Druids Den 0))) issue #2

Reviews:

Noothgrush – Erode the Person (12″ LP)
These Oakland (US) doom overlords have Grief’s tendencies in showing hate in all things human: Him as a subject of disgust and pure filth to the Entirety. They deliver this style driven with lyrical hints on the human’s current state of psyche; how man would existentially fail and deteriorate . The lyrical battery of Kent, Nukaga, and Niederhoff together with their mastery of summoning all things heavy through their musical instruments spawned this record they call Erode the Person.

Stagnance, Deterioration, Oil Removed, and the Slave were written and arranged by Kent, Nukaga and Niederhoff in 1997 with the exception of Erode the Person spawning two years earlier of 1995 (by now you should have realized that these three freaks are the main men/woman to blame in causing this slab of doomsday anthems).

Erode the Person begins with a slow thumping of riffs that develops to a riot..embodied in their opening track ‘Stagnance’. It is then continued on ‘Deterioration’ when the listener is reminded that he is one worthless, selfless being and his existence is but mere sliver to the Whole.

I am clueless on the origin of the tracks ‘Sysphus/Narrow Way’ which as per the facts stated on the record’s hand out were tracks off Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma (1969) and craftfully arranged by the band members themselves rendering Noothgrush’ own psyche and spirit (I have yet to research on the Pink Floyd thing).

Then, my favourite track off this record called ‘Oil Removed’; that first few seconds of riffs off this track made this song. The Slave had pretty interesting lyrics that reminded me on how I suck being a corporate slave like the rest of ’em working class. The song makes me feel worse everytime I listen to it. The record then finishes off with a dreaded reminder on Erode the Person, bearing the album’s title and perfectly fits the album’s ambiance in entirety.

Thoughts? I love this album because it sincerely makes me feel pathetic everytime I give it a spin. Now, where’s the fuckin pipe? Gotta light some nug and drink some tea. Out.
(review by: the molester)

Yob – The Unreal Never Lived (cd)
Neurosis and Isis were never wrong when they prophecized that one day, an impending catastrophe would hit Oregon. It made its appearance on the prestigious Roadburn main stage (with an epic backdrop), decimated crushing riffs at Maryland Deathfest, the Acheron, and other notorious venues of the occult summoning. It’s definitely here to stay.

It’s Yob and it’s nasty.

note to self and to the readers:

One of my favourite tracks from this album aside from the epic ‘the Mental Tyrant’ is ‘Grasping Air’ (its second track). THOSE INTRO RIFFS RULE BRO. FROM 0:00 to 1:40 and it repea)))ts infinitely…’the Mental Tyrant’s’ intro riffs are gloomy as fuck on the other hand…..fuck favorites though. Listen to the whole album dimwit!

• Mike Scheidt’s definitely one of the best frontmen in existence right now on planet Earth (his vocal range and style as well as his level of riff mastery on the guitar; the guy’s in love with dissonant chord patterns and it’s FTW)
• Mike Scheidt’s other band, Vhol, is definitely worth checking out. They play psychedelic thrash and recently released a record (It’s Mike on vocals minus the guitar on this one). By the way, what is psychedelic thrash?
• Lyrical content on this album pertains to self realization, tendencies on Buddhism’s teachings and some kinda-like-of-an-inspiration from Alan Watts’ talks.
• The riffs are shimmering with zen; there’s mystery and magic that transcend through endless landscapes portrayed on the songs which just shows Mike’s wisdom on his wanderings to India and the Middle East once upon a time.
• Mike Scheidt does not smoke weed as per a reliable source of mine from Boston (the guy I knew online knows Mike in person and hangs out with the guy on shows.. he confirms that Mike does not smoke weed). So what?

Now:
It’s the 24th of November 2015, 4:50 AM MNLA. On my background is Kosmos, off Yob’s Unreal Never Lived. I’ve infinitely pondered on possibilities on how my life could have been different if I live a life of ‘the unreal’. A life I know won’t happen if I continue to be the enclosed ego I call myself and belittle all the infinite possiblities around me.

This is what Yob’s Unreal Never Lived’s musings are somewhat. And there’s a lot more to it. The music urges the listener to explore his innate psyche and to question his existence; the above a wordplay to describe a brand of EPIC doom that Yob resonates as a unit. Mike could be the angry beast let unleashed and at times mellows it down with wistful melodies that shapes Yob’s character and provides it a layer of sound unique to their own brand of catastrophe. By now, the Mental Tyrant is playing on the background off its thirteen minute mark, and it is still fuckin’ SLAYING. STILL. Those endless barrage of riffs are the shit.

Twenty minutes has passed since I wrote the introductory sentence, and I am still at a loss in life and finding myself’s meaning of existence. Mike, Isamu and Travis definitely nailed it on this record; though not the darkest amongst their incarnations (I prefer Illusion of Motion to this, EXORCISM OF THE HOST!!!!!).

But their infinite mastery in recalling the cosmos through delivering their grandiose plan to total enlightenment is what makes this record a must hear. Man, ‘The Mental Tyrant’ is a FUCKING MASTERPIECE alone. I so want to shake Mike’s hands right now to express my deepest gratitude in creating such wonderful pieces of sonic art. A big fuck you to those who dismiss this as a one artsy fartsy doom attempt. Fuck you ’cause your weed ain’t that strong enough to salvage you from your eternal demise. Doom ain’t always about Sabbath worship. Good music has soul. And Yob has fucking tons of it.
(review by: the molester)

Execution of Terror – s/t (cassette)
On this space is our very own brand of hardcore punk/crust fit Execution of Terror unleashing seven anti-governmental, media-hateful anthems that rants on how the Filipino government sucks and continues to suck the hell out of it. Oh by the way, if you are voting on the elections and is one of those witty motherfuckers who lurks and cyber bullies other clueless motherfuckers proving his/her point on why Duterte is better than anyone else on the presidential race then you are a sick fuck. I’ll repeat. A sick fuck. And you just get worse every six years.

Now that’s a relief in letting those out.
xx

did you know that…
Reinald (guitars, vocals) plays in another grind band called Befall and EOT’s drummer Miyong on a hysterical brand of shock doom called Eyes of Fire (check out both bands if you have not yet, highly recommended if you smoke weed cause ’em dudes knows how to play music when sto)))ned…hehe
xx

The last track, ‘Evil Mind’ made an impact due to its catchy, slow riffs and it being a live recording. Captured live by a mysterious Pojax named Sannee, same dude behind Crapsalad Videos (local version of Frank Huang’s Pit Full of Shit). Dude’s the real deal. Check out the bands on his channel and you’ll realize what I’m blabbing about.
xx

Evil Mind kicks more ass compared to the first six tracks production wise; I did not like how the bass drums sounded (too clicky for a punk record). It could have been more pounding on the speakers if it sounded raw allthrough out. Don’t get me wrong.. I’ve seen this band several times live and they kicked ass. I was expecting a rawer sound on the recording…

This tape is highly recommended for working-class dudes like me; if you’re the kind of dude who gets by through paychecks on the 15th and 30th or worse, every other Friday’s. Mine’s copy #47 of 100. Or is that #97?
(review by the molester)

Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane (cd)
Haven’t done much research on the band, so I’d guess this is an unwell-cooked review but the below were stoned observations of mine while listening to the music.

Was lazy to edit the shit too. shitty shit. Though, in a nutshell this is black metal with lotsa effects here in there. More of in the Veins of Emperor’s Into the Nightside Eclipse rather than Mayhem’s black metal. The journey starts out on a secluded monastery in the middle of a haunted forest infested with black hooded guys and sacrificing some virgin. I can’t recall where it ended though.

track by track, blah by blah:

Idylls of the Chosen Damned- roughly 12.50 minutes

• imagine a monastery abandoned wherein rites-to call-satan are being done
• i heard birds chirping on the last part of the song
• blastbeats kind of did it for me in the beginning of the song. i like black metal glazed on blast beats.
  
  The Passion of the Sorceress
• paced down track, was kind of boring to me at the first few minutes, though i gave it a chance and it turns out that it’s ON on the 2:50th mark
• groaning old man’s vocals being ripped off his testicles around the 6th minute onwards, seemed like he’s howling due to pain
  
  Vintage Black Magic
• i like the intro..it’s like some sort of chanting/summoning ritual with the drum rolls…the guitars layered as atmosphere
• vocally driven track, band’s instruments served as a background, tamest song on the record
• it got doomy riffs here and there
  
  Festival of Devotion
• catchy riffs.
  
  The Devil Intimate
  
• i like the intro riff but went haywire in connecting the riff to another, missin some storytelling
  (review by the molester)
  

SPEED KILLS: Fast vs Fastest

This Comp Kills Fascists vol. I and II
Relapse Records
It is only recently that some unsuspecting fishermen in the provinces of Samar found huge packets of cocaine in the sea. Those were en route to somewhere else here in PI or Asia. Who leaked this out? Why did they dump huge amounts of this precious commodity here in the Philippines? Was it a blessing, or a beginnings of a bigger Filipino coke trade?

Turns out it has been going on for a long while now. But this was much bigger. As in huge bags of coke, The answer cannot be found on kids and adults who have somehow managed to score the white gold before their sources in Samar surrendered the raided supply. One of the biggest recent police busts too was for a politician’s son who was partying in Hongkong. it wasn’t the quantity. It was the quality. PDEA had it tested and it turned out 85+% grade A.

It was around the same time that the order I got from Relapse Records got dumped in Philippine soil (2 weeks late from the ever reliable local post office) and I also got a copy of this limited edition thrash detonation cassette for trade from the head honcho of the label itself. The customs woman wasn’t really happy with this box set and CD and all the artwork and band names on it. Which means it will be a good time.

These compilation sets are a current check on what fast and what quality fast is. The more extreme death/black/brutalgrind scenes have shown it albeit in a more technical, sometimes mechanical way. But then there is the other form from the more diy grind/punk/hardcore route. If ever you’ve encountered that same grade a supply of coke that snowblinded Philippine soil recently you know this is a great accompaniment to that party.

But no matter what you do on your free time, the 3 titles above guarantee all out blast, speed and sludge feedback scrape scream satisfaction just like that 85+ % grade coke that the PDEA didn’t see coming. The work that usually comes with completing killer compilations like these take a lot of effort and patience, so thumbs up and respect to the 2 dudes who created both of these.

Scott Hull’s This Comp Kills Fascists vol I (available as a limited edition 7” vinyl box set) and II is a smartly assembled collection of underground grind/fastcore/powerviolence/sludge much like the legendary Cry Now Cry Later comps of the 90’s. the box set is the best format with each band sharing sides on a 7 inch with a back to back sleeve, a weird poster and a sturdy Virgin Records themed box with a swirling swastika dick on Bush’s mug. Perfect.

Customs questioned me then saw the title was against Fascists. very confusing for a 3rd world shithole like The Philippines that has been known as the playground / stop point for terrorists en route to USA and the middle East and the gang they keep company with here. We got the major players representing majorly on this HIGHly collectible box set with Brutal Truth (this was their welcome back the new batch after reuniting), Total Fucking Destruction, Insect Warfare (Fu YEEAH), Kill the Client (yes), Magrudergrind, ASRA, Agents of Satan (the guitarist is in jail right now), Maruta, Spoonful of Vicodin, Weekend Nachos, Wasteoid, Shitstorm, Man Will Destroy Himself, Chainsaw to the Face.

Vol II continues the assault with a fresh new batch that will freeze your gums in snow and make you want to shoot cops with a glock out in the freeway on your truck. Although more bands are on this disc overall quality is still good, another round with the big guns of the underground bunch. This comes with a very positive PETA ad on a Relapse mini catalog which makes the stupid opening paragraph of this double review really bad.

Killer bands and new players strike out guns blazing, lots of them now kvlt, include Lack of Interest, Owen Hart, Noisear, Hummingbird of Death, Drugs of Faith, Marion Barry, Crom, Apartment 213, Septic Surge, Population Reduction, Despise You, Triac, Idiot’s Parade, Extortion, Three Faces of Eve, Voetsek, Superbad, Strong Intention and motherf’n Social Infestation (Troy from Mastodon’s old band!). (review by: UNKLE Fenriz666)

Pilipinas Thrash Detonation
Still Ill Records
Along the coasts of the storm and sun brewed isles of Pilipinas comes this cool tape of totally sped up and rocking collection of fast punk, grind and powerviolence / speedpunk tunes encased in a collector’s item printed black cassette.

Still Ill Tapes and label big boss Mic, Dangie and crew released this awesome compilation in praise to the long lost form of art of local comp tape releases. The all filipino speedkillteam units are Feud (unreleased track), Play, Sister Bastard, Rush ID, Lipslide, Vex, YFC, Censorshit, IOD, ADA, Disband, Kaktus Karuka, Flash Elorde, and Noise Conspiracy Project round out all the spooled space of the cassette tape.

It will totally boggle the minds of younger kids in the underground with an OG artifact played by old dudes. And it will totally remind the oldschoolers (i.e. old people ha) of the golden time and era of TRC and black and red labelled cassettes and the 90s distros and Take 4 Collective tape releases that schooled us on local hardcore and fastcore. This is the newer generation that came after – an awesome bookmark where the fast scene is right now, all cylinders blastin’. It has actually been way overdue so this tape does a good job of linking the 2 eras of local hardcore / punk. (review by: UNKLE Fenriz666)

DRIPS
s/t
White Drugs recs
One day I was in this barbecue spot in good old QC. The corner of Del Monte ave. and West Ave. That spot had a killer barbecue stand that sold pig ears (the meat for lokal sisig and tokwa’t baboy dish) and other popular street food stuff.

Suddenly, an old rich lady went down from this big white car that suddenly pulled over. She got down her car along with her daughter and bought a few sticks. Her maid was protecting them with a huge umbrella. She had a uniform on.

Just as I was about to go the rich old lady suddenly blurted out loud that she doesn’t really eat that stuff and she’s buying it for her dogs. She said it loud enough for the other people to hear while I was eating my last stick. Quezon City rules.

A few days later I got this li’l gem in the sale bin right here in this same city. Anyway DRIPS fucking rule just like that stupid story. LA semi major indie punk rock / rock and roll decadence, with (of course) members (ahem) from The Bronx and The Distillers:

Matt Caughthran & Joby J. Ford, The Bronx,
Tony Bevilaqua, The Distillers,
David Hidalgo Jr. from Suicidal Tendencies and Social Distortion, and
Vincent Hidalgo from Bullet Treatment and Mariachi El Bronx.

Not for everyone, but this has lots of energy and feel good riffs. The name of their label also rules: White Drugs. The local CD was sold in a sale for 20 pesos where I got mine and it’s one of the mostest bestest ever number #1 buys I’ve ever done. Need to upgrade it to the white 2LP pressing. (review by UNKLE Fenriz666)

Goretex
Coffin Syrup [indie release]
Bearing artwork that looks more at home next to a Ghost or Electric Wizard CD, this very doom metal looking disc compiles all the previously unreleased /rare Goretex tracks that have been lost in some herbed out drunk parties around NYC or elsewhere…

This is strictly for the portion of our readership who enjoy well crafted underground hiphop, and this is Goretex we’re talking about, so you need to check this out. Apparently released as a reply to all the bootlegs and downloadable comps out there for years, G sets the record straight and compiles “Tha Official” Goretex unreleased collection mixtape.

Even though this is just a collection of different stuff it’s still as good as any Goretex release. Let me reiterate that this isn’t the new record nor is this the ultimate “Goretex mega mixtape”, but an authorized odds and ends compilation / mixtape which sounds as good as previous offerings (“The Art of Dying” is up a few notches higher than the rest though). So this might be a little different especially trackwise from the bootleg that you have or from the comp you just downloaded. This is the full authorized version with tracks fit for release. Watch out for the new CD under the name Supercoven coming later this year. This is in limited quantities so hit up his people at their FB page for more info. Read the interview elsewhere on this issue right now. (review by: UNKLE Fenriz666)

Deiphago
XCIII 7”EP
Hell’s Headbangers
+++ After slaying and partying with Black Witchery in Europe, Deiphago delivered their next attakkk – a limited edition re-release of the legendary ’93 demo cassette. Rerecorded during the Filipino Antichrist sessions with then drummer Devastator, Deiphago conjured and materialized past spirits as XCIII, which has some of the rawest and strangest Deiphago material to date (take note this is ’93 era Deiphago).

There’s all out total black/war/grind/death blasts sieved through a pedal with Merzbow on the left side, and oldschool death metal demos on 11 hissing at the other. Deiphago then swallow some pills and hit up a few chopped lines to do the “Hail Mary Innana” ritual one more time, now drowned in heavy ritual psychosis – sounds much killer on vinyl. This is limited edition (I got mine on the crimson wax) so if you’re interested hit up the HH HQ online ASAP. Guaranteed out of print by the time you read this. (review by: UNKLE Fenriz666)

Dax Riggs
Say Goodnight to the World
Fat Possum
Say Goodnight to the World is the highly-anticipated new record from our fave doom singer Dax Riggs. He takes time between records but always releases a killer album. The title was supposed to be a term by the late writer Carlos Castaneda about turning off the human perception on this plane.

As always, if you’re a fan of Dax, every new album or tour that comes along is a good time for a heavy toke. It’s always honest energetic dark rock and roll that sounds just like no other in this late hour.

Dax has already established himself in his own genre, and this record is another killer set of songs that seem to get smoky and mono black each time, like phantoms and ghosts in old and beautiful lavish New Orleans chapels and mansions (although Dax calls Austin, TX home now).

Dax explores all his strengths in songwriting and vocal approaches by offering soul rock, garage, barroom blues, 70s glampunk and even an Elvis cover. They all kill as usual.

“Heartbreak Hotel” is where Elvis disappears in Dax Riggs’ joint and joins him in the song as a ghost. Dax converts the hotel into his own graveyard smoke out spot in Texas, where he outdooms and outsmokes the King.

“Gravedirt on My Blue Suede Shoes” may be another reference to the King, but compared to the Elvis cover, it’s more upbeat and rocking. Dax goes on to state “Envoking me what I must be, Forget this skull, this cemetery. Envoking me what I must do, Gravedirt on my blue suede shoes”. It then goes into a haunting, soulful “wooh” section that stops in the middle, before drenching the song in heavy riffing and setting everything on fire for the finale.

“Let Me Be Your Cigarette”, the lead-off single is prime rockin’ Dax in the tradition of his frenetic tunes from the last album, and some of his garagebluespunk style in Deadboy & The Elephanmen’s last one as well.

Elsewhere, “Like Moonlight” is a funeral dirge lullaby to lull you to sleep in the graveyard, with that trademark Dax soul blues style. It’s superchill but haunting. It can serve as the last track of this album, but it’s just the end of the first half. That distinction is reserved for the slower haunting final track, “See You in All Hell or New Orleans”, a perfect ending this awesome album

While some would say that the songs on “We Sing of…” were too short but classics nonetheless, the songs here have a little more space to breathe, more time for introspection. It’s also more haunting than its predecessor.

And another common thing with each album is that each successive spin lulls you into its own world and you won’t even notice you’re hooked again. You’re always bound to find gold in Dax’s records, and this one is no exception. Full Support for the FAT POSSUM posse. If you haven’t listened to We Sing of Only Blood or Love then listen to it as well. (Rx Zenabi)