CARPENTERCORE / RETROFUTURISTIKS

John Carpenter - a name that's synonymous with horror, sci-fi and multiple orgasms. If you're reading this blog, you're probably among those that count Halloween, The Thing or They Live among their favorite movies. And you probably have a man-crush on Kurt Russel, which is totally understandable. Aaaand, your ear-pussy probably loves to be filled with the sweet sounds of Carpenter's distinct movie scores. So we're all on the same boat here. That's great, because today I wanted to bring to your attention some amazing musicians that take more than a few cues from John Carpenter's works. Some of this shit is pretty obscure, some of it is probably well known, some of it isn't really Carpenter-related, but it's good anyway. So get ready for another long post.

First up, here's the album that started it all for me. I stumbled upon this on a great blog focusing on obscure electronica artists - WEED TEMPLE - and I didn't even have to finish reading the dude's review on it that I KNEW I needed to listen to this as fast as possible. Matthew Akers has managed to capture the quintessential sounds of Carpenter's soundtracks: deep, pulsating synths, polished drumming with fake clapping, distorted guitar power chords - Akers has managed to masterfully combine these elements and craft something truly amazing. The Elders of New Detroit is a true blast from the past, enshrouding you in a retrofuturistic atmosphere that takes you back to the 80s, man! This tape is only three tracks long, but thankfully Matthew Akers has released another album called The Future Barbarians that carries on and offers even more sci-fi goodness. I've never seen a picture of this guy and I know nothing about him, except that I love him and I hope he keeps on making more music.

Seriously, check it out. It'll feel amazing. THIS SHIT NEEDS TO BE HEARD BY EVERYONE. 

Zombie Zombie is a French indie electronic duo and A Land for Renegades is their first full-lenght album. This is purely electronic music with a great atmosphere that could easily be the soundtrack to a non-existent sci-fi movie. They also have an album called Zombie Zombie Plays John Carpenter, which features their reimaginations of several well-known John Carpenter theme songs, such as the ones from Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13 or The Thing, so you know these guys are legit. And if you're somehow still unconvinced of Zombie Zombie's love for JC, check out the clip below. It'll make your day. BAGUETTE!

Gatekeeper are a macabre electronic duo, as their last.fm page puts it. Their myspace is kinda deserted so I haven't been able to find much about the band (except that they have an album called Giza which is pretty sweet and maybe another called Exo, but I'm not sure) BUT there are lots of Gatekeeper videos on Youtube. And most of them are trippy as fuck.

See what I mean?

Next up, we have Lazerhawk, a one-man project from Austin, Texas. I've pretty much stumbled across this a minute ago, but shit sounds legit. Here's what sole member Garret Hays has to say about his music:

His outrun electro is robot pop mixed with dark synths and the occasional lyric. Reminiscent of everything that was good in the 80s including Stallone, the Countach, VHS, Diet Pepsi, Miami Vice, Neoliberal Economics, Back to the Future, Neon Lights and the Nintendo Entertainment System. Synthesizer jams with gargantuan leads, hard toms, spaced-out melody and the pains of being pure at heart. His style is a fusion of fast driven 80s music with an electro twist.


Well, I'm sold. Go to his bandcamp page and give his latest album, Visitors, a whirl. I approve of this. His indie label Rosso Corsa looks well worth a visit, too. It's packed with 80s throw-back electronic music. 

You might as well give this a spin, too, so you can see John Carpenter's immense movie scoring chops for yourself. The main Halloween theme is one of my favorite pieces of music ever. It's tense, suspenseful and, at the same time, beautiful and mesmerizing. The first time I watched Halloween was at night while I was home alone. As soon as the theme started playing, I got scared and had to double check that the door was locked, the windows were closed and nobody was hiding behind the shower curtain. 

Another essential Carpenter-related listen is The Thing soundtrack, scored by renowned Italian composer Ennio Morricone. What is there to say? The man is extremely talented and he has come up with a brilliant soundtrack for an equally brilliant movie. The music is dark and introspective and somewhat minimalist, perfectly capturing the movie's grim, cold atmosphere. 

Moving on, I'd also like to talk about a few artists that are inspired by the Italian giallo cinema. The movies made by directors such as Dario Argento (Suspiria, Tenebre, Profondo Rosso) and Lucio Fulci (The Beyond, Zombi) and their soundtracks made their mark in the world and inspired countless artists. 

Goblin were a progressive rock band from Italy and they're known for writing music for some of Dario Argento's most notable work, such as Suspiria, Profondo Rosso or Tenebre, as well as contributing songs to the soundtrack of George A. Romero's 1978 cult classic Dawn of the Dead. What can I say? These guys are legendary. Get your prog on!

Next up, we have Zombi.

Taking its name from Lucio Fulci's cult masterpiece, this Pittsburgh duo play a highly atmospheric mixture of progressive rock, krautrock and electronic music that sounds like a slightly up-to-date version of Goblin. Go to their bandcamp page and have fun!

FINALLY, here's Umberto, another one-man band that's sort of become a household name when it comes to music that could double as a horror movie soundtrack. Highly influenced by giallo cinema, Umberto conjures dark, proggy, melodic songs that evoke the atmosphere of 70s and 80s Italian horror/thriller movies. It's simultaneously ghoulish and groovy, with a penchant for occult keyboards and krautrock-inspired synth work. As the quote in From the Grave's description puts it, someone needs to make movies specifically with Umberto's music in mind. 


As always, you can find Umberto's work on his bandcamp page, right here. 


This about concludes my all-too-short exploration of John Carpenter/giallo-inspired music. I don't think this post even counts as scratching the surface, as I'm sure there's plenty more amazing artists to be found, if you look hard enough. But a nudge in the right direction is always welcome. So if anyone has any more recommendations, let me know. I've become hooked and I need more. 


CARPENTERCORE 4 LIFE

BR00TAL FRIDAY: Prostitute Disfigurement - Left In Grisly Fashion (2005)

WOOHOO, IT'S BR00TAL FRIDAY! 

Let's kick this off with my favorite album from one of my favorite brutal death metal bands, Prostitute Disfigurement's Left in Grisly Fashion. This album is pretty much perfect in any way. You've got the slamming riffs, the hyperblasting and the pigsqueal vocals - all of them in perfect harmony to create rectum-prolapsing songs to sing at Christmas and other religious holidays. Their 2008 album called Descendants of Depravity has seen Prostitute Disfigurement migrating towards a more straight-up death metal sound, which is cool and all (hey, I'm not one to oppose evolution), but I prefer this one any day of the week

ROASTED CORN... AND ZOMBIE FILM!!! + ASSORTED GARBAGE

We're supposed to be on hiatus right now, but it seems posts still manage to trickle here and there on our beloved blog. I guess we can't help ourselves. We're willing to risk everything, including our lives and prospects, just to entertain you lot. Such commitment deserves recognition, applause and, dare I say, a beer or two.

Anyway, onward to tonight's post, which is a collection of random stuff that's happened or I happened about these days. First off, the new Death Grips album is FUCKING ILL. I just had to say it myself, seeing how Marco beat me to the punch and posted his thoughts on it two days ago. The Money Store is just as good, if not better, as their Exmilitary mixtape, as they managed to retain their harsh beats and caustic vocal delivery that put them on the map in the first place. This will definitely make its way in 2012's best-of lists and heads are already rolling in its wake. Check out the Death Grips website and get blastin'.

While we're on the subject of harsh sounds, take a look at this photo:

That's a grindcore band from Brasil called Baixo Calão, which translates to Bad Language. And no, that guy on the right isn't a dwarf with oversized pants, it's a dude that's missing both his legs and one arm and he's their vocalist. I think it's really cool that he doesn't give a flying fuck about his disability and that he's on stage, screaming his lungs off and tearing shit up. It just goes to show once again that grindcore isn't about what you look like, it's all about the music and its message. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much info on the band, except that they have one full-lenght album called Tu Crias and that they're going to play in this year's Obscene Extreme festival. So if you're in the area, go see their show, it'll probably be worth your time. 

Oh, and speaking of concerts, fucking WORMROT are gonna play a show in my country as part of their European tour. Too bad they're playing in the opposite end of the country and there's no way I can make it. Fuck life. At least good quality videos of their live performances have started showing up on Youtube so I can sit in front of my PC and sob because I'll never get to see them. Can anyone attending the Romania show buy me a shirt? LOL. 

Moving on, the new OM album is finally out, and oooooooooooh boy. It's good. It's GOOD. 

Advaitic Songs picks up right where 2009's God is Good left off, offering us the same trance-inducing Hindu doom (Hindoom?) we've come to love. Al Cisneros is still a demigod, coming up with same insanely tasty bass lines, while Emil Amos, the new drummer, is a worthy successor to the original Chris Hakius, pounding his drums with relentless abandon. It's a highly atmospheric album that will surely get your juices flowing. Light up and transcend the Cosmos, bros! 

Changing the subject, I want to talk about my new favorite movie snack, fucking Mexicorn!

These little bags of heaven contain roasted corn kernels coated in various seasonings. They're ultra-crunchy, they have an underlying smokey flavor and they go very well with beer. They come in three flavors, as you can see in the pic above: chili, barbecue and salt. I've only eaten the chili and barbecue ones (plain salt seems kinda dull) and they're godly, even though these two flavors are pretty similar as far as taste goes. The only down side is that there's so much seasoning on the kernels and if you eat them with your hands, your fingers are soon gonna end up being caked with orange dust. That's why I just pour them inside my mouth straight from the bag like an animal. I usually pair Mexicorn up with some good dark brews for maximum punch. Add some easy-going show like The Walking Dead (which is basically a soap opera with a few zombies popping up here and there) and voila: a wonderful mid-week evening of getting drunk at home and eating garbage. 

1% zombies, 99% crying and slamming doors

Finally, our poll concerning the weekly slam death post has come to a conclusion and there's a tie between hosting it on Wednesday or on Friday. After careful analysis - which involved taking a nap and playing with my cat for a bit - I've decided on the latter. So, every Friday will be Br00tal Friday here at TZEEEAC HQ and I will only be posting the most obscure, retarded, ultra-guttural and fun slam bands I can find. HERE COMES THE SLAMBULANCE!

Death Grips - The Money Store

Holly hells, ladies and gentlemen, I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Yeah, you heard it right; the Romanian educational system with its perverted highschool leaving exams have turned your favorite part-time rock journalist into a fucking wreck. I’m actually considering asking Chester to hand back the pump-action shotgun I stashed beneath his bed in case I turn into Russel fucking Crowe. There’s a lot of coping to do, so I’ve been doing what any future mental patient would do: listening to a ton of music. More specifically, Death Grips. Of course, Death Grips being Death Grips, it didn’t help me at all. 

The California based experimental hip-hop group caught my attention last year, when Chester, reffering to their Exmilitary mixtape, praised them for their harsh vocals and haunting lyrics, and frankly, I couldn’t agree more… they’re fucking mental (get it? ). I still can’t get enough two months after I, *ahem*, purchased their debut album, The Money Store.

To be clear, this is not your traditional kind of hip-hop. It’s a weird blend of rock, electronic and some sort of devilish form of dubstep (fuck off Skrillex fags, this shit is too rough for you ; go play with the other kids). Still, the only thing linking it to hip-hop is Stefan Burnett's vocal delivery. Which is not a problem at all, because I’m always up to something different. 

Fortunately, not only does The Money Store follow on its predecessor’s footsteps in terms of quality and style, but it takes it to an even higher level.  If I could describe it in only one word, it would definitely be ‘’dirty’’.  And I’m not using this word in the same way the people who upload Lil Jon videos on YouTube use it to warn potential viewers of its ‘’obscene content’’.  No, I mean fucking DIRTY. It’s lo-fi and minimalistic as fuck -  from the mesmerizing beats, eerie sampling to the haunting lyrics, this thing reeks of blood, violence and shit. Every time I play this album, I can’t help myself but picture an imprisoned serial rapist who started rapping out of boredom…  who also got his hands on recording equipment, which is even more scary.

In the center of this madness is, of course, MC Ride, a scary, sadistic motherfucker that would definitely make your mother shriek if she ever found out you were hanging out with him. This ill bastard is Method Man combined with Josef Fritzl -   he spits his sick rhymes with the ferocity of a genocidal tiger and he’s as freaky  looking as your cracked-addicted  Uncle Frank, who fancied you and your cousins waaaay too much. Whether he rhymes about skinning basilisks, blackjack or bitches and whores, I always feel exhausted 2 minutes into any song, even though I’ve been obsessively pushing the stop button to catch my breath. I struggled some time to find at least a hint of logic or sense in his lyrics but, obviously, I’ve failed miserably.  All I could make out of his lyrics was something about girls, murder, underground sewers and middle-aged stalkers. I’m not so sure if they’re all linked somehow, bu---  Oh  for fuck’s sake, Death Grips!

I guess you got the point by now. The Money Store’s violent content doesn’t serve a purpose, nor does it try to send a half-assed message against domestic abuse, pedophilia and other whimsical past-time activities. It’s dirty because it CAN, and because, well, the members clearly have some serious issues. 

I don’t want to sound clichéd, but Death Grips are with no doubt the next big thing in music. The Money Store is a merciless, dark and intense listen that will leave a deep impact in you, whether you like it or not. And be careful not to bring them up during a family diner. I'm serious, it's not a good idea.

Gomorrah - Reflections of Inanimate Matter (1994)

Here's some British death metal from the 90s to help cool you off during this awful heat. Gomorrah were a rather short-lived band, having released two demos and two full-lenght album during the course of five years. Reflections of Inanimate Matter is their debut album and it's a solid slab of old-school death metal with pummeling riffs, barked vocals and a slight progressive edge, visible in some of the solos and guitar leads. I especially enjoyed Sewer-Cide, which is the highlight of this album. Not much else to say.

It's too damn hot.

GGUW - Gegen Gravitation und Willensfreiheit

Here's a short but nonetheless disturbing release of schizoid black metal from the fetid pits of SVN OKKLT.   This 13 minute EP which translates to "Against Gravity and Freewill" is a haunting atmospheric black metal offering that sounds like the soundtrack to waking up from a coma, only to find yourself buried in a wooden coffin deep underground. These three tracks to an excellent job of conveying a sense of dread and despair that would probably turn even the most upbeat person into a manic, suicidal mess.

Also, what the hell is that thing on the cover?

Darkthrone - Circle the Wagons (2010)

Holy shit, why did I never listen to new-era Darkthrone? I've been banging my head to Circle the Wagons and their earlier EP Too Old, Too Cold since this morning and I can't get over how enjoyable they are. The thrashing drumming, the blackened crusty guitar riffs, the gruff pirate vocals, the lyrical rantings on I Am the Grave of the 80s and I Am the Working Class (I never expected these grim overlords to sing about their day jobs) - it's fucking great, man! It just goes to show you how a talented band can keep things fresh and interesting even after 20 years at the grind wheel.

Definite bossery going on here.

Muknal - EP (2012)

I've spent most of today downloading and listening to various releases from SVN OKKLT, which is a fetid pit filled with some of the most horrific music I've ever heard. There's so much good shit on there, it's stupid. I urge you to check that blog out RIGHT NOW.

My choice cut for today though is Muknal's self-titled EP, released earlier this year. This enigmatic outfit hails from the US and plays what I can only describe as ancient astral okkult death metal. The cover art is pretty indicative of the music you'll be assaulted with. The whole damn thing sounds like it was recorded in a bottomless pit on a dead planet in a distant galaxy. The dissonant guitar riffs are absolutely drenched in reverb, the drums sound like distant thundering and the vocals are mere barks and grunts, echoing throughout your hollow skull. The music is enveloped in a thick, murky atmosphere that bears the stench of countless tormented aeons and is sure to send chills down your spine. This is cosmik terror at its best and even though there are only three songs on this EP, it's more than enough to ruin your pleasant evening and give you nightmares. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Cheers to JGD for the rec. Check out the EP here and be sure to browse SVN OKKLT's entire musical selection. There's enough musical torture on there to destroy several worlds.

BEDTIME PODCAST REVIEW: Kissing Contest

As most of you probably don't know, I usually fall asleep while listening to stuff on my iPod because I'm a baby and hearing people talk soothes me. Over the years, I've fallen asleep on countless nights while listening to the amazing Grand Theft Auto talkshows or to George Carlin's endless rants - I've gone through most of his live shows, as well as his audiobooks - and it's all been good. Unfortunately, there's only so many times you can listen to Integrity 2.0 before you start learning all the lines by heart. So, recently, I've turned my attention towards podcasts. It's uncharted territory for me, but I've started exploring various podcasts to support my bizarre nighttime addiction. So Bedtime Podcast Review will be about whatever the fuck I happen to listen to while falling asleep. I hope this will be useful for somebody. And if not, oh well... I tried.

Let's kick things off with my current favorite podcast, Kissing Contest, which is, as the hosts put it, a "comedy podcast about movies, television, sweet boys, pleasant fellows and hard-ass men." The show is usually hosted by Mike and Sawyer, two dudes in Brooklyn, with producer Doan joining in the fun most of the time and a few choice guests coming in from time to time. When it comes to podcasts, the hosts make or break the show, so I'm happy to say that Sawyer, Mike and Doan are some legitimately funny dudes who frequently engage in hilarious banter about whatever movie or actor they're talking about at the time. I've literally chuckled under my blanket more times than I can count while listening to these guys poke fun at movies and at each other. The audio quality is great and each host can be heard clearly, which is obviously a big plus. There are occasional background noises, but they're few and far between.

Gross hobo Sawyer and Nantucket Mike, Kissing Contest's loving hosts.

Each weekly episode of Kissing Contest follows a basic structure with a few segments that carry over between episodes. They usually feature movie news, a run-down of upcoming movies and a segment called Movie Hostage, where Mike and Sawyer force each other to watch movies they've never seen before and talk about it afterwards. They've recently started to regularly feature Snax Chat aka Mike and Doan Eat Shit, which is an entire segment devoted to movie snacks, featuring in-depth reviews of various brands of chips and stuff. It's easily my favorite segment and I look forward to it every time. There are various other topics unique for each episode, like big movie disappointments, best movie athletes, movie reviews, favorite movie babes and other stuff like that.

The episodes all run at about an hour and a half to two hours, so there's plenty of meat on these bones to keep you satisfied until next week's episode rolls over. They're nearing their 100th episode (latest episode is #92) so there's also a sizable archive of older episodes to go through if you're so inclined. All in all, I highly recommend Kissing Contest. It's funny, it's entertaining, it's hosted by some great dudes, it has its fair share of crass humor and, through it all, it still manages to be informative. I always end up with a few "movies I need to watch" notes after each episode.

As a downside, though, I should mention that it got me watching Extreme Couponing and My Strange Addiction. Those are some god-awful shows and I wish I had never heard of them.

Useful links:

Kissing Contest Blog: http://kissingcontest.wordpress.com/
Kissing Contest on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ro/podcast/kissing-contest/id390568857
Kissing Contest on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kissingcontest

CAST YOUR VOTE: Slam Death Weekly Feature

I'm planning on introducing a second weekly feature on TZEEEAC that will focus exclusively on SLAM DEATH!! It'll work just like Pornogrind Monday, so it will feature a different slam death band each week. We need more mindless moshing, damnit!

I'm leaving it to you freaks to decide which day of the week will be the day we shut off our brains and have some good old retarded fun, so check out the poll on the right and cast your votes. Monday is not an option because we already have Pornogrind Monday. You have two weeks to cast your votes starting now. GOGOGO!

You can also suggest brutal death metal/slam death bands you'd like featured on this very special day and you can also come up with dumb names for the feature. All I have so far is Slamtastic Saturday. Hit me up in the comments section with your ideas.

Pornogrind Monday: Lividity - Used, Abused and Left for Dead (2006)

I believe these guys were at one time rumored to throw cheap porno DVDs at the crowd during their shows. Sounds legit. Anyway, Lividity hail from Illinois and play sickening pornogrind that will churn your stomach. Enjoy your Pornogrind Monday, everyone! I'm going back in the pit.

Recent Shit #5: Sounds of Terror and Despair

Both Marco and I are super busy with school-related business these days, and will likely remain busy until the next month or so, which means posts will be few and far between. Sometimes life just kinda creeps up on you and there's nothing you can do except clench your teeth and do what needs to be done. In my case, my bachelor thesis, which isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me, but it's certainly eating up precious time I could have otherwise used to watch movies and read books. Thankfully, sitting at my computer all day working on this thing affords me plenty of time to listen to music. Sadly, I mostly listen to deadmau5 and Burial while working since other stuff tends to distract me. However, I did manage to listen to some death metal too, and I'm cramming everything into one post, mostly so I can have an excuse to not write much about it.

I'm sorry for everything.

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Oracles (2009)

I've seen this album recommended left and right on the interwebs and I finally got around to listen to it. Fleshgod Apocalypse's newest album was basically unlistenable, but their debut Oracles has made a much better impression on me. What you have here is highly technical brutal death metal interspersed with beautiful classical music. Unusual combo, right? What's more unusual is that it works. Somehow, shifting from a serene classical piano piece to a sky cracking death metal tornado feels pretty damn good. Highly recommended. 

Cemetery Urn - Urn of Blood (2007)

Murky, blood-soaked death metal from the pits of Australia. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does a good job bashing your skull in with it. 

Hour of Penance - The Vile Conception (2008)

Italy's Hour of Penance deliver highly proficient technical death metal in the vein of Nile, Spawn of Possession and Fleshgod Apocalypse. No peaceful moments here, though, The Vile Conception is a blazing whirlwind of intricate riffs and rapid-fire drumming. Have at it!

Veil of Maya - The Common Man's Collapse (2008) 

I really liked Veil of Maya's new album, Eclipse, so I figured I'd check out some of their earlier works. Sure enough, they deliver the same polished djent/deathcore sound with dual vocal attacks and percussive guitar lines that I enjoyed on their latest album, so I'm satisfied. 

Bloody Sign - Chaos Echoes (2010)

Crypt-defiling blackened death metal from a very talented French band that sadly split up after releasing this album. Chaos Echoes features raw production, dissonant riffs, dirty vocals and there's a definite Incantation vibe going on. Good stuff. 

Defeated Sanity - Psalms of the Moribund (2007) 

I've never listened to Defeated Sanity before, but it's just what I expected: ultra-br00tal ball-crushing flesh-ripping guttural brutal death metal that's relentlessly punishing. Slamtastic!