This episode had yours truly running around his apartment punching walls, and across the ocean Andrew was scratching his head over the items I submitted to him. You can read our reactions below! The most shocking revelation came to me via the very first track. In order to maintain the integrity of the Grab Bag itself I'll elaborate on that in the comment section. Enough typing already. Dig in!
Rules and workings:
Andrew and Birkir send choice cuts to one another via untitled mp3 files eschewing any information. They are not to know what they are listening to, give each song a few listens and then, pass judgement. Said judgements then get sent to each scribe and then, they'll reveal to one another what they just listened to. The Mystery Grab Bag is the result.
AVERSIONLINE’S TRACKS:
Track 1
Birkir: Just the snare alone takes me back, 5 seconds into the song. I’m thinking east coast war metal not unusual for turn-of-the-century early 00s metallic hardcore at the time. Playing with the “counting” a bit and a good drummer, that reeks of New York. These guys are such good players, they gotta have something to do with Train Of Thought or Agents Of Man. No? Fuck, Andrew, hard stuff just sounded harder back then, really. Today’s new jacks rely on super slow chugging breakdown parts to have their low ass tuning ring long enough and then it is considered hard. Fuck that. I came for the music! These guys are hard as nails but musically elevated with good songwriting and awesome performance. If Agents Of Man, Merauder and All Out War had a baby, it would sound something like this. Brilliant.
Artist: Invocator
Title: Through the Nether to the Sun
Album: Weave the Apocalypse (1993)
Hear It (direct link)
Andrew: Nothing related to the east coast or hardcore (though any mention of Train of Thought/Agents of Man is heading in a very positive direction, heh). This is Danish death/thrash act Invocator. The first song from their second album, 1993's Weave the Apocalypse (which I wrote a gushing post about on my site back in 2006). What an opener, eh? Great energy, nonstop badass riffs, the works. I nearly shit myself when I popped this disc in for the first time. It's the perfect blend of technicality, ridiculous grooves, and super meaty production. By far one of the most underrated albums out there. I still can't believe I found the CD in a local used bin for $6. It remains one of the best blind purchases I've ever made (bless you, Dan Seagrave cover art). Whoever sold it is a moron, but I'm forever in their debt, so thanks, whoever you are! The following album, Dying to Live, is also outstanding. I highly recommend both.
Track 2
Birkir: I know you don’t pick songs to test if I know a band or not. But this track infuriates me to no end because I do know this band. I know them hard. The vocals are instantly recognisable, yet I'm blanking on the name. Says more about my memory than the band, really, because I used to play this band all the time. I picture myself listening to these guys in 2000 or 2003 going, “This is legit because it’s now beyond doubt that people from the hardcore scene aren’t talentless, for they can write poppy and memorable songs with a hook, yet a ‘heavy’ and serious edge to it.” I’d lap this kinda stuff up because it was a reprieve from all the crust, powerviolence, death metal… All the while being alternative somehow because these bands were not stars, but regular blokes that hardly got payed for playing. That was my thinking. I stood up from my computer and imagined this being on Equal Vision, Eulogy, Revelation… You know, one of the bands that was supposed to break through the glass ceiling but didn’t.
Artist: By a Thread
Title: Between the Takes
Album: s/t (2011)
Hear It (direct link)
Andrew: Well played! By a Thread's debut full-length came out on Revelation in 1999. This one was released (again by Rev) in 2011, though I believe it was recorded years prior. I love this god damn band, for many of the reasons you've cited above: It's memorable emo/indie-based songwriting with a nice, heavy edge to it. This album came and went without much of a peep (it's already being sold at sale prices through RevHQ), which kills me, because I had been eagerly anticipating its release for years and it's jam packed with amazingly catchy tunes. I'm a total sucker for this shit, so I listen to By a Thread quite regularly. I bet half the people who dug The Last of the Daydreams don't even know this newer record exists, though. Their entire discography rules, so anyone who enjoys this genre should go scoop up as much of their material as possible.
Track 3
Birkir: This has gotta be Jonah Jenkins singing. Right? But yet this doesn’t have that heavy crunch I normally associate with Only Living Witness, but the strong melancholy vibe and chords I know from Samiam. By that virtue alone I like this song, and as such, this song is irresistible and, well, sad.
Artist: Miltown
Title: Lost Sleep for Weeks
Album: N/A (1998)
Hear It (direct link)
Andrew: Correct. That's Jonah. This is Miltown. A demo recording of one of the tracks from their never-released full-length, Tales of Never Letting Go. I could rant and ramble about this topic for at least an hour, but I'll spare you. The CD EP Miltown released on Hydra Head is pretty good and all, but this... this is the single greatest batch of unreleased songs I've ever heard in my life. I've got over 4,360 albums in my iTunes library and this (a set of demo tracks that I found on some random blog like four years ago) is one of the most-played. It's one of my all-time favorite "albums", period. That's all there is to it. I fucking swear by all that is holy, if I ever strike it rich one of the first things I'm going to do is figure out a way to get this material released. It's just too good to rot away in obscurity. I get all fired up just thinking about it. It's criminal on every level. Quality unreleased music stirs me up in general, but this one in particular, man... I can't even tell you. It literally brings tears to my eyes, I'm not even kidding.
Track 4
Birkir: You’ve really hit my metalcore nerve, Andrew, twice in this Mystery Grab Bag alone. This song is ridiculously perfect. It makes my blood boil! It’s official now, 2013 is a terrible year because this didn’t come out then. All these young bands that wanna sound hard (here I go again!) but are too lazy to write actual songs and much more eager to create some online content. Fuck off! This... So hard, so mean, so evil, so diverse! This is anti-Tumblr metal! I hate namedropping bands here but this kinda stuff just sends me back. Imagine Earthmover, Pg. 99, Die My Will and Bloodlet all rolled in one with some Starkweather fairy dust on top. Love the vocals, they are so vibrant, the murky mix, everything… Jesus fucking Christ. Whatever this is I want more. So much more.
Artist: Dissolve
Title: The Ultimate Nullifier
Album: Caveman of the Future (2008)
Hear It (direct link)
the ultimate nullifier from Dissolve on Myspace.
Andrew: Nice, I'm glad you liked this, as it's the only track I specifically chose (based on your selections last month) with the hopes that you'd be a fan. This is Poughkeepsie, NY's Dissolve, from their lone full-length, Caveman of the Future—recorded in 2000 but shelved when their original record label went under, until Trip Machine Laboratories thankfully resurrected it many years later. I'm often on the fence about "metalcore" that leans more heavily on the frantic and jarring side of things, but these guys were harsh and caustic without being irritating, so despite the fact that their diversity occasionally wanders into weirder territory, that backbone of chunky rhythmic grooves really works wonders to hold everything together. The lag between its recording and release dates probably hurt in terms of overall exposure, but it's a very solid outing that still deserves more attention.
Track 5
Birkir: Oh buddy. This is the nail on my Nordic head. “Sleeping My Day Away” is Disneyland After Dark’s timeless classic, huge in Iceland and all of Scandinavia and got these guys quite close to world fame. No wonder, this rocker is perfect. Sweaty, dusty ball of big beats, big snare, twangy guitars, raspy vocals and too many shots of whisky, all held together by unfuckwithable Crazy Glue. Notorious is the bass player for only having two strings on the neck. Which is entirely bad ass. I’ve been listening to this song since I was 14 or something. I’m 35 now, and it still makes me reach for that air guitar and sing along. I’m very, very curious as to how this song reached you and why you served it on my plate.
Artist: Disneyland After Dark
Title: Sleeping My Day Away
Album: No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims (1989)
Hear It (direct link)
Andrew: I just now realized that I inadvertently bookended my selections with Danish bands this month, ha! I wasn't familiar with Disneyland After Dark until last year, when I heard this song on the Sirius satellite radio station "Hair Nation". As soon as that chorus rolled around I was like, "Oh yeah, I'm in." Emailed myself the band name, and by the end of the week I had purchased No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims and "Riskin' it All" from eMusic. Apparently they’ve been tagged "cowpunk" ("country punk"), a term I had never heard prior, but to me it's kinda like goth-tinged rock with just the right dash of sleazy glam or whatever. Ahhh, who gives a shit about genres, anyway? All I care about are good songs, and this one is—as you've stated—perfect. I'm glad it's a classic in your neck of the woods. I can only wish I had been listening to this gem since I was 14!
HALIFAX COLLECT’S TRACKS:
Track 1
Andrew: Well, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever as to who this could possibly be, nor do I know what you'd call this. It’s sparse, instrumental keyboard music that has a sort of "sad circus theme" quality to it. It also strikes me as something that could be an interlude on a Pink Floyd album or something, but it doesn't sound that old. I hate to be rude, but I don't care for this at all. I delete intros/interludes like this from my iTunes library all the time, because they just take up space and do nothing for me. That’s not to say this piece is an intro or interlude, this could be the complete picture for this musician/group, but... it’s just not for me, sorry. There are a couple of melodies/chord progressions in here that I can appreciate, but they’re not built upon for long enough. The approach is kind of random, so the variances in the composition don't really flow, they just kind of come and go—almost like the musician was improvising this somber melody and fiddling around to some degree. You really threw me for a loop here, man. I didn’t see this coming. I don't know what to make of this at all, ha, ha…
Artist: James McVinnie
Title: Revd Mustard His Installation Prelude
Album: Cycles (2013)
Hear it (direct link)
Birkir: McVinnie was delivered to my doorsteps as a promo, old style. Shortly thereafter I moved to a new apartment, equipped with stereos. Normally, because I move around quite often and never root, I digest my music via headphones. Not knowing McVinnie though beyond the “modern composer” stamp, I figured it’d be cool to pop this into the stereo and find out more. I high volumed that thing and stared over the bay outside my window and this song kicks in, all cinematic and suspenseful. I feel many jabs to my soul, some gentle and others quite oppressive. I’m imagining somewhat sad or foreboding scenes from movies not yet made, action playing inside my skull. Now, when alone and in the mood, sick and tired of real life and this fucking computer and most things else, I pop Cycles in and drift off. I have the capacity for composer stuff for sure. I’m glad I do. I do appreciate the stop-and-go nature of this composition. He makes it work. One movement overtakes the next and the first one reappears and so on. Love it.
Track 2
Andrew: Chilled out, sort of Depeche Mode-ish opening. Actually, the percussion and atmosphere really remind me of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight". Chilling female vocals. I've heard stuff like this before, but this is definitely the type of thing that's far enough outside of my normal spectrum to where I can't confidently discuss it. I do dig it, though. Some of the instrumentation has a little bit of a "spaghetti western" feel happening to my ears, but again, that's my uninformed opinion, I’m not really qualified to start throwing those references around, ha. Nice and dark. Not quite "catchy", but memorable enough. It’s obviously well written and possesses a sense of artistry. I can't say for sure that I'd be a big fan of this band/artist, but I'm certainly curious enough to where I'll check out more once you reveal the details. This is the most tempted I’ve been to try and Google the lyrics and do some recon, but I refuse to cheat!
Artist: Emiliana Torrini
Title: Tookah
Album: Tookah (2013)
Hear it (direct link)
Birkir: Torrini’s Tookah was highly anticipated by yours truly. This artist has the voice and willingness to explore different places musically and each album will carry a couple of outstanding tunes, but none of them have been an impressive whole. After hearing her excellent first single, “Speed Of Light,” (listen) I longed for more stuff so strong. But again, the album as whole just cannot compete with said single, and this song I gave you. Please throw some more spaghetti references around, Andrew.
Track 3
Andrew: "Noise rock", for lack of a better term, but it’s more than that. Super thick production, to the point of being a little muddy, but cool. This is just oppressively thick, and without much distortion at all, which is interesting. Does the band have two bassists? Or maybe it’s a duo? Drums and bass, and both members handle some vocals? It’s really stripped down. This is good. Frantic energy. Solid chorus. Pulsing rhythms and angular riffing with just a smidge of oddball twists. The blown-out yelling vocals are a great match for the music. I could see this being a band that I've got in my collection but am unable to recognise, but I’m not sure. Whoever it is, I'd definitely check out more.
Artist: Barren Womb
Title: Visual AIDS
Album: Barren Womb / Remote Split (2013)
Hear it (direct link)
Birkir: One of the best Scandi bands I’ve heard in a very long time. They submitted the On The Origin Of Fæces release for a review and I liked it a whole lot (read/listen). I felt it possesed energy and wildness not too many northern European bands display anymore. Sure, on that album some of their influences are obvious, but they are so different from one another, and when thrown under the same hat, shit takes off. Norway ain’t as boring as one could assume.
Track 4
Andrew: Similar vibe in this track, a "noise rock" type of approach, but in a more traditional sense. Oh, this has gotta be Cripple and Casino, right? Those vocals are super recognisable right off the bat. I'm a fan of this band, absolutely. Moonlee Records is an awesome label that has introduced me to a bunch of cool Croatian and Slovenian bands that I never would’ve heard otherwise. Along with Analena, Cripple and Casino is among my favorites from the Moonlee catalog (though their first album was actually on an American label). Their songwriting perfectly fuses “noise rock” and post-hardcore/indie influences with plenty of driving rhythms and discordant guitar work, a strong sense of melody, and vocals that sway from half-spoken to intense yelling. Yep, I'm a fan. Both of their albums are available as “name your price” downloads on Bandcamp, so people should definitely go give ‘em a listen!
Artist: Cripple And Casino
Title: Brand New
Album: With High Regards (2013)
Hear it (direct link)
Birkir: Correct! You have a keen ear. I’m glad to learn you are this loving of the band. Far too many people have not heard them. Petra Dražić gives her best performance yet on this album, more varied than on the self-titled (reviewed here by me and here by Andrew). What endeared me to them was the Girls. Vs. Boys vibe I heard when I first put the self-titled on. I’ve been wanting to review With High Regards for the longest time, but like with so many releases, they fall victim to a permanent brain-fart I can’t shake off. So, I’m glad I thought of them when I picked your songs, because it allowed us to talk about a band that deserves more attention.
Track 5
Andrew: Alright, here we go, some kind of crazy metal here. Fast as shit and has a fairly modern sound. It starts out with kind of a blasting metalcore feel, then quickly shifts into something that sounds more like black metal—but with crazy, over the top vocals that are just inhuman; bouncing all over the place from guttural barks to wincing shrieks. Now there’s a chugging midpaced break leading into a chorus that buries In Flames-ish singing behind more intense blasting and tremolo picking. God damn, there are a lot of styles being thrown into the blender here, and I'm only at 1:20 in so far!? Half of the vocals don't even sound like actual words, but then at points I can pick out tangible phrases here and there. Man, who and what the hell is this!? I've never heard these styles mixed together in this manner before, so I'd have to guess this is maybe a younger band that's going for a "different" level of extremes? Although, it’s really tight, and there’s an air of “experience” about it as well, so I could be way off the mark. I'm pretty "out of the loop", so I don’t have a clue. As a whole this is not exactly my thing, but there are moments of incredible potential here. I'm intrigued, for sure.
Artist: Anaal Nathrakh
Title: Forging Towards the Sunset
Album: Vanitas (2013)
Hear it (direct link)
Birkir: Dear old Anaal Nathrakh. Although respected, I feel they get overlooked for some reason. I don’t know if it is the name or promo pictures that are off-putting, or the somewhat grandiose and lofty way they approach interviews or what have you, but to me they are pretty special and they always manage to surprise and stimulate me with wild shit that actually works and makes sense when it shouldn’t. That’s a mark of true artists. I love how they got you to break down the song so methodically. Again, I think that’s a testament to their prowess. And how you could sense that they are experienced. That’s brilliant. In fact, this is the kinda reaction we wanted the Mystery Grab Bag to be a catalyst for. As such, this song is a perfect candidate to be sent to you, and it shows.
- Birkir / Andrew
Banner design by Andrew.
Halifax Collect logo by Ben Lyon (Flickr / email).
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It's the MYSTERY GRAB BAG! The Aversionline / Halifax Collect sitting in a tree special
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