Alcohol and Razorblades and Poison in Needles

As usual, I got so drunk that I forgot I even have a blog. Don't blame me, blame Mr. Jack Daniels. Anyway, being a pitiful combination of a boozehound, a lazyass, and a Metalhead, today's post will be about the intertwining of mind-alteration and heavy music. Let's see if I can maintain my motor skills enough to finish this in one go...

Part I: The Forerunners
The Beatles aren't Metal, even though certain tracks such as Helter Skelter were predecessors to the chaotic instruments and screaming vocals that characterize the genre today. Another contribution that the Fab Four made to the contemporary concept of music is the rockstar lifestyle. Nowadays, you have to burn a church to be considered extreme, and even that is more annoying than "brutal." But back in the 60's, it was bands like The Beatles and Rolling Stones that whipped people into a frenzy. The long-haired hooligans trashed their hotel rooms, glorified drug abuse, and were notorious womanizers. The Beatles were amongst the first bands to slip drug references into their songs, and even the rumors of evil messages hidden in the records originated with them. Sounds a lot like Metal to me. As early as  Rubber Soul, released in '65, The Beatles were getting a lot less subtle about their experimentation with psychedelics. I mean, look at that freaking album cover.

Jesus Christ, my pupils weren't that dilated since... Uh, for legal reasons, I'm not gonna finish that sentence.

Part II: Sh*t Gets Real
Zeppelin may deny themselves the title of "Heavy Metal", but they are still one of the hardest rock bands to hit the music scene since the 70's. Not only were the blues-inspired riffs tuned low and drawn out for an eerie effect, but the vocals were borderline screams. That's the musical side of it, so what about the lifestyle? Well, if you don't think that these dudes were worth their weight in Acid, just watch The Song Remains The Same. This opened the gateway for even crazier bands to do their thing. The Doors and Aerosmith come to mind, right off the bat. The hedonistic lifestyle that The Beatles and Rolling Stones had introduced the pop music, was refined and in a way, perfected by musicians such as Jim Morrison and Steve Tyler. Drug references no longer had to be clandestine. In fact, they were practically emblazoned in neon signs and glitter glue. Rock n' Roll had evolved from a quaint rockabilly mentality into a pipe-dream of infinite cocaine and leather-clad groupies. I'm pretty sure the term "rockstar" even originated in the 70's. I don't actually know. Fucking google it.

While we're talking about the 70's, let's talk about bands that actually can be called "Metal" in all good conscience. I can think of Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath right off the bat (heh.) Alice Cooper was a heavy drinker, as were all of the members in his band. Most of the photos of the band in their prime document incriminating evidence of a bottle in everyone's hand. Mix n' Match. One haunting moment from an interview in this early years show a haggard Alice Cooper, unkempt and unshaven, asking the interviewer: "Would you buy a car from this man?"

Gah. I get those pitiful cow-eyes when I'm hammered, too. But in all seriousness, I would not buy a car from a dude who was so obviously strung out on booze. I wouldn't even be in the same room without a can of mace, or at least a tazer. And as for Black Sabbath... Well, if you don't know about Ozzy Osbourne and his various infamies, you honestly don't belong on my blog. Sorry.

Part III: The 80's Were The Hangover Of The 70's
The 70's must have rocked. It was a decade of hilarious decisions, many of which were badass and even more of which were regrettable, but our parents' generation probably have some secret tattoos showing evidence of each. The 80's were like the morning after the night of youthful abandon, when you can now feel the broken bones that you drunkenly swore were mere flesh wounds just hours before. When you wake up to "how do you like your eggs?" from the gross troll laying next to you. The 80's were the gnarliest 10 years to ever follow a golden age of music, drugs, and debauchery. So they overcompensated and now we wound up with fucking Glam Rock. Ugh. Motley Crue is probably the most famous example, and they glorified excessive drug use with such shameless party jams as Dr. Feelgood, Wild Side, and pretty much every other Motley Crue song.

The 80's also revolutionized the music industry with the introduction of MTV. Now mind-alteration was made flashy not only audibly, but visibly. The invention of the music video marked a shift from radio-oriented music to television oriented. Now bands had to make themselves sound good, and be visually appealing. And if booze has taught me anything, it's that liquor makes people look hotter. As soon as MTV entered the equation, the links between sexuality, music, and drugs were reinforced even stronger than before. Think of the cliche, "Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll." That has practically become a holy trinity unto itself.

Anyway, rockstars were glamorized as drug abusing, hedonistic dillweeds. Metalheads in particular got flack for the liquor thing. And considering my current condition, I guess the stereotype is one that we earned.

And before you get bitchy with me for the offensive and judgemental picture above, just know that it came from the official website of Nuclear Blast, AKA The world`s biggest independent Heavy Metal label.

Part IV: The 90's Were All That
First of all, I'm impressed that I could remember how Roman numerals work. I'm proud of myself. Second, I was but a mere child in the 90's, and as such I knew more about cartoons than about the dark underbelly of America's crusade against substance abuse. Thankfully, shows like Beavis And Butthead bridge the gap, so I will share with you my very limited knowledge. Beavis And Butthead was MTV for the new decade, as the channel had broadened it's horizons from music videos 24/7 to general entertainment aimed at teens and young adults. The titular characters were not explicitly portrayed as stoners, but come on. You don't get that dumb without smoking something. In fact, one of the earliest episodes showed the duo taking turns sniffing paint thinner, and the resulting chaos included painting Mr. Anderson's house with Metal logos, stealing a lawnmower, and some other third thing. Beavis and Butthead were caricatures of negative stereotypes of Metalheads. And yet, even the "negative" assumptions were pretty damn awesome.

The feature film, Beavis And Butthead Do America, made drugs seem even cooler with the infamous Peyote scene, during which Beavis hallucinates animations of Rob Zombie's psychedelic illustrations.

Let's face it, no still image can do that scene justice. Here's a link to the video clip.

Honorable Mention: Straight Edge

Well, this whole post has been about the shameless glorification of drugs, but there's another side to the story. Just like there is an obsessive idolization of that lifestyle, there is also an obsessive repulsion to it. Wierdly enough, both attitudes seem to have their most devout followers in fans of extreme music. Straight Edge owes it's existence to the hardcore Punks of the 80's. If that decade was the hangover of the 70's, then the Straight Edge Punks were the recovered alcoholics who immediately enlisted themselves in AA after the first pang of a headache. The term "Straight Edge" was first coined by the band Minor Threat, but the idea of a sober Rock n' Roll lifestyle is far older than that. 70's Rock icon Ted Nugent, for instance, is one crazy bastard, but he never even tried a little alcohol. Some bands who were infamous for their alcoholism regained a following as they swore off the drug forever. Alice Cooper, for instance, gained massive support when the media discovered he was in treatment for his alcohol abuse.

In this day and age, we have heavy-as-hell bands who advocate a smoke-free scene, such as Impurity Of Mriya. The rising popularity of Christian Metal (and Punk) has also contributed to the lifestyle of awesome music without the mood-modifying chemicals. The Eden Betrayal is a freaking amazing band, and they don't even have to be stoned to hit the stage. More power to them.

Part V: Epilogue

Damn it, I have to throw up now.

1st Annual Blu Phoenix Rising Fest

In case no-one noticed (which is probably the case), I've been pumped about this show for about a month. Now that it finally happened, I feel entitled to rant and rave even more about it. It was amazing, as Joe Angel Productions tend to be, and it went a little something like this:

The opening act was Of All Forms, which I consider to be the quintessential modern Metal band. They're not radio-friendly in the traditional sense, but they sound like they could get some air-time on one of the cooler rock stations. There are no gimmicks or genre-bending, just good ol' Metal. OAF is heavy and loud, as it should be. In fact, they were loud enough that I could hear their awesome tunes all the way from the stupid stamp table at which I was working. Good stuff.

Next up was, uh... I don't know, because I think there were some last minute line-up changes. Let's just pretend that it was Through Gore Comes Glory. Whoever it was, I don't think I've ever seen these guys live, or if I did then I was too drunk to remember it. Either way, when I heard the vocalist during the sound check, I knew I couldn't miss it. So in an act that was somewhere between endearing and obnoxious, I just moved the stamp table in front of the concert hall doors. In the process, I discovered the noble art of headbanging on a skateboard. It was totally worth it.

Next was The Eden Betrayal, a local Metalcore group. I don't know why Christian Rock has such a bad rep, because these guys were effing brutal. The clean vocals were pretty decent, but the screams were absolutely mindblowing. The guitar and bass riffs were hook-y, the drumming was fierce, and the whole stage presence was intense. Again, I was stranded at the stupid stamp table, but I could hear the music- and the raucous applause- from my station.

The fourth band to play was Portrait Of A Mastermind from Albuqurque. Having seen them before, I knew it was worth it to forsake my door-duty to hear them again. The nanosecond I was relieved, I ran to the concert hall like a bat outta hell. Not only is the vocalist a freaking beast, but the guitars are complex to the point of intricacy. The bass and drums keep things heavy, and the dynamics of the band are ultimately a synthesis of melodic and technical styles. The cherry on top is that they have a freaking pirate song, and if that doesn't shiver your timbers, nothing will.

Like I said, I kinda lost track of all the bands, especially since Fields Of Elysium bailed, so forgive me if I give false information here. The next band was (probably) From Sacrifice To Survival. If you clicked on that link, then you know what kind of show they put on. That shit was BADASS. The music is crazy and energetic, with some hella gnarly vocals. And even if I mistook which order they played in, I can redeem myself when FSTS plays the Metal Alliance tour with Devildriver and Job For A Cowboy on April 8th.

I'm pretty sure that Immortal Prophecy was the next band, but don't quote me on it. Anyway, their instrumental style is epic, melodic, and heavy.... in a word, righteous... whereas the vocals are snarly and wicked. For some reason, these guys sound really old-school to me. Their style is a flashback to late 80's/early 90's Metal, and in fact is almost nostalgiac. The vocals, however, seem more contemporary. Well, whatever, the point is they are fucking shredders, and I love their concerts.

Leading into the headliner, I know for a fact, was Impurity Of Mriya. They too were fucking shredders. Their stage presence was spectacular, and their music was rowdy. Their energy was intense, dark, and sometimes a little freaky, just like their album art. I don't know who designed their logo, but it has the same earthy, dark hinted hues of Viraemia, as well as the realistic gore. Their performance was so jarring that it was refreshing, and the whole audience was enraptured by their wicked compositions.

The headliner was The Devastated, who recently got signed to a major label. It has been but a fortnight since they became the latest addition to Century Media, the same company that brought you Arch Enemy, Winds Of Plague, Suicide Silence, and In Flames. To join their ranks, The Devastated has to be some heavy duty stuff. They proved themselves in concert, as they were ruthlessly heavy and painfully loud... That's right, they were so cherry that it hurt. The music was very rhythmic, but almost devoid of melody. Not only was the performance amazing, but they had killer merch as well. Weed Goats and Demon Dogs? Hell yeah. They will be on tour, so check the dates and show these guys some support.

Best night ever. Five stars outta five.

2 Days 2 Cities Levelled

So last time, I informed all you uncultured swine of the impending Metal shows coming to the Albuqurque/ Santa Fe area. Since I am too lazy and stupid to write anything creative today, I'm just going to keep ranting and raving about these concerts. If I can make just one Metalhead as stoked as I am, then my efforts shall not be in vain. So, let's see, who is on the bill?

Whoah. That's alot of bands. I would burn candles to every god I know just to see Fields Of Elysium, but that's only one of the 12 bands. Immortal Prophecy is pretty damn good, I know I've seen them live at least once before. Portrait Of A Mastermind not only features a female vocalist who can hold her own against the boys, but she's a hottie as well.  The Eden Betrayal is Christian Metalcore, and worth seeing in concert. I've never seen Through Gore Comes Glory, but I've heard enough rumors to keep my expectations high. Eat A Helicopter is one of the bigger bands from Albuqurque, so they too have a reputation that I hope they fulfill. I don't know much more about any of the other bands, but like I said, Ten Bucks is worth it just to see Fields, so I'll see what they got. This is a Joe Angel Production, and he is a man of most refined taste, so I assume this concert will be epic as fuck. See you at W21 on the 17th. Bring ten bucks and arm yourself to the teeth.

Upcoming Shows

Of all the seasons, Spring is the least Metal. That's probably why my writing has sucked lately... There's no brooding cold and darkness for me to bitch about. There's just a bunch of ugly pastel colors and dorky "SPRING into savings!" advertisements for department stores. Then again, that is a far more cruel fate to endure than Winter is, so I guess Spring is actually pretty messed up. Either way, I need some action in my life, so I'll be checking this shit out now that the weather is nice enough to break out the skateboard again.

First off, we'll be getting the first annual Blu Phoenix Rising fest, AKA 2 Days 2 Cities Levelled. The first city on the hit-list is Albuqurque, with an epic Metal-fest consisting of The Devastated, Immortal Prophecy, Fields of Elysium, Portrait of a Mastermind, The Eden Betrayal, Through Gore Comes Glory, and some other bands whose logos are illegible. However, if my memory serves correctly, bands who have crazy logos are usually badass, so here's hoping. After hitting 'Burque on March 16th, the fest moves on to Santa Fe for Saturday the 17th with virtually the same lineup. On both dates, the show starts at 5:30, and it's $10 at the door. Oh yeah, and there will be free BBQ and give-aways all day! See ya there. 

Next on the to-do list: Metal Alliance Tour, 2012. Man, Fields of Elysium are gonna be wiped out by the end of the season! Not only are they playing both dates of 2 Days 2 Cites, but they'll also be sharing the stage with Devildriver on April 8th. Unlike most Metal shows, this one is happening on a Sunday. Also playing will be Job For A Cowboy, The Faceless, Dying Fetus, 3 Inches of Blood, Impending Doom, Wretched, and... uh, another illegible band. This shit is gonna rock! Tickets are $23, they can be purchased from the bands or, if you're in Santa Fe, from the Concrete Jungle smokeshop.

And finally... Occupation Domination. Son of a bitch, this is a lineup and a half! This tour comes around my neck of the woods on May 2nd, at the Historic El Rey Theater of Albuqurque. I would sell my soul just to see Rings Of Saturn, but check out everyone else on the bill. That's not even counting the local bands who will  open, which in all likelihood will probably include Fields Of Elysium again. If I ever get to see Rings Of Saturn and Fields Of Elysium play the same gig, I can finally die happy. This show is in the relatively distant future, so details such as ticket prices and the time the doors open are yet to come. Stay tuned, and rock on.

Yet Another Concert, Yet Another Review

Friday, 1/27/12. Warehouse 21 hosted another Metal show. Rock concerts at W21, though frequent, are anything but routine. Here are the shenanigans that transpired last night:

First up was The Eden Betrayal, a Christian Metal group. Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, I myself am Catholic. I'm not a very good one, but I'm a Catholic all the same. As such, it was nice to see like-minded devotees defy stereotypes and rock out with the best of them. The breakdowns and occasional clean vocals were a testament to a contemporary incarnation of Metalcore. The Eden Betrayal was an excellent band to start the show on the right track.

Next on the set was Of All Forms. This group is good ol', unrefined Metal. In a local scene that prides itself on gimmicks, these musicians are a refreshing hiatus of one unadulterated genre, with very little theatrics. I'm not dissing genre-fusion, nor am I dissing theatrics. I love those things, but sometimes I don't want to be overstimulated. I just want to have the time of my life.

Hailing from Albuqurque, Vale Of Miscreation is high octane, energetic Death Metal. They are simultaneously harmonic and freakishly fast, with deep lyrics laden with social commentary. On top of all of this, VOM also featured thrashy bass riffs and a fussilade of machine-gun drumming. Their musical style is reminiscent of Death Metal titans such as Arch Enemy and Venom.

Headlining was Obelisk, one of the most popular Metal outfits in Santa Fe. Their compositions are reminiscent of old school Stoner Metal, but with heaviness to rival the likes of other contemporary musicians. The guitar riffs feature the kind of hooks that get stuck in your head, and the vocals are immaculate. As such, the night ended on a pretty good note. Four stars outta five.