Travis and myself got into this discussion the other day – he likes cover songs, I do not. He asked me what good bands didn’t at least do one cover, and I pointed out Black Sabbath and the Stooges. I won that argument. But I will give in with him a little bit here with this record.

We all had to watch what happened with the Black Album, and the nonsense that followed. But we all should know and acknowledge that early Metallica ripped. I saw Metallica for the first time in 1984 at a club in my hometown called the Eagles Ballroom, which was also a supperclub. There couldn’t have been more than 60 people there. They came out and opened with “Fight Fire With Fire” and James Hetfield broke his top string in like the first 20 seconds. He threw his guitar down pissed, tossed back like two Jagermeister shots, grabbed a new one and started the song again. They blew my mind. 

One weird thing about Metallica though, they did A LOT of covers. All I have to say is this: if you’re going to do a covers record, make sure it rocks this hard.

(Download - "Helpless")

So I’m sure some of you already have seen this and probably can tell us who is responsible for this digital masterpiece. Anyhow… enough talk, I think this speaks volumes for the future of hardcore. REAL hyperspasms… I thought I was onto something years ago but I think this takes the cake. This is REAL SPAZZCORE! Pack your bags kids, the game is over!

First:

[Video: German Kid Spazzing Out During Online Gaming]

Second:

[Download: Dillinger Escape Plan ‘43% Burnt’]

[Download: Dillinger Escape Plan vs. German Gamer ‘100% Burnt’]

May the creator of this mash-up please step-forward?

Dylan Carlson’s drone ambient monolith (the name was originally used by Black Sabbath) has battled the elements and survived (Drug addiction, label changes, member changes, trends, etc.) to further break the barriers of what’s considered ‘Metal’ and whats considered ‘Ambient’. Earth carved it’s sound out of creating super low frequencies and letting them drone into a blissful void. Beginning in 1990 and showcasing members and appearances from such notables as; Slim Moon, Joe Preston and Kurt Kobain. Earth has stood the test of time, releasing 5 solid studio albums, scattered live performances, remixes and EPs. Progressing in sound and dynamic, changing ever so slightly or flipping the whole thing on its head (check out the record Pentastar: In The Style Of Demons). Their 16 yrs of existence have led to a flood of influenced contemporaries: Sunn, Boris, Pelican, to name a few.  Not to let any of them get too close, Dylan has once again ‘changed the game’ with "Hex: Or The Infernal Method Of Printing.". ‘Hex’ taps its ambient stylings into a ‘Lost Highway’ meets Sergio Leone style of country atmospherics. Leaning on the stylings of such  bands as Giant Sand, Calexico, Neil Young and Crazy Horse,  and even past Sub Pop label mates Codeine. The low frequency drone has been mixed with lap steel, pedal steel guitar, flanger, e-bowed notes, and eerie soundscaped feedback.  ‘Hex’ is the lost soundtrack to the next David Lynch film. Somebody tell him! But Check these tracks out 1st..

(Download - "The Dry Lake")

(Download - "Raiford The Felon Wind")

(Download - "Lens Of Unrectified Night")

Guitar players are usually blown away by the Hendrix-in-a-windtunnel primordial intensity of German guitarist Caspar Brotzmann and his early 90’s trio, Massaker. However, I’d imagine that any Buddyhead reader would appreciate the truly sinister and downright monsterous force that redefined the power trio while incorporating elements of Hendrix and Cream and mixing them with the primal thud of Einsteurzende Neubauten and Swans. Top that all off with the free jazz approach of Caspar’s father, saxophonist Peter Brotzmann (who had played in Last Exit and collaborated with greats like Sonny Sharrock) and it might somewhat describe the lanky guitarist’s nightmarish sounds.

I saw Caspar Brotzmann Massaker live in 1992, the year that the trio’s second album Der Abend Der Schwarzen Folklore (roughly translated as "the Afternoon of Black Folklore") was released and the band was incredible. Brotzmann is tall, skinny and dressed like Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and he played his guitar with much of the same passion (not to mention also being left-handed and playing an upside-down Fender Stratocaster.) The band on the whole was so unbelievably loud it sounded like a jet taking off for much of the set. And, I suspected that the monitors on stage were equally as ear-crushing, because the drummer kept wincing and turning his head away from his monitor and constantly begging in German for them to be turned down. This track, "Schwarze Folklore" is indeed a long one, but listen through the whole thing — the creepy zombie chants and neo-industrial drum breakdowns further bolster the song that sounds simultaneuosly like a Pagan ritual and the raptorous rupture of a factory’s machinery gone haywire.

There’s not much online information available on Brotzmann, but this Trouser Press profile seems to cover his history pretty well.

(Download - "Schwarze Folklore")

OK chico - here’s some more of that NWOBHM action you’ve all been craving. This time around we visit the ‘burbs of Edinburgh, Scotland, home of the mighty HOLOCAUST. Best known for having their song, "The Small Hours", covered by Metallica, Holocaust were highly influential but their records didn’t sell crap. Despite being commercially unsuccessful, Holocaust’s bludgeoning riffs became the blueprint for what was to come later in the decade. Released in 1981, Holocaust’s debut LP "The Nightcomers" came on the heels of punk’s waning days. Lyrically speaking, the songs leave a lot to be desired. Those seeking shades of Rimbaud or Camus should look elsewhere. Check out "Death Or Glory", long considered their masterpiece tune. The jam tells the Travis Bickle like story of a man who couldn’t take it anymore; a man less concerned with broads than the matter at hand ("Don’t want no girls to hold me/I only love my knife"). Trip on "It Don’t Matter To Me" as an added bonus. Reissued in 2003 with a bonus disc of ten extra tracks (!!).

(Download - "Death Or Glory")

(Download - "It Don’t Matter To Me")

Anyone who is down with "Machine Gun Etiquette" by The Damned knows that the killer bass intro on ‘Love Song’ comes courtesy of Mr. Alasdair ‘Algy’ Ward. Not long after that classic album was released, Algy went on to form the more metal leaning band Tank. Consisting of Ward (b,v) plus brothers Mark (g) and Peter Brabbs (d), their blistering live performances put the power trio on the map. Immediately drawing the interest of Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, Tank began to play higher profile gigs and festivals and in 1982, released their debut, "Filth Hounds Of Hades". Produced by Fast Eddie Clarke (also a Motorhead member at the time), the playing is tight and the hooks are catchy. Some thought of the band as a mere Motorhead rip-off, but repeated listenings proved them wrong. Definitely a notable album of the era. First pressings of the LP came with a free single featuring ‘The Snake/Don’t Walk Away (live)’.

(Download - "Struck by Lightning")

(Download - "Turn Your Head Around")

Hailing from the rough, grimy streets of Newcastle,
Venom were every parent’s worse nightmare. Influenced by the locomotive known
as Motorhead as well as NWOBHM - Cronos, Abaddon and Mantas combined their
brutal din with over the top satanic references, single-handedly creating what
is now known as Death/Black Metal. At first, many critics sat back and laughed.
On their first LP, 1980’s "Welcome To Hell", the drums sound like
cardboard and the band teeters on the edge of falling apart more than once, but
there was an appeal about the whole package that kept you coming back. The two
mp3s below are taken from "The Singles 80 - 86". For the novice
looking to dive in to the Venom quagmire, I recommend checking out the
aforementioned "Welcome To Hell" and "Black Metal" first.
However, the "Singles" CD does contain what I consider to be Venom’s
finest hour - the ‘Bloodlust/In Nomine Satanas’ 7".

(Download - "Bloodlust")

(Download - "Live Like An Angel")

I first heard Riot’s third album, "Fire Down Under", on the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. ‘Don’t Look Back’ was blasting from a cassette player that was duct-taped to the handlebars of a stoner kid’s bike. After years of struggling, Riot unleashed their masterpiece. In 1981, this record was New York’s answer to the hair metal virus that was slowly infecting the LA rock scene. Many consider this a straight metal record but a bunch of the songs also possess a tough rock ‘n’ roll edge that brings to mind Bloodbrothers-era Dictators. Guy Speranza handles the vocals well without busting out any of those lame operatics that were so common at that time. Great production too - the Les Pauls absolutely scream on tracks like ‘Run For Your Life’, ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ and ‘Fire Down Under’ (check the mp3s bruddah!). Criminally out of print until Metal Blade reissued the thing in 1999, here is your chance to sample some of the action.

(Download - "Run For Your Life")

(Download - "Don’t Bring Me Down")

(Download - "Fire Down Under")

As lame as it may be, I’ve been listening to this record a lot lately. Sure everyone likes "Appetite for Destruction", but how many  people are claiming to be down with either of the "Illusions" in 2005? My renewed interest in late era GNR probably stems from watching all the old GNR bootlegs Joe Burns has given us on dvd. Thank you Joe. Axl has the best stage banter ever… "Do you know where you are? All I know is when I was 17, I was in the middle of THE FUCKING JUNGLE! YOU’RE IN THE JUNGLE BABY, YOU"RE GONNA DIIIIIEEEEE!" Anyways, so yeah I’ve gotten back into Illusions II. The first ones good too, but for some reason I’ve always been partial to the second disc. This ones got Izzy singing "14 years", which I always thought was about Guns N’ Roses themselves. Well, at least Izzy talking shit on the rest of the band. Although, I could be totally wrong.  It’s also got "Pretty Tied Up" and and who can deny a song about a girl who lives down on Melrose that likes to get tied up? I can’t. Sure it’s got it’s ridiculous moments, like "Get In The Ring" where Axl tells the editor of Spin that his dad gets more pussy than he goes or when he raps on "My World". But then again you can’t have all highs and no lows now can you?

(Download - "14 Years")
(Download - "Pretty Tied Up")

Big Business is comprised of just two guys. Jarred from Karp, Tight Bros. From Way Back When, The Whip, etc. and Cody from The Murder City Devils. Jarred plays a monster bass and sings. He’s got one of the greatest voices in rock and roll. Cody plays drums. MCD fans be warned, Big Business sound NOTHING like The Murder City Devils. They sound more along the lines of Thrones or Karp. Super heavy and super fun.

(Download - "Focus Pocus")

If you don’t have Shellac’s three full lengths, go buy em now dude. That shit is essential as essential gets. And while you’re at it, if you can find some of their singles, buy those up too. I haven’t heard anything from this band that hasn’t been good. The best thing about Shellac is they don’t follow the rules or the normal guidelines of being in a band. Example: the album that they pressed only 800 and something copies of which were then mailed only to close friends of the band. So unless you are Ian Mackaye, you’re not getting one of those. Oh and if you buy one of their LPs, you get the CD inside for free. Sweet tits, huh? Another version of this song appears on their second full length "Terraform", but this one is from a comp called "Ground Rule Double". Aside from this song the comp is pretty much worthless unless you like pussy bands like Braid and The Promise Ring or jock rock bands like 88 Fingers Louie (which I hope you don’t if you’re reading this site). Yeah, weird comp. Unfortunately, this song isn’t about police officers, it’s about copper the metal. It’s still pretty killer though. Speaking of metal, Steve plays a metal guitar. That’s why it sounds so crazeee man. Oh and if you haven’t read Steve’s article he wrote about his problem with the music industry (which you probably have)… click here. Or if you’ve got some free time to kill, read this article Courtney Love wrote where she straight ripped off Steve’s rant and came up with different math (click here). Good stuff to check out if you’re yer one of the unlucky souls who think they’re gonna make music their "career".

(Download - "The Copper Song")