Venom Fuckn Rules

The Xmas period is not over yet, and so I found the perfect chance to post some festive Venom music on this old school metal blog.

Venom is essential; They have the super cult status of the legendary first three albums (Welcome to Hell, Black Metal and At War with Satan). They've inspired a whole fucking musical genre and even though they have nothing to do with BM musically, their Satanic image was unprecedented and definitely the spark for all Satanic BM and DM. I don't know many other bands that have are so widely accepted by everyone in the metal scene such as Venom. Especially bands that have had such a flaky presence after their first few good albums. Nevertheless, how many bands do you know that Kerry King wears t shirts of? They must be good, right? I'm totally on the bandwagon with this one: Venom is fucking cult, Venom rules. Last but not least, Venom also musically bridges the gap between metal and punk. So many others have done it, but Venoms metal punk sound is so trademark that I think volumes upon volumes should be written on it. A definite influence that has spread both sides and deserves maximum respect!

This song has perfect lyrics, the trademark Venom crunch and it's a  nice dark anti Xmas epic...

Seminal Vampires

If you are into death metal then you already know Abcsess. This band captured my attention since their 7" ep with Machetazo (Spanish band and another great grind/death institution). There are two reasons why Abcsess rules in my book:

-They are the heaviest punk band on the planet

-A lot of their artowrk is really eye-catching, disgusting horror stuff

Therefore, Abcess is like the 101 band to be featured on this blog. The fact that (as your probably already know, once again) it's guys from Autopsy doing this band makes it even more thrilling and respectful. Obey!

I decided to post something from this 19996 album for no reason in particular other than the amazing cover art (all Abcess recordings have the same sick quality to them). I also really like the lyrics out of my way, gonna mow you down (observe the variety of ways Chris Reifert repeats this particular phrase!). Awesome. 

Escupe la Cruz, baby

Fuck yeah. There come times when we all ask ourselves, what is considered "real" in music, and how underground can extreme music really get? In Europe, US etc we mostly play it safe and stay mid-underground while we're reproducing the same old tired cliched sounds. The answer for real extremity can be found in lesser known (for metal) countries, with South America being the at the top of regions for obscure, extreme shit. Metal, like chaos, hate, death etc is a universal axiom that feeds the frenzy of like minded people across the globe. I am just glad that there is also this kind of metal, for when we want to strip music from all its commercial, consumerist value and just enjoy the sheer brutality of it all.

So, here you have what I'm kind of talking about. Peruvian death metal with the awesome name Anal Vomit. Believe me, the sound is as fucked up as the name itself (if not more). These guys have been going since 1992 and have some 11 releases of demos, splits and full-lengths.

p.s. It's 2:14 am on a Thursday night and I am listening and blogging about this. What the hell is wrong with me please?

Alex Gray: Gaia, Visions, 9/11 & More

Alex Gray is a mysterious and charismatic person. He is a famous painter who has done all kinds of environmental-conscious and meditation induced, vision inspired art. His work is considered widely influential and extremely inspirational in matters of ecological awareness etc. Gray sees his paintings as more than art, since he connects them with the visions he has and believes that they also are connected with a wider understanding about the Earth and the world we live in. His work is a point of reference for the whole Third Eye type of intelligence, which is a common subject of research and fascination.

This is a rather interesting video in which he explains some of the ideas behind his paintings, including his famous painting of Gaia and its possible connection with the 9/11 catastrophe!?

How I found this video: I only discovered Alex Gray this week, while I was searching for some environmental-conscious art on the net. I found the Gaia painting and thought it was pretty cool, so I used it as a desktop on my computer. Then, today (3 or 4 days later), I was just listening to some obscure punk on youtube and the above video was on the suggestion list. I clicked on it because it seemed interesting and I not because I made the connection with the Gaia painting or Alex Gray whose name I had not even memorized. Interestingly enough, it is the same artist talking about that same painting. How weird!

Death Metal Revisited: Malevolent Creation "The Ten Commandments"

To this very day, this record is best described by a statement made by Malevolent Creation themselves: "We sound like Slayer on steroids!". This statement alone sounded kinda interesting to me and made me wanna find and listen to this album, and see if it's worth the huge reputation it has.

This album has a lot of elements that give a classic status to it. It was released in 1991, an undisputed golden year for death metal. It wad produced by Scot Burns, the absolute guru producer of DM. Plus, the band comes from Florida, a place famous for its DM bands. and of course, it has one of the most iconic covers in DM history.

Having listened to other Malevolent Creation albums prior to this, I will admit that I wasn't expecting something so thrashy from this band's debut album. The vocals aren't even death metal, they are almost thrash. The sound is definitely DM and there are even hints of brutal death metal going on in the riffs and drum patterns, but the vocals make it more of a death/thrash album. It is solid and tight as fuck, but when I listen to DM I need something harsher I'm afraid.

Not to say I was dissapointed, but I really expected something heavier. In 1991 there were already bands playing heavier and faster than this. However, The Ten Commandments will stay in my music collection and I will play it in the future when I want to listen to some hyper speed, anabolic death/thrash.

Here is what I think is one of the heaviest songs on the album:

AIWASS - "Last Human"

Underground death/black metal from Mexico!

This band poses a good theme to think about with their album title Before Satan After Satan...  I am sure there is some kind of philosophical aspect to it, maybe even some kind of a political statement. What would remain in our foolish culture with the lack of Satan/Evil/Fear? Maybe some kind of total freedom? Well, this is my own explanation anyway.

I like the fact that raw death and black metal has infiltrated the anarcho punk and crust scenes. For sure, a band like Aiwass is not the type of band that most BM fans would listen to, because it's too raw and underproduced (therefore, 'necro'!) This type of metal is enjoyed by all kinds of punks and crusties who want something heavier and darker or at least different compared to crustcore etc.

Hannya Mask & Hakuja "Dew of Blood"

Folk tales and images of the world have a way of creeping into our subconsious. They stay there and they will come back to haunt whenever the time is right. Fear is universal, and as psychologists find, there are images that people regard with fear and attraction no matter their ethnic and social background. We do have our universal, common, human subconscious fears, and the veil can be so easily pierced. But maybe those fears can help us look inside and find more about us and our futile human existence...


There is a place where Japan folklore meets that type of horror that is keen to us all. Things don't have to be overly artistic or profoundly scary in order to grab you and take you some place cold and dark.

I find that the picture can be best enjoyed with some Japanese BM, so why not go straight for the best of the best with Hakuja's romantic, punky, creepy & melodic take to BM?

BURZUM - Hermoðr á Helferð

What is extreme can be reversed, and what is beautiful and calm can also be extreme and brutal. Don't they say that the devil would actually disguise himself in the most serene and lovable appearance? Things can get like that with music, also.

Varg Vikernes has made this album as a comparison of the war between logic and the need of the human mind to look inwards, and beyond.

The Hills Have Eyes 2

Tonight I'm watching this little baby, since I'm spending the odd Saturday night without the gf. I bet it's gonna be scary... and gory. Fuuuuck yeah.

Famous Monsters #56

El Conde Dracula

Christopher Lee and Klaus Kinski... two monsters in one film.

Notre Dame: Gargoyles

Deathmaster

Better Double-Check the Doors

Alone in the room at night, you look at the clock and it says 3:33. And for that split second the room's empty space feels alive, like a thousand unseen eyes staring at you. You look in the mirror. A feeling like you're not really yourself. You're cold. You're still. And a shiver in the spine, takes your precious world away from you. Just for a second.

You're ok, it was only your imagination... wasn't it?

Offal

Offal. Death/Gore Metal from Brazil. Only for the happy lads.

Evil Power

Minotaurs, gladiator fighting and all of that ancient shit always appealed to us metal kids for some reason. The power... the glory... ah the sheer monstrosity of it all!

Nails as the Weapon of Hatred

I'm telling you man, stuff out there's just getting heavier all the time. Here is some Death/Black Metal from lovely old Saint Petersburg, Russia. You can search for it, but you won't find a touch of melody in here. Just pure hate!

Medieval Rivers of Blood

Cheap medieval horror is awesome. I agree, thank you. Thumbs up to whomever made this, somewhere in time.

Freddy on the Balcony

It would be nice if, when we walked into museums, saw things like this. To me, it's art.

S.I.C.K

Fucking clowns, man...

God & Guns

October has just started and it is the perfect time to spawn this Breed of Ghouls. It's been a long time coming. We'll just be evil, all of the time.

A good, symbolic way to start this eerie blog would be this sick Southern swamp rock anthem.... God & Guns by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I can so image the end of a horror film with song playing while the titles come up. Perfectly grim!