weathered than polished. A haunting but visceral blackened vocal track and a persistent rhythmic battery keep the unsettling momentum going with just the right mix of history and present.

And here are a few recent entries that did make the final review cut:

Katatonia - Night is the New Day

Sacrifice concert review (note: the original text referred to my one-ear deafness from standing next to the right hand monitors. oh well. click here for a few more rough photos from the show.)

Drudkh - Forgotten Legends

Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us (the Hellbound version)

Semen Datura - Einsamkeit
Sopor Aeternus - Es reiten die Toten so schnell

These Are They - Who Linger

xmas and holiday music: the (sort of) metal version

2009-12-23T10:53:00.007-05:00

Exclaim!'s rundown of the Top Ten Worst Metal Christmas Albums.

I only agree with the "top ten worst" designation because xmas albums really can't be much other than bad, nostalgic, or both. But as far nostalgic holiday travesties go, some of the records on the Exclaim list are pretty alright.

Space in Your Face on CKMS always did a great Metal Christmas show. SIYF's online playlists are horribly out of date, but here's an example of "Christmas in Your Face" 2002.

My xmas playlist tended to have a slightly different flavour. So before xmas eve turns to xmas day, here's a little KEEW holiday nostalgia:

Type O Negative - "Red Water (Christmas Mourning)"

Extreme - "Christmas Time Again"

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24"

King Diamond - "No Presents for Christmas"

Korn - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (x-rated version)

London After Midnight - "Sally's Song"

Jim Reeves - "Dear Senor Santa Claus"

Elvis Presley - "Blue Christmas"

Roger Whittaker - "Darcy the Dragon"

"Santa Jaws" (I can't find the music online!)

Happy holidays (if you get any).

trouble interview plus exclaim's best of the year

2009-12-19T12:26:00.004-05:00

Bruce Franklin from Trouble and I engaged in a very conversational interview last week. We talked about downtime, the current line-up, playing live... read it at Hellbound if you're interested.

I still remember the first time I heard Trouble back in the early 90s (a friend included them on the 'best of the year' tape mix he made for himself). I was immediately hooked. Soon after I was digging through the record stacks at Dr. Disc and found myself a copy of the Psalm 9/self-titled album, which I still proudly possess. According to Bruce, my introduction to Trouble was fairly typical:

"I think a lot of people actually picked up on us around the same time you did because that was our first major label release and that’s actually our biggest selling record and we toured for a year straight then. So I think a whole lot of people got turned onto us on that record, and did what you did and went back and found some of the older stuff. It’s just cool, that’s happened with me with old bands."

You can find the rest of the interview with Bruce Franklin here: Trouble: Nowhere Near Endtime.

Plus Bruce shared his recent music playlist.

Speaking of best of the year mixes, I've submitted my selections to Hellbound, so keep your eyes open for Hellbound's special end of the year features coming up in the next week or two. In the meantime, you can check out Exclaim's year-end picks, which have been out for a while. A couple of my choices made it to the Aggressive Tendencies top ten, including Katatonia's Night is the New Day.

the devin townsend project

2009-12-09T08:57:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I interviewed Devin Townsend, getting him to talk (it wasn't hard) about his new four-album opus under the name Devin Townsend Project. Two albums are out, two more to fall in May, and they'll end up covering pretty much the full spectrum of musical intensity and volume (or so, I gather).

The interview is split up in two parts, with the main chunk posted at Exclaim, alongside my review of the Addicted album (the December print issue has a longer review, but no interview).

Part two, a little more business-oriented, just went up at Hellbound.ca.

Happy reading.

remembering the "Energizer" Adrian Bromley

2009-12-07T10:59:00.004-05:00

Over at Hellbound Sean Palmerston has posted a wonderful tribute to Adrian Bromley, who died a year ago today.

I had an eerie moment reading the intro - somehow we both met Adrian in 1995 while backstage at Molson Amphitheatre for a Fear Factory interview, yet it was some time yet before Sean and I met each other, and many more years before we both ended up writing for the same publications, eventually culminating with Adrian's unparalleled Unrestrained!. The man definitely had a way of bringing people together.

Tonight I raise a glass (or a few) to Adrian, memories, and metal.

things to do in december

2009-12-04T08:48:00.005-05:00

Of the many things you might do with your time in December, here are two possibilities...

I highly suggest you drop by Lens Factory Gallery to check out Mark Coatsworth's ABANDON: BAFFIN ISLAND photography exhibit. Here's a short excerpt from what the artist has to say about his own work:

ABANDON: BAFFIN ISLAND is a story of politics, culture and ecology in the furthest reaches of Canada's far North. It is also a continuation of my previous ABANDON exhibit, examining the successes and struggles of a society in connection with the loss and destruction of their natural environment.

You already missed the opening reception, but the exhibition continues December 9 to 31 at Lens Factory Gallery, 1040 Queen Street West, Toronto (Wed-Sat, 11am - 6pm).

If you're at home wrapping gifts, baking goodies, or engaging in other holiday activities and need a little festive soundtrack music, you can check out xo for the holidays: volume II for free. The compilation features xmas music by a range of artists, including Caravan of Thieves and The Backsliders among others.