NYC... pt II

Part two is here, and what is NY dominating this time around?

Death Metal.

Incantation

One of the heavy hitters in death metal, and leaders of the NY scene, Incantation play a form of death metal that is uncompromisingly heavy. Often their songs feature contrasting tempos that range from breakneck pace, to doom style crush. Basically, they are a great band with some great albums.

Onward To Golgotha

Mortal Throne Of Nazarene

Diabolical Conquest

The Infernal Storm

Immolation

Ok, I know Immolation are from Yonkers, but it's right around the corner from the Bronx so for the sake of this post they will fit under the general term NYC... 

Anyways, Immolation are an amazing band, producing some of my favourite death metal. Such a huge sound, some crazy rhythms, and fantastic drumming from Alex Hernandez (whilst he was in the band). Finely crafted songs, dense atmosphere... just get it already, fuck...

Dawn Of Possession

Here In After

Failure For Gods

Close To A World Below

Unholy Cult

Majesty And Decay

Suffocation

Often referenced as innovators of the brutal death sound, Suffocation were highly influential throughout the 90's and set the tone for much of what became modern death metal. They have the powerhouse drummer Mike Smith too, which is more than a plus.

Effigy of the Forgotten

Pierced From Within

...and that's New York for you. Hopefully I will make my way over there one day.

NYC... pt I

The Big Apple.



What is it good for?

Well, as you could have probably guessed, music. What kind of music though?

Firstly, hip hop. (Shocking, I know)



Basically, I'm all about the East Coast when it comes to hip hop, and New York is the epicenter. The West does have some redeeming artists however, like Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and really I grew up with NWA and 2Pac, but nothing beats the East.

Wu-Tang Clan

Such a ridiculously strong group, and hugely influential. At the time when Dre's G Funk was taking over hip hop for the West Coast, New York, the birthplace of hip hop, needed something big to strike back. The Wu-Tang Clan more than delivered.

As a group, they are amazing, and released an absolute classic:

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)


Individually, they have between them some of the greatest hip hop albums of all time:

GZA - Liquid Swords

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... pt II

Ghostface Killah - Ironman
Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

Mos Def

For a while it seemed like this guy was more interested in being an actor than producing quality tunes, but 2009's The Ecstatic proved he is still one of the best. Mos Def is a favourite of mine because he has a great flow, thoughtful lyrics, but also is very musical. His style seems to work much better with interesting and diverse beats than most out there.

Black On Both Sides

The Ecstatic

Also, Mos Def teamed up with Talib Kweli to form Black Star, a very powerful duo with an amazing album:

Black Star

Nas

Another great who helped restore NYC to power in the 90's, Nas is often seen as the guy with an amazing debut yet quite average career... and that is basically because it is true. Illmatic is widely held as a hip hop essential; a classic. What Nas did after that however... well, we won't even go there. Let's just say it isn't worth your time.

Illmatic

MF Doom

The underground king, Daniel Dumile, better known as MF Doom. Heavily influenced by comic books and weed, this guy has some awesome rhymes, and is a hugely talented MC. He has done plenty of stuff, though here are some highlights.

As MF Doom:

MM... Food

Operation Doomsday

As Viktor Vaughn:

Vaudville Villain

As Madvillain (with Madlib):

Madvillainy

As Dangerdoom (with Dangermouse):

The Mouse And The Mask

He wasn't born in NY but I don't care.

A Tribe Called Quest

Jazzy hip hop with lyrics focusing on social commentary instead of gangsta bravado. Influential, important, talented... I feel like I'm repeating myself. Anyways, it's great stuff.

The Low End Theory

Midnight Marauders

There is plenty of great stuff I have not mentioned, like De La Soul and Public Enemy, but hey - there is still heaps of quality here. 

Stay tuned for pt II, and the next genre of New York dominance.

Wavelets

Sweet band from Florida playing some jangly and twinkly midwest style emo. Considering how relatively unknown these guys are, they are pretty damn good. Comparisons to Algernon Cadwallader, Snowing, etc.

This is everything they have recorded, which the band have actually posted themselves.

Wavelets

Deathspell Omega

I have always been quite unsure of what to think about black metal, as I have always been intrigued by the stories to come out of the genre's beginnings, though unsure if the music is actually any good.

Well these guys sure cleared up that last part for me.

Deathspell Omega are quite a mysterious French band that have an interesting and diverse sound. Lyrically, they are also more sophisticated than your average satanic black metal practitioners. They really are a great band, and definitely changed my mind on what black metal can be.


Mass Grave Aesthetics
Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum
Kenose
Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice

John Coltrane

Honestly one of the greatest musicians to have ever lived, and one of the most influential. There really can not be enough said about Trane's remarkable talent.

I don't know what else I can say, apart from that A Love Supreme is possibly my favourite album of all time.


Meditations
Ascension
A Love Supreme
Lush Life
Giant Steps
Blue Train

Alpinist

Just got this, and it's awesome. German screamo with a pretty powerful sound; nice and dark.

You should probably get it.

Minus.Mensch

Sea Of Shit

Fuck yeah, get stomping.

Demo

Money Problems

Man I'm running pretty close to being broke, ever since I got a car and started paying for petrol. That and a more expensive phone plan (damn you iPhone!).

There's heaps of stuff I want to buy, like some more records (Jane Doe re-release, some GY!BE), and a record player set-up so I can actually listen to them. Also I need to have my guitar set-up which costs an outrageous price (to get it done well).

Although as I'm thinking "woe is me, and the $20 in my bank account", I can't help but feel like a spoilt brat in a developed nation, whining about not being able to afford the extravagant luxuries in life, whilst others not only in poor, war ridden countries, but in my own country, starve and go cold, struggling through everyday...




But fuck the poor, I need to build my pretentious vinyl collection for online credibility and a sense of self-importance.

Orchid

Hugely important and influential, with members all going on to form more great bands, Orchid were a screamo band (though considered themselves just as hardcore punk) who released a fair bit of material in just their four years. The three albums they released are all solid and very much worth a listen (they released a bunch of splits too, but these are just the albums):


Gatefold
Dance Tonight, Revolution Tomorrow!
Chaos Is Me

Gospel

Take screamo and prog-rock and what do you get?

One hell of a band, that's what.

And that band has recently gotten back together after a massive hiatus, with a new album in the works. While we continue waiting for the follow up, just do yourself a favour and listen to the amazing debut:


The Moon Is A Dead World

Gorguts

Forward thinking, avant-garde, whatever - this is death metal gone weird, and it's fucking cool. These guys are a bunch of amazing musicians, but instead of being wanky to show off how "tech" they are, they just decided to play as many crazy chromatic riffs as possible with strange instrumentation and make it work somehow.

They sound almost as good as their name does.


Considered Dead
The Erosion Of Sanity
Obscura
From Wisdom To Hate

Heaven In Her Arms

Listened to these guys for the first time in a while today, and realised how stupid I am for not listening to them more often. What originally grabbed my attention about them is that they are Japanese, which basically ensures that they will be awesome (and like Envy I guess). Also, the fact that they are named after a Converge song.

Basically they are some Japanese dudes playing screamo with the epic tendencies familiar to any Envy fan, although they emphasise the post-rock elements a little more so.

Get on it.


Duplex-Coated Obstruction
Erosion Of The Black Speckle

Beach Fossils

It's not summer, but it might as well be while listening to Beach Fossils. Dreamy, catchy, light and fluffy, whatever. It's pretty damn good.

Beach Fossils

New Layout?

Yeah...


...I'll make it work.

god's pee

They are back.




Godspeed You! Black Emperor are back.



If you don't like them you don't like music, simple as that.


Yanqui U.X.O
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven
Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
F♯ A♯ ∞

Have A Nice Life

This duo is something to behold.

Have A Nice Life blends a range of styles from doom, to shoegaze, to industrial, creating a sound which is both original and captivating. When I found their full length debut, Deathconsciousness, I was intrigued, and knew it was an album which would only grow on me in time... and boy did it grow on me.

Deathconsciousness is now one of my favourite albums, and I recommend this to anybody who likes music in general, because this is such a fantastic experience. The more time you give this album, the more rewarding each listen becomes.


Deathconsciousness


Oh yeah, it also comes with a 74 page booklet to try and explain the conceptual backdrop. Intense.

Here's their other stuff:

Time Of Land (EP)
Voids (EP + demo)

Converge

While I was without working internet, I witnessed one of the greatest shows I have been to:

Converge.

Holy shit it was good, Jacob Bannon is such an amazing front man. Between that and Ulcerate, and the coming Dillinger show, this year is just too good on the gig front.

Anyways, get some Converge into ya.


Axe To Fall
No Heroes
You Fail Me
Jane Doe
When Forever Comes Crashing
Petitioning The Empty Sky



Also, Jane Doe is getting 2xLP re-release in the near future, and you can pre-order right now from Deathwish. Awesome.

Aussie Deaths

As in death metal, not actual deaths of, you know, people or whatever. That would just be fucked up.

Although this stuff is still pretty fucked up... come to think of it, I can't think of any music which is more so. What is it with us Australians?

Portal

You know what I first thought when I heard Portal?

"That sounds disgusting. And why the fuck does he have a cuckoo clock on his head?"

A month later, I loved the disgustingly filthy abomination which is Portal, but still I have no idea what's going on with the clock, but hey - for some reason, it suits.

Portal will change the way you think of music, whether for better or worse. 

Swarth

Outre

Seepia

Impetuous Ritual

More disgusting stuff and hey guess what - two members are from Portal.

Similarities and what not but these guys seem to emphasise the whole lumbering crush parts a bit more.

Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence

Aethyrvorous

Fresh band from Brisbane, released a self titled demo last year. Same dark shit you would expect from an Australian death metal band. Here's to hoping they make a full length and play some shows with Portal. In Melbourne.

Aethyrvorous

The Dillinger Escape Plan

The kings of intensity are back with a new album, and god damn is it good. The crazy boys in Dillinger have release what is quite possibly going to be the best album of 2010 in Option Paralysis, and it is quite a return to form after the somewhat disappointing (ie shit) Ire Works. The only thing that could possibly make the album any better would be having former drummer (and god) Chris Pennie, though they manage well enough without.


Option Paralysis
Ire Works
Miss Machine
Irony Is A Dead Scene
Calculating Infinity
Under The Running Board



To add to the awesomeness of this release, where did Dillinger decide to tour in support of the album?

Australia. That's right.

May 19 will be monumental. And maybe like this...