METALLICA - Houston, TX 6/11/2017

Metallica wrapped up their North American tour in Edmonton, Alberta on August 16^th.  The entire show was professionally shot and is on You Tube.  You should check it out.  I saw them when they passed through Houston June 11^th and to quote the late Wesley Willis, “It was a great rock show.”  Metallica delivered the goods and killed NRG Stadium.  However, there were just a few questions I had about the Houston show:

1.      Why the hell was there a DJ playing in between bands?  It was terrible and I didn’t come to see some dude spin records.  He would play pieces of all these old metal songs and go “whicky whicky” on his DJ scratch pad thingy.  I honestly feel 94.5 The Buzz had something to do with it.  I can't say for certain that they were involved, but anytime there is something lame in Houston involving music, I feel they are to blame.

2.     Why is Avenge Sevenfold so terrible?  Seriously?  If you ever have to sit through their set,  you can pass the time by trying to name the Metallica song they ripped off and put into their watered down soap opera metal.  This will not keep you from having to experience that crap, but it helps pass the time. 

3.     Why are Houston’s crowds so well behaved and New Orleans crowds don’t know how to act?  New Orleans’ crowds lose their damn minds at a big stadium show!  I guess they don’t get enough big rock shows and when they do, they go for broke.  Nothing better than seeing a 40 year-old piss ass drunk BEFORE the doors even open!  Good job, Houston. 

All in all, I would love to see Metallica do away with opening acts all together.  Nothing against Volbeat, but no one goes to these shows to see the opening bands.  Or a fucking DJ splice old Pantera and Rage Against the Machine songs together and then go "whicky, whicky, whicky".  

Chris 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/2017/nrg-stadium-houston-tx-13e751c5.html

MAGNUS

We all know the story; man creates machines to serve mankind, machines become self-aware, machines take over the world, mankind now serves the machines.  It’s a tried and true formula and that is what I was expecting with Dynamite’s new series Magnus.  Based off of the old Magnus: Robot Fighter comics, what else would anyone expect?

Well, that’s not the case at all here.

In this new series; man creates machines to serve mankind, machines become self-aware and begin to despise mankind, machines create their own world in which to escape mankind, and mankind is bummed. 

I really didn’t see that one coming.

We are only on issue #2, but this comic has some serious potential.  I’m not going to outline the plot and spoil anything for you, but just know this is such a well written book you will not be disappointed.  It’s done so well that the fact that Magnus is now a woman makes absolutely no difference.  (See how that’s done Marvel!)  Normally, I am not a fan of radically changing an established character in comics, but when it’s this good, it makes no difference.

I’ve been away from comics for a few years now, but if this is what Dynamite Comics is selling these days – I’m buying!   

Chris 

GRAVEWARDS - INTERVIEW

ROUGHDALE recently caught up with Nikos from the Athens, Greece based death metal band GRAVEWARDS.

  

Roughdale: Tell us where GRAVEWARDS is based?  Who is in the band and what they play? 

Gravewards: We are based in Athens/Greece. GRAVEWARDS is a three piece 3 piece band that consists of me (Nikos) on Guitars and vocals, Fotis on bass and Vasilis on drums.

Roughdale: How long have you guys been together? 

Gravewards: We formed the band in late 2015.  But it is important to mention here that we are longtime friends...doing rehearsals enough times in the past - knowing our musical ''chemistry''

Roughdale: That is always a big part to making a band work.  The best bands are always friends in my opinion.  What are some of your guy's musical influences? 

Gravewards: Absolutely true. The best way to share these unique feelings.  Death metal and thrash metal as well...Everything from the late 80's and mid 90's. Pure passionate music.  If I have to mention bands...these would have been Slayer, Sepultura, Death, Deicide, and Bolt Thrower.

Roughdale: I can definitely hear the grove of Bolt Thrower in your music.  There is also a lot of space in the riffs and it lets the songs breath in my opinion. 

Gravewards: It is absolutely true.  We do not wish to rush riffs just to sound faster or anything like that we let every song to flow let's say... ''naturally''.

Roughdale: What's some of your non-metal musical influences?  Bands that aren't necessarily heavy that you guys did

Gravewards: Concerning nonmetal influences. . .well nothing to be honest...But personally I still listen to the old grind era, several crust bands and old punk records.

Roughdale: We are gear dorks over here at ROUGHDALE. . .  what kind of guitars, amps, pedals, etc. do you guys use?  

Gravewards: Simple things for the first recording...Ibanez instruments plugged into the amps. Nothing exceptional for the time being...Since the result is the desired one. We let the brands play a secondary role. We do possess several instruments and pedals though, but we can’t' call ourselves gear nerds.

Roughdale: One of the first guitars that I worked for and saved up to buy when I was a teenager was an Ibanez.  I still have it to this day. I have to say the desired result was achieved. Subconscious Lobotomy has a really great sound to it!    

Gravewards: Honestly we love Ibanez, be it guitar or bass...they still make some great instruments.  I have tried many guitar labels till now...the next step is to get a B.C. Rich.

Roughdale: There is a really great time lapse video of the creation of the Subconscious Lobotomy cover on You Tube - can you talk about the concept behind it and the artist? 

Gravewards: Sure, Vojtech from Moonroot art (Czech Rep.) is responsible for the cover art.  I wanted something related to the Lovecraftian Horror theme so he came up with this drawing which we found very good.  I recommend him to anyone in need for a cover or anything related to artwork...

Roughdale: Is the EP all that you guys have out now?  What else is out there for the ROUGHDALE readers to get into? 

Gravewards: Well for now this is our only release.  But during this month we will start the recording process of our full length.  We will take our time since we do not wish to rush things up, and hopefully after the summer days it will be ready to be published...we shall see about the label matters then.

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/06/09/demolisten-gravewards/

https://www.facebook.com/Gravewards/

Chris 

GRAVEWARDS - SUBCONSCIOUS LOBOTOMY

Remember when music had rules?   If you liked punk you were supposed to hate metal, death metal hated black metal, metal hated grunge, etc.  Each genre had its type of riffs and style you were supposed to play. 

Yeah, fuck all that.   

Since the “rule book” was thrown out, there has been some great cross pollination across old genre borders and we are all better for it.  Music has simply gotten better if you know where to look to find it, and apparently Greece is one of those places.    

GRAVEWARDS is a death metal band based in Athens, Greece that formed in 2015.

GRAVEWARDS plays Death Metal but not the boring variety we all know.  This album flows and grooves.  Most Death Metal, in my opinion, is nonstop speed and noise, which is cool is its own way, but gets old after a while.   However, in GRAVEWARDS there is space for the riffs to breathe and it creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere.  Elements of Doom Metal and melodic guitar work pepper the songs.  Don’t get me wrong, this is still some heavy music, but what has impressed me more than anything is the dynamics of it.  Each song has something to offer and not simply heaviness for its own sake.

Plus, the production quality is top notch. 

Chris

https://www.facebook.com/Gravewards/?fref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4-pKupBX5CYmHtDpmuuAaw

MC JIMMY JOE JUMPBACK reviews the new GOO FISH

I jus got this nu GoO FIsh cd in tha mail an I listen to it, 

Whut a peace of krap. 

Dem dudes b ackting like dey all cool n know how 2 play musik.  

Y do dey kept sednig me there cds?

Akting like dey tha coolest dudes in tha trailer park n shit

I H8 Dat stoopid band. 

Fuk GoO FiShes

- MCJJJB

** Editor's Note** 

MC Jimmy Joe Jumpback is a free lance hip hop artist, poet, and trailer park resident.  He currently resides in Ferriday, LA.  

He can be reached on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JimmyJoeJumpback 

IF YOU LIKE GHOST . . . OR IF YOU HATE THEM

With all the pending court battles for GHOST, it looks like MAGNA CARTA CARTEL will get a second chance.  Is it me or does this seem very similar to what SLIPKNOT did?  Let’s get all famous and then go back to our old bands and try to get them as famous as our major label band?  I’m looking at you Cory Taylor.  I don’t know if that’s the case here or GHOST has simply run its course with these guys.  I could only imagine that after a while all the theatrics and costumes would get old. 

“Let’s just jam without having to dress up!” I can imagine being said after every GHOST show.  In fact, there is an old MCC video on You Tube and it really looks like Tobias Forge is not wearing any pants at the show. 

       

MCC, in my opinion, was the band that they wanted to succeed and be taken seriously.  However, GHOST took off and everyone outside of the band took it way too seriously.  I always sensed that GHOST was such a sham and that the guys behind the masks were laughing at everyone who took them seriously.  That being said, if you like THE DOORS you need to listen to GHOST sometime.  The song Secular Haze sounds like it could have been on Strange Days or Waiting for the Sun.  It’s like Jim Morrison and the boys tried to play metal.

You will find some of the same melodies in MCC as you do in GHOST, but MCC is not heavy at all.  They slide between PINK FLOYD and JESU type vibes with tons of acoustic guitars and instrumental tracks.  Tobias Forge (Papa Emeritus) is singing . . .  or at least I think it’s him.  Who the hell really knows with these guys? 

The new MCC EP comes out May 5th.  Check out the video for one of the new songs. 

Chris 

MY LETTER TO WEEN

The following letter was mailed to Chocodog Records to address a grievance. True Story.

Dear WEEN, 

 In late 2009, I was getting divorced after several years of an unnecessary marriage.  We were both huge fans of WEEN and had recently seen them live in Houston and it was a staggering performance.  If living in redneck mediocrity know as Huntsville Texas was comparable to a stretch in prison, a chance to travel to Houston to see WEEN live was the equivalent of parole.  Good times.   

But the good times, as they always do, had to come to an end.  In the process of moving my worldly possessions out of our home (comic books, vinyl records, guitars and a cat), I arbitrarily gave my cousin a WEEN poster I had ordered from the CHOCODOG website a number of years ago.  It was a brown cardstock concert poster with various dogs and an old man on it.  He is also a WEEN fan and had traveled from Louisianan to help me move.  The poster seemed like an appropriate gesture of my gratitude.  After a long day of moving in the humidity of East Texas, we cracked a bottle of rum and tried to forget all the ugliness.

However, much to my surprise and bewilderment, when I visited the attorney’s office to review the divorce proceedings, the only sticking point was that I return “a WEEN music poster” (I have included copies of the paperwork to confirm this).  I immediately burst into a fit of laughter triggered by the absurdity of it all, and I could not stop!  This poor legal aid was accustom to crying, bitter spouses reacting in horrible and stupid ways to the situations they were in, but here I was laughing in her face.  “A fucking poster? A fucking poster?” is all I could produce between laughs. 

Finally she asked, “Is this your first divorce?” 

“Yes ma’am, but it won’t be my last.  This is too damn comical!”

In turn, a trip to Louisiana was planned to recover the poster.   My entire existence was reduced to recouping a piece of cardstock paper that had hung on the wall of my jam room for years was now concealed in a poster tube over 300 miles away.   In the process of retrieving the poster from my cousin the following missteps occurred:  

1. Speeding ticket from the Louisiana State Police

2. Got blackout drunk

3. Nearly fought someone (I do not remember this- see#2)

4. Slept in my truck (Again see #2)

After I regained possession of the poster I seriously considered leaving a little “signature” on it in the special way that only a man can (think DNA);  one final parting gift only detectable by black light.  But, alas, cooler heads prevailed and I dropped it at the attorney’s office with no further incident. 

So the question is: Why am I telling you guys this?  First, I would like a new poster – free of charge – considering the pain and misery the first one caused me.  You should stand behind your merchandise, my friends.  Had I know the ramifications of purchasing the first one from your website, clearly, I would have not!  Secondly, and most importantly, this is a truly outrageous story.  I wish I had the intelligence and cleverness to fabricate this tale, but it is all true.  As mentioned above, I have included copies of the divorce paperwork to prove my claims.  I have removed her name from the forms.       

Originally Published in ROUGHDALE III
Chris