Interview With The Ghoul

How The hell did I land an exclusive interview with Dissector, the Guitarist of Ghoul? Your guess is as good as mine. I just woke up this afternoon, hungover as fuck, with this little gem in my Gmail inbox. Let's see what skeletons this Creepsylvanian psycho keeps in his closet. Dear readers, consider this a rare gift, from one Numbskull to another. Needless to say, we're not worthy.

1. Who are your musical inspirations?

Well there are two that come to mind. Helmut Von- Kartoffel-hintern, the Creepsylvanian accordion player, famous for his rendition of "I want to be an airborne ranger." And also Megädeth, who play Creepsylvanian interpretive spoon polka (not to be confused with the American band with the same name).

2. What is your favorite skate trick?

I am a big fan of all of Rodney Mullens' underflip/kickback variations. I'm not entirely sure what kind of sorcery is behind this but if you ever find out please let me know. So far the only tricks I've learned are the "standing up," the "rolling," and of course the "boneless."

3. When did you spark an interest in Metal?

I grew up listening to punk so it was sort of a natural transition. It's interesting because the rest of the band grew up listening to metal and transitioned the other way so now we have really embarrassing conversations on tour where they'll put something on and I'm like "what CD is this?" and they're like "Um Napalm Death," and then I'll put something on and they'll be like "what CD is this?" and I'm like "Um Black Flag." 

4. What were you doing before your involvement in the music industry?

I spent a lot of time building castle-forts out of burnt tires because I thought it would attract the ladies. It did not attract the ladies...

5. How did you become a member of Ghoul?

Digestor made me do it.

6. Where is the best show you played? What made it the best show?

We always have a lot of fun playing in Oakland because of the plethora of great bands from around there. Vancouver is also CRAAAAZY. Last time we played there SNFU showed up and we like them. The people out there are nuts too! They have to drink a lot and cover themselves in patches to stay alive out there in the frozen tundrical (is that a word) wilderness which makes for some pretty insane shows.

7. How do you feel about Creepsylvania and its inhabitants?

Well the people smell funny, and most of the time I can't understand what they are saying. Most of the time it just seems like they are yelling, cussing, and waving their fists around for some reason... they taste good though. Our non-people food here is really good too. I don't know what you Americans are always complaining about with this GMO business, we are proud of our mutated food in Creepsylvania. We have these 3 legged swamp fish there. They are easy to catch because they glow in the dark and they are also THIS close to talking...awesome! Meanwhile you guys are complaining about how your corn is too big, sheesh...

8. Do you have any regrets about your music career?

Yes. Starting one first of all. I used to be pretty big in Eastern Europe for placing #1 in the annual Creepsylvanian Invitational-Full-Contact-Hole-Digging-Competition...now I just play in Ghoul.

9. What pros and cons are there to being in a band?

Pro: Sometimes we get free food on our rider

Con: Most of the time our rider isn't fulfilled because due to these harsh economic times most towns have turnip and/or cabbage shortages.

Pro: Cremator

Con: Cremator 

10. Have you ever heard of Mammoth Sound Mastering?

I have. I have heard it is run by the handsomest mastering engineer on earth... often referred to as the Jesus of mastering.

11. What would you like to say to your fans?

Keep sending those cabbage tarts to Ghoul care of DISSECTOR....NOT Fermentor...he's fat enough as it is.

Burning Monk

Never before have I heard Stoner Metal juxtaposed with Hardcore Punk. However, the droning Stoner Metal riffs take a backseat to the relentless Punk Rock audio assault, and the result is a trippy hellride that transcends genres. The lyrics reveal a disturbing combination of hatred and humor. You don't know if you should rise up in  justified outrage or laugh in a drunken stupor. Why not do both? Their self-titled album would make a great soundtrack for a riot, a house party, or anything in between. The string instruments and percussion are the simple, catchy hooks with an aggressive conotation that we always expect from Punk Rock. Meanwhile, the heavy, sluggish Stoner Metal riffs are a flashback to early Black Sabbath, echoing the same overwhelming darkness that shrouded the seminal Metal of the 70's. The lyrics take  political stance without being preachy. Burning Monk makes it scathingly clear that the world is not inherently a very fair or safe place, but they take the bite off with a cheeky sense of humor and some kick ass melodies.

Burning Monk defies the stereotype of Punk Rock being boiled down to "We don't give a fuck! Oi Oi Oi!"  As a matter of fact, they seem to care deeply about many social issues, from the sketchy practices of the fast food industry, to mass corruption on a global scale. However, what they express doesn't seem to be concern so much as a scathing hatred. They're my kind of guys.

In a nutshell, they're politically charged Hardcore Punk with a heavy Stoner twist. Check 'em out on Reverbnation or Bandcamp.  Four stars outta five. 

Hell In July *Updated*

 

Hell In July is the  aptly named national tour featuring Six Feet Under, Decrepit Birth, and Cannabis Corpse. *UPDATE*  The show made headline news, and here's a link to the article.

The show got off to a good start with Oscillation. The vocals are uber-deep growls, and occasionally reverb with an effect that resembles Autopsy's sound. The guitars and bass are aggressive and catchy in the vein of the Deathcore genre. This band is comprised of former members of Soul To Rest and Obelisk, keeping elements of both bands. Death Metal Party Sludge hybrid! 

Cassovita Is an instrumental duo of a drummer and a guitarist. The riffs are intricate and technical, complimented by the fast and precise drumming. The result is an extremely dynamic musical style. The audience is kept on their toes with abrupt changes in key and time signature. Some songs transition so intensely that it's almost like getting two tracks in one. 

Desmadre are pretty damn rowdy. No, scratch that, they are fucking RAUNCHY. They are a flashback to old school Grind, with the same fast, catchy riffage of Hardcore Punk. I guess that makes them Grindcore, doesn't it? These guys are straight up scary. Translated from Spanish, their band name means chaos, turmoil, disorder, that kind of thing. It suits them. 

Carrion Kind is another Metal group that emerged from members of broken-up bands. They, like Oscillation, retain aspects of their members' previous bands. So think along the lines of Grinkai's funky beats with Grind inspired riffs and some gutteral vocals thrown in. They are completely wicked. 

Abiotic's music sounds like the name implies: Morbid, dark, and sinister. This band is grade A top quality Tech-Death with elements of Prog.  It was around the time they hit the stage that everyone simultaneously got the munchies. I couldn't do much headbanging, moshing, or thrashing in general. I was too busy eating overpriced chile cheese fries and drinking shitty beer.

Cannabis Corpse was a lot of fun. Their sense of humor was spot on, and their sound was almost studio quality. They sound great on record, and it was the same on stage. The music is hilarious, with themes like getting abducted by pot aliens, or killed by weed monsters. 

Aaaand here's where the bad news starts. Right before they completed their set,  Bill Robinson of Decrepit Birth announced that the whole show would conclude with Cannabis Corpse' final song. The venue stopped the shindig short on account of alleged underage drinking. Instead of doing something reasonable, like kick the minors out of the bar area, they brought everything to a grinding halt. So two of the headliners, Decrepit Birth and Six Feet Under, were screwed out of playing and the audience was screwed out of seeing them. Fans booed, refunds were demanded, sheriffs were called, apologies were offered, but at least it was good while it lasted. Everyone from the promoters to the crew to the bands themselves cranked it to 11 to put on an incredible concert. Although I am disappointed that I missed two spectacular bands, the show was great from start to (early) finish. Oh yeah, did I mention it was fucking raining for part of the show?!  Yeah, those guys kick ass.

By the way, this whole tour was instigated by the release of Six Feet Under's latest creation, Unborn.  Even if you didn't get to see them this time, remember to support them and all the work they put into this album. Also, this is a TOUR. Give it a day or two and the same line up will be playing within driving distance.

Cheryl's final thought: I'm usually not this petty, but $3 for warm Budweiser and then you gyp me out of seeing two great acts? Don't mess with my booze and Metal. The venue gets a rating of a sad face. 

Meanwhile, the concert itself gets four stars. The line up was sick, and the crew worked wonders.  

Upcoming Shows: Nationwide Edition

I'm going to try something new: Instead of focusing on New Mexico's local shows, I'm going to post flyers for shows throughout the country. Simply scroll down until you see your region, then check out what shows are coming to a bar/warehouse/slum near you. The U.S.A is a pretty big place, so this will be broken up into two parts: Part 1 will focus on the West and it's various sub-regions, and Part 2 will tackle the rest. You ready? Me neither. Let's do this.

West Coast:

Ghoul is fuckin' ace. The rest of the line up is pretty good too, but let's face it. Most of us would pay the $30  just to see Ghoul. 

So-Cal goes old-school. This show is happening in Ponoma, CA. Having never been there, I can't give you directions. I hope it's literally in a Glass House. 

Southwest: 

Holy crap, that's alot of bands in one day. I'm proud to say that Defleshment hails from my home state of New Mexico, and they have even been interviewed by Native Entertainment magazine. They will be sharing the stage with tons of talented bands at the Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe, Arizona.  Brutal Fest is happening this Saturday, so get your tickets before they sell out!

Speaking of Arizona, that's the place that Anomaly calls home. They will be playing at Warehouse 21, Santa Fe's only all-ages venue. I thought that this show was tomorrow, but since it's currently 2 A.M, I guess it's technically tonight!!

Later on, in the fine month of June, Warehouse 21 once again hosts an epic Metal show. Scalafrea from Colorado is one hell of a band, and Eat A Helicopter is Experimental DeathCore. Basically, if you come, expect some insane mosh pits. Not to mention the rest of the line up, which is comprised entirely of shredders.

This one is in Albuqurque's own Hooligans nightclub. Once again, the line up is pretty righteous, but I have a feeling that Torn Between Worlds will be the band that draws a crowd like moths to a flame. 

Torture Victim is releasing their new album! It's about damn time, too. Not for the faint of heart, lest you have a faint heart attack. 

Northwest:

This beast of a concert will take place in Studio Seven of Seattle, Washington. Fun Fact: Seattle is also home to the brilliant Stoner-Metal group Serial Hawk!

Midwest:

Goat Entertainment presents Shawn Whitaker at The What's Up Lounge in Mankato, Minnesota. I wish I could post more flyers in this region, but it took me about an hour just to find this gem. 

Wow, this is harder than I thought. And I'm not even half-way done! Iron-clad deals suck. Stay tuned for Part 2: Eastern America.  

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.

Punk As Fuck

This weekend was wack. On Friday, there was the kick-ass Metal show at Warehouse 21 (see previous post for details). Then there was a Punk Rock baby shower on Sunday (Congrats, Sophie and Jay!). And in between, there was this untitled epic concert on Saturday.  

It was a bizarre, mysterious show from the get-go. First of all, the concert didn't have a title. Then the venue was some creepy studio in the middle of a freaking industrial zone, and the owner of said studio is still of unknown identity. On top of all that Hills-Have-Eyes-esque atmosphere, I had never heard of the band Disasterman and I didn't know what to expect. Nothing is worse than paying five dollars for a show only to be disappointed, let alone in the backdrop of a damn Z-grade horror movie.

The crimson glow on the cinder-blocks was a constant reminder that I was quite literally in the red-light district. Thankfully, each of the bands rocked to high heaven, and somehow or another I survived, despite being drunk as a skunk and mind-altered in ways that, for legal reasons, shall remain undisclosed. What I will forevermore refer to as "The Truck And Tree Incident" played a major role in my mindset before the show even started, so let's break down the night into manage-able chunks, starting with Obelisk.

Ah, yes, Obelisk. I love these dudes to death, yet I still have difficulty explaining their sound. Their self-described "Party Sludge" is close enough. The Metal style is caustic, dance-able, energetic and brooding. The instruments are a little doom-y with a cool groove, and the vocals are intense as can be. I'm still not doing them justice, but I assure you that they put on one hell of a live show. They were the perfect band to kick-start the night.

The Elected Officials take righteous indignation, set it to the melody of playground ditties, and amplify it to high heaven. They embody hardcore, Punk-as-fuck, “Oi Oi Oi” music with a message. They hit the stage like a Molotov cocktail hits a skyscraper, conquering the venue with their wicked charisma. Rebels with a cause have never sounded so good.

Next up was Disasterman. I can't tell you enough how suspicious I am of duos. Prior experience has taught me that such ensembles are risky. However, my expectations (or lack thereof) were defied. To say I was "pleasantly suprised" is a drastic understatement. "Blown away" is a little more accurate. Rarely have I seen two dudes play with enough talent and energy to hold their own against full-size bands.

Headlining was Torn Between Worlds. These local legends are a taste of dirty, thrashy Death Metal at it's finest. Every show of theirs results in lethal mosh-pits. I'm sure at least one of my  head-injuries owes its existence to these guys. Their music is superb, but the mosh-pits are even better. The night ended with a bang, an immaculate conclusion to a concert such as this.

And on top of all that, there was booze, soda, and frito pies. Have you ever drunkenly devoured New Mexico food at a Metal show? Trust me, if you do, it will the best night of your life. This show was one for the books, no doubt. Five stars outta five.