» Music Journalism

5 Ways of Feeling the (music) Critique

biodagar — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:07:37 +0000

In my most recent addition to the collaborative essay project, I mentioned that analysis and assessment of a work of art on its own merits is what defines critique.

It’s not easy to turn your mind to music criticism when you’re reading literary, theatre, film, or art critics. Very few music critics are held in high enough esteem – generally speaking – to warrant a place amongst the literary canon of a country. Much to my discomfort about where the “powers that be” place music (let alone rock or metal specifically) on a cultural scale… which is kind of beside the point.

Anyway. Here are FIVE tips to get your critical juices running. Enjoy!

1. Listen to the album as though it stands alone.

This means, “forgetting” that it comes from a discography of works. Ignore the fact that the band who released it might have been around for twenty or thirty years. Put completely out of your mind what you thought of their previous release, or the label that they’re on, or who produced the album, or where it was recorded, or fucking anything.

Listen to the album for what it is: a singular recording, in a singular instance, of a particular genre. How does it hold up, against itself… musically?

2. Listen to the album taking into consideration its lyrics, artwork, and construction

Read the lyrics, pore over the artwork, consider the construction of the album: its song lengths, how the songs are written, why the musical construction is good or bad. Consider the song sequencing: is it good, could it be better, could some intros be dispensed with? What could have made it a steller piece. Remember, you’re still thinking about the album as a singular entity.

3. Listen to the album again and write down everything you hate about it.

Once you’ve done this, get a beer, or a cup of tea, or sit with your notes and a smoke, and consider carefully – away from the recording! – why those points are points that you don’t like. How much of what you don’t like is personal taste? How much is expectation? How much has got to do with the album itself?

Set to one side all of the points you don’t like that are extraneous to the album (expectations, personal taste, personal quirks, politics, whatever). You might want to draw on them later.

Now, consolidate the points that you have that pertain solely and exclusively to the album as a singular entity. Remember: an album is a package: music, construction, production, lyrics, artwork.

4. Listen to the album again and write down everything you love about it.

As before, once you’re done, take a break, and consider – away from the recording! – why you like those things. Again, set aside everything that comes down to personal taste, expectations, etc etc.

Consolidate the points that pertain exclusively and solely to the album as a singular entity.

5. Compare your notes, now make some more notes.

Leave the album turned off unless you want to check something.

When you set them side-by-side, your notes will tell you very clearly whether, on a global scale, you like or dislike an album.

What you have to do now, is sketch in further notes, but keep them kind of separate if you can. Separate sheets of paper, separate files, whatever. How did the release make you feel, as a listener? How did it make you feel, as a critic? What would improve the release, and why? Did the band try anything that didn’t work, and how do you know that it didn’t work?

Then get further and further away from the release.

How was the production? What’s the artwork like, and how does it make you feel about the album?

Where, in which subgenre, does the release sit? Where, in the band’s overall history and stereotyped subgenre, does the release sit? Is there a conflict, and why does it exist, do you think? Bring your intelligence to bear on these notes! Give yourself some credit. Can you compare the album to the band’s other works, and why or why not, and are you willing to admit it if you can’t? Can you research them? If you can, go forth!

Importantly: don’t give yourself a deadline. If you have an editor screaming I need this in 24 hours! (ahem, I was guilty of that with my writers), ask them if they want a shitty review or a decent critique. Chances are, unless they have labels screaming in their ears, they’ll wait.

BONUS POINT 6. Start to pull your notes together.

If you want to be considered a critic and not a run-of-the-mill reviewer, you want a distanced, sparse critique. You want to be able to assess the piece of art on its own merits, so write your review like this. Keep your language simple. Leave your arrogance, pomposity, big words, fandom, geekiness, and attitude at your front gate. Speculate about the “global” level stuff if you want to, but do it after you have already assessed and critiqued the work.

If you know what you’re doing, you’ll be able to write a very nice little essay, that has a story to it. You can bring your notes together with a beginning, a middle, and an end. That story might be of your experience of the release, pure and simple. It might be of your experience of the release, in the context of your experience of the band itself. It might be a story of production, where you want to highlight the production values of this album, and feel you can do it better by telling a story in which this album is the protagonist.

You don’t have to stick to one structure in a good critique. The best are mini essays. The best tell stories. The best engage people.

The worst are full of gush, rank albums out of five or ten, give us very little information, and pat themselves on the back. That is what a reviewer does. You want to be a critic. So start thinking like one.

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REBLOGGED: 100% Genuine, Bonafide Corporate Rock: What is rock authenticity?

biodagar — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:51:16 +0000

Written by Tom Valcanis. His third essay in our collaborative series.

One of the ironies of “critical rock journalism,” writes cultural studies theorist Andy Brown is “that it is operated in a hegemonic fashion across the popular music market in the period of its pomp, willfully obscuring its actual commercial dynamics and its cultural and institutional role in shaping the rock canon and the rock audience.” Critical rock journalism by its reliance on advertising dollars and the industry for its own copy or sellable capital (interviews from artists, advanced promo copies, etc.) is “inauthentic” by journalistic standards. The stories on artists or the industry, even if they do not engage with the sources directly service the music creators and copyright holders; those who have everything to gain from words being printed about them. What differentiates the “trade paper” or the “mainstream” from the “cool” or the “genuine” is a concept known as “authenticity” or “cultural capital.” But how do publications and journalists wield it and accumulate it? We must first deconstruct authenticity as an abstract and observe it in “action.”

Cultural capital is conferred on certain publications, granting them a subcultural “rock authority.” This gives rise to the conception of cultural capital as “cool” or “authenticity.” Whether its journalism thrives in the underground “zine” culture or written for “payola,” traditionally known as the act of labels paying deejays or journalists to promote certain artists, cultural capital is closely linked with “monetary” capital.

With the invention of the printing press and other more advanced technologies such as the internet and television, the “eye becomes more important than the ear” – a system of signification and meaning emerges in the form of a subculture with its own discrete and extensional rituals. Thus we can point toward a rock subculture with its own internal consistencies and tendency for self and other identification. According to the philosopher Heidegger, authenticity is defined to “be one’s own self, as part of the history of one’s community.” In a broader philosophical context, authenticity is to say:

“that his or her actions truly express what lies at their origin, that is, the dispositions, feelings, desires, and convictions that motivate them. Built into this conception of authenticity is a distinction between what is really going on within me – the emotions, core beliefs, and bedrock desires that make me the person I am – and the outer avowals and actions that make up my being in the public world…We commonly suppose that authenticity has a considerable value even if it does not produce such extrinsic goods as wealth, fame, or pleasure.”[1]

The image of a rock band according to rock scholar and critic Simon Frith must have certain characteristics for it to be accepted as “authentic” by people who self-identify as part of the rock subculture and its various sub-divided subcultures almost as much as the sound and arrangement of the music, and be recognized as part of the “subcultural sphere” of rock music. If an artist exists in a rock subculture which is overwhelmingly dominated by corporate interests, how can an artist stay “authentic?” How can a “rocker” such as Bruce Springsteen dress like a working-class, thirty-seven year old “teenager” and be celebrated for it despite his multi-million dollar success?

GO HERE TO READ THE FULL ESSAY. You know you want to.

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[Release Review] MORBID ANGEL – Illud Divinum Insanus (Season of Mist)

biodagar — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:28:04 +0000

Eight years we have waited. I wish I had never heard this album.

MORBID ANGEL is one of those keystone death metal bands. Well, they were. Their last few releases have been lacklustre, and yet fans are loyal as hell because everybody has his or her favourite album. Despite minor disappointments in past years, the wait between their last release, Heretic (2003) and their new one Illud Divinum Insanus has been massive.

And oh my god, it could not have been more disappointing. In reference to the title,’it is insane’ is correct. Insane that a band with a history like Morbid Angel would even consider releasing an album like this.

When you mention Morbid Angel to anybody, people familiar with the band think ‘death metal’. In fact, they consider themselves ‘extreme music’ now, with no reference to metal at all. When you hear Illud Divinum Insanus, you will understand.

There are only maybe three death metals track on this album. For the majority of it, you would consider the release to be industrial techno.

Disappointed? Oh my lord. That’s hardly the word for it. I had to listen to this album several times. If I weren’t reviewing it, I would have heard it once and then given it to the neighbour’s kid to throw to his dog.

There’s a huge element of GENITORTURERS here, possibly unsurprising given DAVE VINCENT (vocals/bass for Morbid Angel) is a former member of that band. And it’s Vincent’s first release with Morbid Angel for 16 years.

But that track, Radikult, can most clearly be aligned with MARILYN MANSON. And not in a good way. It’s Marilyn Manson’s poor, undernourished cousin.

For the most part, the production is terrible, the vocals are too high in the mix, the drum sound is awful (seriously, don’t employ a drummer, just get a drum machine, it’s an insult to all drummers), the lyrics are frankly slightly retarded. And what were they doing with I Am Morbid? It’s not an anthem, guys, it’s ridiculous.

Welcome to your new religion / new religion / new religion / …. too extreme

Morbid / Morbid / I’m celebrating Morbid

Destructos… march. / No mercy from detonation / No mercy from destructonation

We start with an appetite insatiable / We are the Radikult

And so on. Come on, “destructonation”? I’m all for poetic license, but that’s just silly. I’m not even going to explore the remainder, I can’t stomach it.

The only redeeming features of the album are the intro, the track Blades for Baal which is ok, and the track Nevermore is also only ok and not good. These are the only tracks worth listening to. Throughout the release you get some nicely written and performed leads – but that is all.

Fearing that my reaction to this album was slightly over-the-top negative, I did take the liberty of playing the promo to one or two friends who are big Morbid Angel fans. I wish I could paint the looks on their faces in words. Nothing quite describes the pale shock, wide-eyed horror, and unspeaking illness they countenanced. The listening was accompanied by such comments as:

‘What. the. F***?’

‘This is f***ing terrible.’

‘You’re kidding, right? It’s a joke?’

And so on.

I must admit that if this release had been a side-project; if it had come from another band; if it were in no way associated with the Morbid Angel ‘branding’, then my reaction would have been vastly different. I’m sure it will have some appeal to fans of extreme industrial techno.

To be fair, you can hear very, very faint reflections of some elements of Domination in this release, especially the title track. But that was from 1995; their last release, Heretic is in another (more satisfying) realm altogether from Ilud Divinum Insanus. I am guessing that most Morbid Angel fans, on hearing Ilud Divinum Insanus, will be absolutely horrified.

I know I was. I foresee uproar.

Few bands have dropped as low as this. CELTIC FROST’s Cold Lake is generally considered absolutely terrible, but it is a masterpiece in comparison to this album. Morbid Angel fans are loyal, but I really doubt that they are so loyal as to consider listening to anything released after this album. I doubt any band can stoop this low and resurrect itself in the eyes of the majority of its fanbase.

I’m even going to go so far as to say that, if you’re a pirate-minded death metal fan, don’t waste your time downloading this one. It’s not worth the data you’d spend getting it to your desktop.

Finally, before I end this rant, I just have to say that these words in the promo text:

When Mr. Vincent departed before “Formulas Fatal to the Flesh” (1997) the fans were shocked, but Trey continued to explore his musical genius…

… are just insulting. There’s no way in hell that anything like this could be considered ‘genius’.

MORBID ANGEL’s Illud Divinum Insanus is out 6 June 2011 on Season of Mist.

This review first appeared in the Dutch magazine Alternative Matter. Click here to see it.

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Shrapnel: bits and pieces of metal (news)

biodagar — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:32:26 +0000

Get your metal on! The latest metal news that’s fallen across my desk.

Enjoy \m/ SUBMIT YOUR NEWS HERE.

IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION changed names

I know this is relatively old news but in case anybody missed it, I figured I’d post it here again. I was reminded by emails from the very lovely Talita. So if you’re looking for this band, stop! You need to look for THE SOULLESS instead. Their new release, Isolated, is out on Earache Records on 16 May.

Earache to release limited MORBID ANGEL digipaks

With the upcoming new album from MORBID ANGEL (which I’m not going to mention until I post my review here, for reasons that will become obvious), Earache are releasing Covenant, Blessed Are The Sick and Domination as strictly limited digipaks. And you get posters with them. These will be out in July 2011, so if you want or need some old-school Morbid Angel, get your hands on these babies.

NUCLEAR release new videoclip

The brutal Chileans NUCLEAR have released a new videoclip for their track Criminal Solicitation. Watch it below.

VOIVOD to release live album in the US via Sonic Unyon Metal

Sonic Unyon Metal is extremely proud to announce the confirmed upcoming release of a live album from the almighty VOIVOD!

Late in 2009, VOIVOD released their live Tatsumaki DVD, filmed the previous fall when they toured Japan for the first time ever. To celebrate its release of the DVD, VOIVOD performed in front of a sold-out crowd on December 12th, 2009 at Club Soda in their adopted hometown of Montreal, Quebec. It was their first headlining show in the city of Montreal in more than ten years and it was celebrated in grand style. It was a fitting end to a busy year that saw them named Metal Band Of The Year at the 2010 Indie Awards in Canada. The show was recorded for posterity and is now being released as the fifteen-track Warriors Of Ice, the first official VOIVOD live album to feature original band members Denis ‘Snake’ Belanger on vocals and bassist Jean-Yves ‘Blacky’ Theriault, as well as new guitarist Dan “Chewy” Mongrain.

Set for release on June 21, 2011, Warriors Of Ice highlights the classic period of the original VOIVOD lineup as well as a few new songs, all raging with the band’s notorious live energy. Containing songs from their classic albums, spanning from 1984’s War And Pain right up through 1991’s Angel Rat, as well as two songs from their 2009 Infini LP, the album is built of VOIVOD’s signature songs, from “Voivod” and “Nuclear War” to “Tribal Convictions” and “Astronomy Domine.” View the cover art for Warriors Of Ice — designed by drummer Michel Langevin, a.k.a. Away, as always – and more at this location.

Warriors Of Ice Track Listing:

01. Voivod
02. The Unknown Knows
03. The Prow
04. Ripping Headaches
05. Ravenous Medicine
06. Tribal Convictions
07. Overreaction
08. Panorama
09. Global Warning
10. Treasure Chase
11. Tornado
12. Nothingface
13. Brain Scan
14. Nuclear War
15. Astronomy Domine (Pink Floyd cover)

The 15-track set captured on Warriors Of Ice is undeniably packed with VOIVOD fan favorites, making it an absolute must-have release for diehard fans and a great starting point for the uninitiated as well. This is the main set VOIVODravaged their audiences with on their 2010 US tour alongside Kreator, and at their headlining slot at the 2010 Scion Rock Fest.

VOIVOD are currently touring Europe, and will begin to assault the North American masses again this May when they are scheduled as one of the top headliners of the 2011 Maryland Deathfest. Stay tuned for more North American tour dates to be announced in the coming weeks.

EVILE reveal album title and concept

British thrashers EVILE have officially revealed that their forthcoming new album will be titled Five Serpents’ Teeth. And if you follow Ol Drake on Twitter, you’ll have been seeing excited little tweets for the past few months about the new album.

EVILE recorded the highly-anticipated new album at Parlour Studios in Kettering, UK, with producer RUSS RUSSELL (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR), who also recorded the band’s previous release, 2009′s Infected Nations.

Vocalist and rhythm guitarist MATT DRAKE has recorded a video message for the fans, in which he discusses the new album and the concept behind it. Watch it here:

EVILE lead guitarist OL DRAKE comments on Five Serpents’ Teeth:

“The other day, Russ sent the final masters for the album over. It sounded even better than I expected it to. The past two years of hard work, and the work put in in the studio, have really paid off. The few people who’ve heard the album so far have praised it highly, making me, and us, very proud. The album has such a unique production sound which surprised me; Russ’ skills have really shined on this record. It has an old classic sound, while staying huge and menacing. Keep an eye out for all things Evile, as 2011 will be a very busy year for us. See you on A road!”

Five Serpents’ Teeth will be out on Earache Records on 29 August 2011.

NOKTURNEL frontman inks endorsement deal with Halo Guitars

NOKTURNEL founder, and frontman Tom Stevens has announced that he is now endorsed byHalo Custom Guitars. Tom is now tearing it up on the Halo “Inverted”, and had this to say:

“I have been known to punish my guitars with Nokturnel’s music and there have been a few that did not survive. After looking at what Halo had to offer I chose my weapon and went with a guitar that had the hardware I wanted, set up in the Key I chose, made by a company that understands what modern guitar players need in an instrument. I chose The Inverted, in Black of course, with a 24 fret neck, Kahler tremelo and Halo’s own Active Pickups which simply kick ass. This guitar’s design is perfect for me with the toggle switch located way out of the way as well as the knobs being away from the bridge which suits my insane high speed demands. I beat the crap out this guitar within minutes of taking it out of the box and it is just killer! Halo has so much to choose from, I will be considering other amazing guitars including a custom extended neck soon. I cannot wait to record some home video of me shredding this new guitar!”

“The Inverted will be my main guitar now, and with Maryland DeathFest only a few weeks away the timing of this weapon falling into my greedy hands is perfect! I’d like to thank Halo for coming through for me after I destroyed my last guitar, and for being the kind of company that recognized the need for heavy as fuck strings, down tuned instruments, extended necks and 6,7,8, and 10 string guitars for the maniacs!”

Catch Tom Stevens, and Nokturnel LIVE on Sunday, May 29th at Maryland Deathfest. Other upcoming live dates include A Day of Death July 16, 2011 in Buffalo N.Y., Friday Aug. 12, with MACABRE, and WITHERED in San Antonio, and The Goregrowlers Ball Fri. Nov. 18, 2011, in San Antonio Tx.

The latest Nokturnel single Ancestral Calling is still available for free download via the Nokturnel Reverbnation page.

SHADOWSIDE unveils Inner Monster Out cover art

Brazil’s rising heavy metal act SHADOWSIDE has revealed the cover art for the band’s upcoming studio album Inner Monster Out on the official Shadowside Facebook page. Artwork for the June digital release comes courtesy of Felipe Machado of New Dimensions Art (BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, JORN LANDE, PAGAN’S MIND).

Inner Monster Out, SHADOWSIDE’s third full-length record, will be available for digital download next month on SHP Records.
Shadowside will film a music video for the first single Angel With Horns later this month in Campinas, Brazil with director Thiago Pinheiro of Studio Kaiowas.

“The song is about someone trying to escape their own boring reality by putting their hopes in one disturbing and mysterious person that’s pure evil, though innocent as an angel at the same time,” said vocalist Dani Nolden.

The track list for Inner Monster Out is…
1. Gag Order
2. Angel with Horns
3. Habitchual
4. In the Name of Love
5. Inner Monster Out (featuring Björn “Speed” Strid, Mikael Stanne, and Niklas Isfeldt)
6. I’m Your Mind
7. My Disrupted Reality
8. A Smile Upon Death
9. Whatever Our Fortune
10. A.D.D.
11. Waste of Life

Inner Monster Out was produced, mixed, and mastered at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden by Fredrik Nordström (ARCH ENEMY, AT THE GATES, BRING ME THE HORIZON, IN FLAMES), and features guest vocals from the likes of Björn “Speed” Strid (SOILWORK), Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILITY), and Niklas Isfeldt (DREAM EVIL).

SOURVEIN: North Carolina doom squadron prepare to unleash new full length

North Carolina doom troupe, SOURVEIN, are gearing up to unleash their long-anticipated new album entitled Black Fangs. Slated for release in North America on 21 via Candlelight Records, the newest full-length since 2002′s Will To Manglefeatures ten tracks of gritty, low-ended, feedback-soaked, sludge metal brilliance spearheaded by founding vocalist T-Roy.

Check out Night Eyes streaming now courtesy of The Obelisk HERE.

Black Fangs Track Listing:

1. Fangs

2. Society’s Blood

3. Night Eyes

4. Gasp

5. Holy Transfusion

6. Flux

7. Nomadic

8. Gemini

9. Bleeding Charm

10. Nocturnal/Negative Phaze

Formed by T-Roy in 1993, SOURVEIN have released three full length albums as well as a trilogy of EPs and various split recordings with the likes Buzzov*en, Bongzilla, Rabies Caste, Negative Reaction, Grief, Subsanity and Church Of Misery. The band also contributed to the Eyehategod tribute record, For The Sick with a cover of Broken Down But Not Locked Up.

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[Release Review] WHILE HEAVEN WEPT – Fear of Infinity (Nuclear Blast)

biodagar — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 05:48:44 +0000

The forthcoming WHILE HEAVEN WEPT release is a must for every fan of the band.

Beautiful art, as always

Virginian metallers, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, hold a special place in my heart – but I don’t need to go into why. That’s a conversation for another time. I first became a fan on hearing Vast Oceans Lachrymose, their epic doom release of 2009. I fell in love with it, and went back to their other full-length releases, Sorrow of the Angels (1998) and Of Empires Forlorn (2003) afterwards.

Imagine, then, my boundless joy, having waded through months of what I honestly consider sub-standard material, when this hit my promo desk. It was being played within five minutes! And it hasn’t left my stereo since. I was a little bit skeptical when they signed to Nuclear Blast, but I didn’t need to be: it’s not changed what the band releases. I hope it never does, and that NB do good things for them.

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT began as a doom band. They sing songs of sorrow, death, despair, loss, and depression. They’ve since moved out of their doomy beginnings and are now considered more of an epic progressive/power metal band, especially in terms of their songwriting structures. Fear of Infinity features some really quite heavy and chunky riffs; some super catchy riffage, especially towards the end of the final song, Finality; vocalist Rain Irving’s voice is clear and strong; and the melodies, keys, and rhythm sections should be enough to make most aspiring musicians sit quietly in awe.

In an age when few metal acts truly know how to write a song, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT glow as sparkling exception.

But in terms of simple genre classification – and this may just be me – this epic prog/power genre classification doesn’t do anywhere near enough justice to the magnificent, very beautiful, doomy roots that a release like this has woven into its foundation. I like to still think of this release as an epic doom release. Its songwriting structures are more timeless and progressive, and upbeat, than doom has any right to be, but it is pure and melancholic. It is complex, emotional, and beautiful. It’s one of the few releases that I am happy to sit and listen to and do absolutely nothing else, for hours on end, while the album is on repeat. It makes me cry, even while I yearn to listen to more of it.

I also believe that WHILE HEAVEN WEPT ought not to be sent out to the press unless the label, its publicists, and the press itself has a clear six months to listen to the band’s releases, not the typical two days. This band is not one that you can get the full measure of in a short space of time. It takes time for it to sink through your skin and become part of you. It’s why I’m not writing anything but “WOW” right now. I can’t compare it to anything they’ve done in the past until I’ve given it the justice of time.

What I can say is that with every listen, you get something new out of Fear of Infinity. It is such a grower that I believe it will be like Vast Oceans Lachrymose was for me: something you fall in love with immediately, but for which your depth of appreciation grows over six to 12 months of listening.

Also, the artwork. Just look at the art. Imagine that in music, and you’ve got a fair bit of this album’s measure.

Fans of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT will find this an essential addition to their collection; those who’ve not heard the band will dig it, but I’m not sure that it’s the best place to start with a band like this. Somebody try it and let me know?

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT’s Fear of Infinity is released on 22 April 2011, on Nuclear Blast Records.

This review appeared at AlternativeMatter in May 2011. Click here to see it.

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INTERVIEW: Thirty years and thrashing harder than ever – OVERKILL

biodagar — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:16:12 +0000

With the rise of the new wave of thrash, which has taken the world by storm in the past two years or so, it becomes easy to forget that some of the earliest thrash bands are still going strong. Enter Overkill: old-school thrashers with a long history.

I recently caught up with both Bobby (vocals) and DD (bass) to chat about Overkill‘s latest release, Ironbound, which is taking people by surprise left, right, and centre; their change of label – they’re now with Nuclear Blast; and the impact touring has on the Overkill sound.

Much of the critics’ take of Ironbound – which has been a good take – tends to pass by such veterans of the scene as Overkill. As Bobby commented, ‘It’s obviously flattering – but inconsequential unless stuck on the toilet. Then a good or bad review holds the same value…’.

While many critics find themselves wanting more by the end of the release, the structure of the album wasn’t planned so deliberately that the band was consciously trying to create such a yearning in the listener.

‘It wasn’t planned that way, but the result is awesome,’ Bobby enthused. ‘If the opening track The Green & Black clocks in at 8+ minutes and feels like 5 – that’s success. Having time pass without it noticeably passing, then it’s a score. I suppose it’s also about having less rules, formulas. Makes the game that much more fun to play.’

DD was a little more dismissive. ‘How long or short a song is doesn’t really matter…. READ MORE –>

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EVENT REVIEW: Edguy, Cynic, Black Majesty @ Fowler’s Live (Adelaide), 5 Jan 2010

biodagar — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:38:07 +0000

Cynic were peaceful; Edguy was enormous amounts of fun. It was a weird-as-hell lineup, but a great show nonetheless, and a fucking brilliant start to the metal year.

Hot weather always makes me late for gigs. Don’t ask me why; maybe it’s because I keep waiting for that never-to-arrive time when suddenly the heat of the day states to wane. Or maybe it makes me sluggish. Whatever it is, the summer lethargy hit me this night, which meant that we rocked up to Fowler’s Live at the point where openers Black Majesty were already four songs into their set.

Not expecting many people to rock up – like, honestly, how many people are seriously into power metal in Adelaide? Not many! – I wasn’t surprised to see only a few people outside having a yarn. What I was surprised to see was a rather decent number of people inside the venue, and, more to the point, enjoying Black Majesty’s set.

Of course, if you talked to most people, they had all turned out to see Cynic. Not half as many were keen on Edguy; but the fact that they were enjoying Black Majesty was a good sign.

Black Majesty are a tight little outfit. I only caught, like, two or maybe three songs of their set, but they did a reasonable job. They have a half-decent stage presence, their music is well performed, and, although it’s not striking or really even that original-sounding, they were a decent opener.

Except. (There’s always one, isn’t there?) I am sorry to rain on everybody’s parade, but …. READ MORE –>

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What are you up to in 2010?

biodagar — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:06:36 +0000

I’m always loathe to write these sorts of things, but lately I figure why the fuck not. There are some cool things coming up this year, and it’s sometimes nice to share them.

So, what am I up to – in the short-term for 2010 at least? Here’s what:

Re-focusing my business.
For the past couple of years Brascoe has kind of cruised along without any real direction. Well, not no direction, but we’ve kind of tried to be everything to everybody, and it’s the first lesson in fail in business to do that. Given that I’m so one-eyed about critique, I’m thinking that one of the best things to do is to simply narrow everything right back to the niche. My goal is to produce great works of insightful critical writing, such as critical essays and works about criticism; to support the work of critics of all kinds locally and internationally. BUT I want to do them as ebooks primarily, rather than in print (or rather, ebooks before print copies are produced). I want to be able to share the love and the information as far as possible, and ebooks seem to be the best way of doing that.

The adjunct services that we provide at Brascoe, like self-publishing, editing and – increasingly – copywriting, will continue, but I’m even thinking of shaving these down to what we’re really fucking good at: editing and copywriting.

Celebrating Metal as Fuck‘s first birthday this coming March.
We’re gonna throw a party for the magazine’s birthday, and develop some nice little things to go along with it; I’m already talking to peeps about venues and dates, possible good funs. I’m also thinking right now of a limited edition MaF Annual, in print, hand-numbered, of the best works produced by the team in 2010 – from photographs to features and reviews. If nothing else, I want a copy for myself… and with the mag’s birthday coming up, we may as well do it eh? Plus the merch is on the way and lots of other exciting things besides.

Participating in the 2010 Format Festival.
Format is a DIY/artist festival that happens in Adelaide every year; it’s similar to This Is Not Art, which is held in Newcastle (NSW). In 2010, we’ll be present at the zine fair if I get my shit together, and I’ve been asked (and have accepted) to take part in a skillshare workshop (probably focused on online publishing) and sit on a panel (probably a panel on critique) during the books & writing program the day prior to the zine fair. I feel really very honoured and excited to be able to take part so actively this year, especially given I missed the November submissions deadline! Wow!

Writing for a new street rag.
Late in 2009 I was headhunted to write a metal column for a proposed new street rag that is planned to hit the Melbourne streets this year. Not only is it a metal column, it’s the Metal as Fuck column, or something similar. But, it will be about Australian metal, with gigs and etc focused on the Melbourne scene. So, I’m looking for news from Aussie bands!! Hit me up if you want to find out the best ways of getting your material to me.

Working with Hard Rock Radio Live.
Also late last year I got into talks with DJ WrathChild at Hard Rock Radio Live, the brain and entrepreneur behind the entire operation. As you may (or may not) know, HRRL is one of the foremost internet radio stations – I think it’s actually in the top five globally! So, if everything goes well, I’ll be hosting a metal show on HRRL this year: keep your fingers crossed for me. Additionally, I’m good friends with a band manager and publicist in Greece, DJ Painkiller, and it looks like I might be guesting on his show from time to time as well. That would be too awesome.

Producing Music Journalism 101 course as an ebook.
As you’d know from my previous posts, I’m going to be producing my course – for which I’ve had great feedback from its readers – as an ebook, free to those who want a copy, under a Creative Commons license. It’s given me great pleasure to write, and to hear back from those who read it and get something out of it, so sharing the information freely will be the cream and cherries on the cake for me. I’ll be blogging updates about this, too.

And so on. There’s other stuff going on, but it’s probably not that relevant here because it’s all to do with my personal life. And it’s not anywhere near as exciting as all the above.

But suffice it to say that big changes are afoot in all sectors in 2010, and from the way the year has kicked off, things are looking positive for me all round.

How about you? What are you up to this year, so far?

Past posts you might dig:

And so we hit 2010

RELEASE REVIEW: Dark Funeral – Angelus Exuro pro Eternus (Regain/Riot)

biodagar — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:22:58 +0000

Dark Funeral come blasting out of the blackness with their latest offering. It’s a movement up and forwards; it’s more technical and varied; and it’s also very, very addictive.

An uncompromising release, Dark Funeral‘s Angelus Exuro pro Eternus kicks off at full speed with The end of human race. It’s a feast of minor chords and catchy rhythms. Built on a mid-paced harmonic progression, the first tracks moves into The birth of the vampiir with ease. The pace of track two slows down just over a minute in and provides the necessary variation for the increasing speed of it to recapture your attention. The band manages to keep your attention by virtue of its use of harmonic variation, nicely placed tempo change, and a cinematic drama that underlies Dark Funeral’s dense and intense wall of sound.

The third track, Stigmata, is not musically vastly different – some changes in key and tempo are highlights – but it’s the hypnotic, repetitious intonation of the word ‘stigmata’ in this track that is its selling point.

And so the release goes on. One of the things that is so gripping for me with Dark Funeral’s particular brand of black metal is the band’s attention to composition. You might have a fairly constant and continuous – some would say not particularly unique or interesting – base of percussion, but… READ MORE –>

Past posts you might dig: