Well, finally got enough into the New Year to start seeing the "Best of 2012" lists wrap up. I dunno, I'm finding it hard to even find shit in the present day that I'm even remotely excited about. One of the things that this download media world robs you of is the physical feeling of popping a new CD you just dropped $15 on into your player and praying that you dig it. Keeping that shit from getting too scratched. Sifting through the liner notes and reading the bands' "thank you's" to see if they mention another band that may be worth listening to. Well, instead of rambling on like an old pathetic codger, I figured I'd list the seven bands that actually made it past the "listen to more than once" cut and earned some of my hard gotten cash on Bandcamp or whatever... Note that some of these albums/bands may not have actually done anything in 2012, but this is when I caught up with their groove...
Asilo. I've mentioned these guys enough on this blog, but they deserve it. Double bass-guitar sludge sickness that makes me want to snort blow and jerk off to The Taming Of Rebecca.
Unsane. Sure these guys have been around for a fucking century but 2012's Wreck kills. Riff-heavy noise rock from the guys who nailed the sound down in 1988 and haven't changed a fucking thing. Their cover of Flipper's "Ha Ha Ha" is the best thing I've heard all year.
Fuckheads. Another band I've already mentioned on the ol' blog. Who knows if they still exist but their trio of demos and tour tapes over the last couple years are nothing short of amazing. Wicked fast Siege-influenced Boston HxCx that couldn't be done better.
Throng Of Shoggoths. I really jumped off the sludge wagon once the almighty Sludge Swamp disappeared from the net but somehow I discovered the demo from these guys. A solid thirty minutes of doom-laden H.P. Lovecraft worship. Amazing.
Shit Happiness. I cannot say enough about this incredible band from Russia. 2011's Chords EP is probably the best thing I've heard in years. Grungy, dirty noise rock with enough time signature changes to make your stuck-up 311 fanboys proud. Sadly, drummer Igor Garshin passed and the band has been on stalemate since... hopefully they can continue on. I would love to hear some more shit from these guys.
Love Sex Machine. Thank god. Filling the void left by the demise of the Abominable Iron Sloth, Lille, France's LSM are easily the sickest sludge band to sleaze over the pond. Ever. Fucking amazing record. I cannot give them more praise. Buy this one NOW.
Orphan. Yet another huge loss in the music world, Brendan Majewski, the "guy" in this ridiculously huge guy-girl two-piece noise rock unit passed away in 2011. I picked up their sophomore effort Decapitated Lovers a few months ago and it absolutely slays. What a shame. Their debut is just as amazing, well worth some hard-earned duckets...
Well, that's about it. Hopefully 2013 can compete. A few new bands that I'll actually want to listen to instead of constantly hitting the "forward" button on the ol' iPod is all I'm asking for. Fingers crossed...
Well, that's about it. Hopefully 2013 can compete. A few new bands that I'll actually want to listen to instead of constantly hitting the "forward" button on the ol' iPod is all I'm asking for. Fingers crossed...
Currently watching: In The Soup
Currently listening to: Boris Absolutego+
