via//chicago

a grab bag sort of day...

I thought August was supposed to be a slow month, but this one has not been shaping up to be that way. Things are busy and a little stressful on nearly every front - but I continue to plug away and get things done. But one of the first things to get sacrificed is this blog, pretty much a low priority for me right now, so you'll just have to bear with the sporadic and erratic posts for now.

I finally got around to hearing the much buzzed about Krallice album this week, and I'll be damned if this thing didn't already shoot to near the top of the shortlist of my favorite metal albums of the year. Comprised of Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Ocrilim, Octis, etc) and Colin Marston (Behold... the Arctopus), Krallice is a highly textured, highly melodic take on standard black metal. The punishing riffs and screechy screams typical to the black metal genre are present, but it's Barr's complex, trance-like guitar playing that makes this stuff stand out. I was impressed with his Ocrilim project from earlier this year as an experimental piece, but this takes his work to an exciting new level and might just be some of the best black metal you're likely to find in 2008. Hell, some of the best metal period you're likely to hear this year. Check out a song for yourself...

Krallice - "Modec Codices" (taken from Krallice)

Speaking of great new metal, I've been digging into a whole pack of great stuff in the past couple of weeks. The Gates of Slumber's latest release, in addition to having the most metal cover art ever (pretty much NSFW), is a fantastic take on retro-fried doom. Meanwhile, Tokyo thrash/death metal band Coffins have released another album that is steadily growing on me. Providing a nice mix of thrash guitars, growls, screams and pummeling percussion; Buried Death finds the band absolutely tearing through eight slabs of thick, crushing metal - definitely worth seeking out. But don't just take my word for it...

The Gates of Slumber - "Eyes of the Lair" (taken from Conqueror)
Coffins - "Mortification to Ruin" (taken from Buried Death)

Metal isn't all that's on my plate right now, I've really been getting into the fantastic recent release by the American institution known as Randy Newman, Harps and Angels. It's just as witty, insightful and heartbreaking as you might expect. There are also a couple new releases from this week that I can't wait to dig into - the full length debut from Jaguar Love (comprised of members of two sadly defunct bands I love - The Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves), as well as the latest from The Walkmen (a disc that is getting rave reviews in many corners).

Finally, I was saddened to learn tonight of the passing of LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band. I'm not the biggest DMB fan in the world anymore, but I did spend my share of college years listening to the band and I can regonize the guy's undeniable talent. He will be missed.