Capitalist Casualties: Subdivisions in Ruin LP

It has been a while since I’ve posted anything and there are two reasons why.

1. I moved to New Jersey
2. I’ve been busy

I doubt I’ll post with the frequency I did when I was in Florida but I’ll put something up at least once or twice a week. Here is one of the better power violence records from the ’90s: Capitalist Casualties’ Subdivisions in Ruin LP. Some of the earlier CC stuff is good; some of it isn’t. This record is one of my personal favorites. It features Max from Spazz on drums and contains over 20 short, brutal hardcore songs. Have fun.

Capitalist Casualties: Subdivisions in Ruin

Leviathan: True Traitor, True Whore

Leviathan: True Traitor, True Whore
Released: 2011 (Profound Lore Records)

The only reason I’m posting this is because Jeff Whitehead supposedly raped his girlfriend with tattoo equipment. I didn’t know the guy did tattoos but he does and apparently used his utensils to brutalize a woman. Fuck this guy. I used to like Leviathan but after hearing this I’m totally turned off by anything associated with him, especially people named Jeff, white people, and heads (of all varieties).

There’s this great blog I read sometimes called Sunny Cellars. Go there to check out the record by clicking here.

I’m still in the moving process so posts will continue to be sporadic. Thanks.

Taking a Lunch Break

I’m moving to the New York area in the next few days and instead of writing this stuff up I’m going to concentrate on moving. Plus, I have a long drive ahead of me and I’d rather not think about this blog until I’m up there and settled. This should take about two weeks. It’s possible I’ll post during this time but the chances are slim. Until then here are a few links to articles about the film Children of Men; I’m doing a guest lecture spot at a local University on the film right before I move. If you haven’t seen it yet run out to your nearest video store and…Wait, those don’t exist anymore. Just download it or hit up your local library for a copy. It’s probably on HBO or Cinemax here and there and you can find it that way. The possibilities are endless!

Thanks for reading this and don’t fret (as if you were to begin with) – the posts will return daily starting around the middle of November. Until then read these articles I’ve been combing over for the last few days. Also, check out some of the blogs and sites listed on the right; they’re filled with great music and information.

Children of Men article from Jump Cut magazine

An article from Dissent magazine about the science fiction dystopia

An article by Slavoj Žižek about Children of Men

5ive: Self Titled LP

5ive: Self Titled LP
Released: 2001 (Tortuga Recordings)

I first saw 5ive in New Jersey about eight years ago. Manowar was headlining a metal festival and the night before the festivities began they played a small bar with Rune and a few other bands. They blew me away. Consisting of only a guitarist and a drummer their sound filled the whole place and watching them was mesmerizing. This album, I believe their first, is still my favorite of theirs and is recommended for anybody who likes heavy instrumental music.

Here is the track Burning Season:

5ive: Self Titled LP

Wendy Carlos: Tron

Wendy Carlos: Tron Original Soundtrack
Released: 1982 (CBS Records)

Wendy Carlos is a notorious name in the world of Moog synthesizers. Her first record, Switched on Bach, released in 1968, demonstrates the possibilities of the new musical technology, questioning the criticisms by musical purists. Decades later the Moog is still a revered instrument and Carlos’ compositions and renditions of classical favorites (such as the 1972 soundtrack for A Clockwork Orange) are still viable today. The Tron soundtrack, featuring Carlos’ original score and a track by arena rockers Journey, is a great piece of analog synthesizer music. This version is from the original 1982 LP.

Wendy Carlos: Tron

Zombi: Cosmos

Zombi: Cosmos
Released: 2004 (Relapse Records)

Zombi’s debut full-length LP is one of my favorite records of the last decade. Some people say it sounds like Rush’s keyboard parts, other think it’s a cross between John Carpenter’s score and Italian prog rockers Goblin. I think it sounds like all of this combined, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of dystopic science fiction like Blade Runner. Decide for yourself.

Here is the track Cetus:

Here is Zombi live in 2006:

Zombi: Cosmos

Julee Cruise: The Voice of Love

Julee Cruise: The Voice of Love
Released: 1993 (Warner Brothers Records)

This is the second record Cruise did with Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch. While it doesn’t compare to the first one, Floating Into the Night, it does contain a bunch of great tracks, including two songs from Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. If you enjoy beautiful, haunting, and ethereal music check this record out.

Here is the track Questions in a World of Blue.

Julee Cruise: The Voice of Love

Song of Zarathustra/Spread the Disease split 7″

Song of Zarathustra/Spread the Disease split 7”
Released: 1998 (Witching Hour Records)

Song of Zarathustra, other than taking their name from Nietzsche, played some really great screamo/hardcore. Spread the Disease were a decent pseudo-black metal/hardcore band featuring members of the old Canadian hardcore group New Day Rising. This is another in a long line of fun hardcore records released by the defunct Witching Hour record label and, like always, was limited to about 500 copies.

Here is Song of Zarathustra live in 2000:

Song of Zarathustra/Spread the Disease split 7″

Dead Meadow: Feathers

Dead Meadow: Feathers
Released: 2005 (Matador Records)

Dead Meadow is the twee answer to stoner rock. That said, they’re still a heavy, psychedelic group and Feathers is a good album, containing much of the sounds particular to rock from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Here is Dead Meadow playing Let’s Jump In, the first song from Feathers:

Dead Meadow: Feathers

Khanate: Things Viral

Khanate: Things Viral
Released: 2003 (Southern Lord Records)

Although not as epic as their next to last release Capture and Release, Things Viral is one of those doom records I consider essential listening. Featuring Stephen O’Malley from (Sunn o))), Burning Witch), James Plotkin (Khlyst, O.L.D.), and the rest of O.L.D., Khanate’s output is lethally slow and crushing. Things Viral, their second record, features four songs and comes in at a little over 50 minutes. For all those mediocre, hack doom bands out there: check out Khanate and rethink what you’re doing.

Here is a video of Khanate playing Commuted (from Things Viral). The Youtube description says it’s from their DVD (which I’m aware of but haven’t seen before).

Khanate: Things Viral

The Kossabone Red: Self Titled LP

The Kossabone Red: Self Titled LP
Released: 1998 (Concurrent Records)

The Kossabone Red hailed from the Atlanta area and played emo/post-hardcore ala Braid, Cap’n Jazz, and so forth. I saw them live with Rainer Maria a long time ago and thought they were fun live, even if they were a little rough. While I don’t like this record as much as I did when I first heard it I still feel it’s an entertaining little record. I think The Kossabone Red broke up before this LP came out.

Here is the track Cul-de-Sac Driveways:

James Joyce (from the band The Hal al Shedad) says in his blog he has a few copies of this LP for sale. Click here for his blog Beyond Failure to contact him.

The Kossabone Red: Self-Titled LP

The Goslings: Between the Dead

The Goslings: Between the Dead
Released: 2006 (Self Released/Conspiracy Records)

Originally self-released as a CD and then re-issued as an LP by the European label Conspiracy, The Goslings’ LP Between the Dead brings together heavy music and beauty. The married duo of Max and Leslie Soren, accompanied by a revolving door of guest drummers, plays songs which are brutal, haunting, and noisy. Imagine a mixture of Jesu, Swans, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless LP, and doom metal. Unlike my personal favorite Goslings record, Grandeur of Hair, Between the Dead is a little rough around the edges but is still a great LP.

Here is the track Brindle from Between the Dead:

The Goslings: Between the Dead

Kraftwerk: The Man Machine

Kraftwerk: The Man Machine
Released: 1978 (Capitol Records)

Kraftwerk’s 1978 album The Man Machine contains six great tracks of analog synthesizer greatness. Hailed as the pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk took pop sensibilities and penned a great record using nothing but electronic instruments. It’s not my favorite Kraftwerk record but it’s their most known one.

Here is the video for Neon Lights:

Here is the track Spacelab with a video featuring footage from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey:

Kraftwerk: The Man Machine

Servotron: No Room for Humans

Servotron: No Room For Humans
Released: 1996 (Amphetamine Reptile Records)

Featuring members of Man or Astroman, Servotron was a Devo worship group pretending to be robots. Each song is about how the robots are going to destroy humanity, how people are weak in comparison to machines, and other nonsensical (and hilarious) science fiction ideas. I’m also fairly certain they took part of their name from Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Here is a video of Servotron live in 1997:

Here is the song Bad Birthday, which appears on both this LP and a 7” called Celebration of Annihilation:

Servotron: No Room for Humans

Power of Idea: Hyper Yellow Thrash

Power of Idea: Hyper Yellow Thrash
Released: 1997 (Tribal War Records)

I found this LP at Go-Kart Records in NYC a long time ago. It’s extremely brutal, female fronted thrash/power violence. The songs are pretty short, abrasive, and fun. This is recommended to fans of Japanese hardcore and female fronted angst.

Power of Idea: Hyper Yellow Thrash

Trainspotting Soundtrack

Various Artists: Trainspotting Soundtrack
Released: 1996 (EMI Records)

I love Trainspotting, even though it’s a film which generally glamorizes heroin. Yes, it does ultimately teach that heroin is a bad, dirty drug but its positive portrayal of heroin outshines all else. However, that doesn’t mean the soundtrack isn’t good. Featuring tracks by Pulp (who have a few good songs), Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Damon Albarn (Blur) and a bunch of other outfits, this is a solid soundtrack and I was really happy to have a copy until my girlfriend accidentally slipped it into her car’s air conditioner during a drunken night’s adventures.

Trainspotting Soundtrack