BEFORE the So-Called "Thrash Revival"

Fallen Angels are a thrash/death metal quintent hailing from Seattle, and began in 2004, well before everyone and their brother rocked Nike Hi-Tops and jean jackets like it was 1986 all over again. Dudes evenly split their influences between the the '80s heyday of Bay Area and the late '80s/early '90s DM scene.

The first time I saw them was at Northwest Deathfest 2006, and was actually the first time I heard Pestilence-- they broke out an absolutely ravaging cover of "Out of the Body." I still say that was one of the most powerful, hit-you-in-the-face live sets I've ever seen; the band attribute it to their immense rage at being moved to the second stage at the last minute after another band paid for their mainstage spot.

Their full-length, "Rise From Ashes," was released a few months ago and absolutely rips. Buy it if you like what you here on this oldschool demo, as some of the songs were re-recorded for the album.

Download the 2005 Demo here.

Buy Rise From Ashes here.
MySpace here.

The world needs this like it needs more genocide

Limp Bizkit reunites? Blink-182 comes out of hiatus? I know there's some bad things going on in the world right now, but what the hell did humanity do to deserve these events?

Movin' Up in the World

In addition to this blog, I'm now a full-time member of ICDT. Some posts will be on both sites simultaneously; others will not. But anyway, I'm stoked to be onboard. Much thanks to Adam and Trey.

I'll Be Down, I'll Be Around

When I started listening to Dinosaur Jr a few years nacl, I felt like they were the band I'd needed in high school. Nerdy and reclusive, but also distorted and huge. Their first few records are like the best parts of Neil Young dipped in large vats of guitar effects. This bootleg from 1989, Blue Note, captures the now-reunited classic lineup in solid form not long before frontman J Masicis first gave bass player Lou Barlow the boot. I can only assume it's a soundboard rip because the band is fucking loud live unto today, yet everything's pretty clear here, even J and Lou's vocals.

Download here.

Keep on Movin'

It was another late night at the library last November and I decided (as I often do) that sustenance must be acquired. I popped over to the student coffee house to satiate my hunger and found it packed to the gills. Onstage, a man with a smooth, smoky voice recited spoken word poetry and it was so beautifully written and performed and completely hooked me in. His words were an alchemical mixture of humor, wisdom, confidence, questions and the kind of visual imagery that immediately crystallizes in one's mind.



His name is K.o.M.plex, aka Mr. Keep On Movin' and he does his shtick all over the states. He's put out two records, the second of which-- Grown Folks Bizness-- I bought from him immediately. I mentioned my blog and asked if I could maybe post a few songs but he just smiled and said, "man, just post whatever you want and do whatever you want." So here you go. A lot of these cuts have instrumental backing and vocal assists from friends and the whole thing is simply a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Download Grown Folks Bizness here, and check out his MySpace here.

Frost and Fire

Cirith Ungol were a Californian metal band heavily influenced by fantasy literature-- they took their name from Shelob the spider's mountain passs from Lord of the Rings and every album cover featured artwork initially used for Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné series. The band was steeped in a sound equal parts '70s hard/psych rock, Black Sabbath, and some forward-thinking ideas of their own. Although their debut record Frost and Fire is frequently hailed as the early-metal bees knee's, I much prefer this demo of theirs from 1979 as it features many of the songs that would eventually end up on the album in much rawer form. Also, the final version of the title track didn't have the trippy synth. There's some great guitar work, and Michael Flint's gnarly basstone really grinds it up. But what will truly make or break this demo for the listener are the wails of Tim Baker. By all accounts, the band were hardly popular back in the day, but Aesop from Squidlair pals Cosmic Hearse put it best-- "The term "cult band" here means that nobody gave a fuck when they were around, people even hated them, but now everyone claims to have been on board since the beginning."

So do yourself and the band some justice and lend your ears.

Download HERE.