S.H.S. Album Review - Old Wounds: From Where We Came Is Where We'll Rest

S.H.S. Album Review - Darkthrone: The Underground Resistance

The moment we've been waiting for is finally here. If you're like me, you have been eagerly awaiting the full album release ever since the promo version of 'Leave No Cross Unturned' first appeared on Peaceville's SoundCloud page. Would the new album be their finest moment, or would it only tarnish their legacy? Would they go 'all power metal' on us? Time to find out.

Darkthrone Retrospective & Premier of "Leave No Cross Unturned"

Darkthrone... brainchild of Ted Skjellum and Gylve Fenris Nagell, also known as Nocturno Culo and Fenriz... the innovators of  'True Norwegian Black Metal.' They have given the world its 'unholy trinity' of black metal albums... A Blaze In The Northern Sky, Under A Funeral Moon, and Transilvanian Hunger... and now have released a new song 'Leave No Cross Unturned,' from their highly anticipated upcoming album, The Underground Resistance. (Peaceville Records, Feb 25 2013)

Church Whip

CHURCH WHIP

Florida, USA

Black Metal/Thrash/D-Beat HC

Singer also in Merchandise

My Bloody Valentine Returns After 21 Years!

After over 21 years, we finally have a sequel to Loveless, an album which I have always held in high regard throughout the years. Last night when the news dropped via the band's Facebook page, I instantly went on their site and found that the servers had crashed, to no-one's surprise. If you have not stepped outside of your heavy genre, this is the band that invented that stuff before the blast beats on your Deafheaven record! Their sweeping influence cannot be denied. It's hypnotic and psychedelic, a soundtrack for those who are lost. The new album retains their signature raw, wall-of-sound fuzz, and was recorded true to their roots in analogue. According to the official site, "The vinyl is a true analogue cut, i.e. it hasn't been put through a digital process during the cutting process unlike over 90% of all vinyl available today."

S.H.S. Local Metal Spotlight (Tri-State Area)

 Dystrophy

 

...is a thrash/death metal band from New Brunswick, NJ.  They lie somewhere between the old and new sounds. What makes this group specialist that they jump effortlessly between the aforementioned styles and even add in some great melodic metal parts.  I personally have seen them perform at RTF Fest 2011 and was blown away by their musicianship. I think I recognized the drummer from a band called 'Sick Fuck,' only a year prior to the show. If that's true he diligently got the new band's material ready in a short time frame, considering how well he performed.

http://dystrophy.bandcamp.com/

http://dystrophy.bigcartel.com/

S.H.S. Label Spotlight - A389 Recordings

S.H.S Label Spotlight

     A389 Recordings was started around the year 2004 by Dominic Romeo in Baltimore, formerly of the bands Slumlords, Pulling Teeth, & more. Although today it's one of the top labels for hardcore fans and record enthusiasts, Dom started it much like many other great DIY labels... just to get his friend's bands some exposure. Even after over 120 releases, the man still runs things entirely by himself...  with two children and a day job to boot. I discovered A389 only a couple years ago, mostly through love of the band Pulling Teeth, and the label's increasing visibility on the web helped too. I have always been drawn to heavy hardcore with occult imagery, such as Integrity, and its no surprise that Dwid Hellion contributes quite a bit to A389 on top of his own endeavors. 

     Coming across A389 was intertwined with my then new-found obsession with collecting vinyl. Dom recognizes that in the 'digital age' certain things are lost and recognizes the charm of physical media. I applaud his respect for getting each band's complete expression appreciated in the truest sense. This means a record to hold, and listen to, from start to finish, in the order it was meant to be heard. Large artwork, to give your imagination a starting point, and a lyrics insert, so you can fully dive into each song before seeing the band perform live. Digital downloads are included as an extra, as they should be, for convenience of listening on the go after absorbing the record initially. Eschewing major-label faux mystique, all of the albums he puts out can be previewed right on the A389 official bandcamp, so you know exactly what you are purchasing.