As a result of my recent trip to Maryland Deathfest, I’ve been listening to mostly metal, with an occasional break to research the next topic of Andrew and Liz Discuss the Hits. Below are a few songs that have excited me recently.
!T.O.O.H.! (that stands for Total Obliteration of Humanity, naturally) was an experimental grind band from the Czech Republic who broke up a few years ago, unfortunately, before they were able to perform here in our great nation. Their odd, melodic riffage was really bizarre and unique, much less focused on downtuned chugging than most metal acts. The drummer was nuts, with a very pingy and surprisingly un-annoying snare sound and speed to spare. And the vocals (with lyrics all in Czech) sort of sound like a vampire cursing after he stubs his toe. This is the first track from their excellent album Pod Vládou Bice (2003), ”Cistka,” which is full of all the aforementioned characteristics, and features an evil laugh at one point.
Trap Them from New Hampshire played at the fest, and they were so good that I saw them one week later when they toured through Milwaukee. They were spectacular both times, and the material from their most recent release Seizures in Barren Praise destroys live. Their music falls somewhere near Converge in that fuzzy spectrum between hardcore, grind, and metal, and their energy and pure power really impressed me from the first time I heard it. Their somewhat fragrant vocalist got all up in the crowd’s shit during the Milwaukee show at the tiny DIY venue while the rest of the band flailed away, shredding and blasting and what-have-you. Despite its ungainly title, the song “Day Twenty-Five: Guignol Serene” is a nice example of the middle of the tempo range these guys are capable of, and the second half of the song builds ’til it explodes. Play it loud!
The quizzically named Intestine Baalism play a blend of Swedish melodic death metal with elements from American brutal death metal. And they’re Japanese. The riffs are intensely melodic, often with layered guitar harmonies, but the vocals are the unflinchingly tuneless growls that rarely accompany this variety of metal, and the combination of the two strikes my ears as pleasingly unexpected. Maybe a bit of a gateway drug that would lead a young potential devotee of the genre from Iron Maiden to Prostitute Disfigurement. “The Genuine Tone” is an epic and catchy example of them doing that thing they do.
Andrew is the Post-Rockist’s Metal and Top 40 Hits (along with Liz) resident expert. He comes closer to liking “all kinds of music” than anyone else we know.
Friday Fix: The Metal Years: !T.O.O.H.!, Trap Them, Intestine Baalism
Trap Them (photo credit: www.returntothepit.com)
As a result of my recent trip to Maryland Deathfest, I’ve been listening to mostly metal, with an occasional break to research the next topic of Andrew and Liz Discuss the Hits. Below are a few songs that have excited me recently.
!T.O.O.H.! (that stands for Total Obliteration of Humanity, naturally) was an experimental grind band from the Czech Republic who broke up a few years ago, unfortunately, before they were able to perform here in our great nation. Their odd, melodic riffage was really bizarre and unique, much less focused on downtuned chugging than most metal acts. The drummer was nuts, with a very pingy and surprisingly un-annoying snare sound and speed to spare. And the vocals (with lyrics all in Czech) sort of sound like a vampire cursing after he stubs his toe. This is the first track from their excellent album Pod Vládou Bice (2003), ”Cistka,” which is full of all the aforementioned characteristics, and features an evil laugh at one point.
!T.O.O.H.! – “Cistka” from Pod Vládou Bice
Trap Them from New Hampshire played at the fest, and they were so good that I saw them one week later when they toured through Milwaukee. They were spectacular both times, and the material from their most recent release Seizures in Barren Praise destroys live. Their music falls somewhere near Converge in that fuzzy spectrum between hardcore, grind, and metal, and their energy and pure power really impressed me from the first time I heard it. Their somewhat fragrant vocalist got all up in the crowd’s shit during the Milwaukee show at the tiny DIY venue while the rest of the band flailed away, shredding and blasting and what-have-you. Despite its ungainly title, the song “Day Twenty-Five: Guignol Serene” is a nice example of the middle of the tempo range these guys are capable of, and the second half of the song builds ’til it explodes. Play it loud!
Trap Them – “Day Twenty-Five: Guignol Serene” from Seizures in Barren Praise (buy)
The quizzically named Intestine Baalism play a blend of Swedish melodic death metal with elements from American brutal death metal. And they’re Japanese. The riffs are intensely melodic, often with layered guitar harmonies, but the vocals are the unflinchingly tuneless growls that rarely accompany this variety of metal, and the combination of the two strikes my ears as pleasingly unexpected. Maybe a bit of a gateway drug that would lead a young potential devotee of the genre from Iron Maiden to Prostitute Disfigurement. “The Genuine Tone” is an epic and catchy example of them doing that thing they do.
Intestine Baalism – “The Genuine Tone” (more)
Andrew is the Post-Rockist’s Metal and Top 40 Hits (along with Liz) resident expert. He comes closer to liking “all kinds of music” than anyone else we know.