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secret show

The Saddest Landscape – Sunday!

SUNDAY 10-10-10 6PM $5 Suggest Donation
the Saddest Landscape, the New & Very Welcome, and SOFX
in a secret location.
(It’s that spot where about once a month a show happens.)

Facebook Event Page

THE SADDEST LANDSCAPE
(Recently reformed New England screamo)
http://www.myspace.com/thesaddestlandscape

SOFX
(dissonant punk / members of Books Slave and The World is.. / 2nd show!)

THE NEW & VERY WELCOME
(angsty acoustic from Boston)
http://www.myspace.com/thenewandverywelcome

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Sunday 10/10/10
Meet at Redscroll Records at 6pm for the secret location.
24 North Colony Street – Wallingford, CT

$5 suggested donation

Music Review, wovenhand

Review: Wovenhand – The Threshingfloor

Review: Wovenhand – The Threshingfloor
(Review by Mike)


Besides David Eugene Edwards love of combining two words into one, he’s also got a penchant for making haunting soulful music. Those who are familiar with Wovenhand and Edwards’ old project, 16 Horsepower, won’t be shocked by anything on this record; which is not to say that it’s stale or predictable, but rather that there are no radical departures from the sound he has established as being “his”.

Continuing to contradict what it seems like I was saying above, this album does have a few new tricks up the band’s sleeve: mainly the incorporation of some more Middle Eastern strings, which should come as no real surprise as this kind of sound was somewhat hinted at on previous Wovenhand records.

So just what is The Threshingfloor all about? Well, there’s certainly a more straightforward approach this time around in terms of Edwards directly speaking about God (so you black metal fanatics take note!) and on the whole the record is far more ‘subdued’ than previous albums. There are a few jumpers (namely the eighth track “Truth” which has an almost electronic, Nine Inch Nailsish beat to it). More typical fare on this album is closer to the song “Singing Grass”, which makes absolutely gorgeous use of acoustic guitars, violin, and some minor sound effects/field recordings (?) of what sounds like, you guessed it, wind rustling through grass.

Basically I’d recommend this record to any fans of the band as well as anyone who’s got a bit of an open mind when it comes to listening to music outside of your comfort zone. The Threshingfloor combines quite a few different sounds and style of music to create a really enjoyable listening experience. I could definitely see this being on my top ten list at the end of the year. Do yourself a favor: Head to Redscroll Records and snag yourself a copy.

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Mike’s Best of 2009

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Howdy faithful scrollers of the red and net.

Josh and Rick were kind enough to ask me to contribute to the blog, so I thought the first thing I would do is follow up Ricks best of 2009 with my own best of 2009. Metal fans, gaze upon my treasures…

1. Porcupine Tree – The Incident

It was a tough decision as to what to make the #1 of 09, because this and #2 and #3 were basically neck in neck (in neck?) all year for me. PTree wins out because I listened to it more and song for song I like it more. Having the chance to hear this album back in June far before it came out and then to revisit it upon release was really great. It was overwhelming to listen to at that time and I was also semi-nervous because Steven Wilson was in attendance. Anyway: the music. This album was such a shock to me, in a good way, the structure of it was very very different from any previous Porcupine Tree record and is definitely meant to be listened to as a whole. The first disc is a really great mix of the newer and heavier Porcupine Tree and a return to the really mellow kind of stuff at points (Kneel and Disconnect comes to mind which is also a favorite of mine on the record). Time Flies also really just hits me in a hard place. The 2nd disc i’d describe as more “conventional” Porcupine Tree. The kind fans will be used to anyway, I don’t mean that in a negative way but it isn’t nearly as experimental as the first disc. Anyway, there’s not much more I can say about this other than to get it. Fantastic record.

2. Hatred Surge – Deconstruct

Unbelievably violent and great record. I never really thought a powerviolence album could be this high on my top 10, but this record is a monster. Perfect length, perfect intensity, and when I had the luck to see them live this past year, it was just as much of a sledgehammer to the face as the record is.

3. Mastodon – Crack the Skye

I’m really shocked that this hasn’t seen more #1 in magazines, but what the fuck do they know anyway? This is the album Blood Mountain should have been. In fact, i’d like to forget Blood Mountain even exists because all of Mastodon’s other records rule so supremely. The fact that a band who writes 10 minute songs can be on a major label is something I honestly thought i’d never see in my lifetime. Killer record and again, one everyone into heavier music should own.

4. Portal – Swarth

Most. Bizarre. Band. EVER. And I love it. You have to listen to this with headphones to appreciate it fully, but what a great record. I think the best way to describe this would be if H.P Lovecraft had made music instead of writing and took boatloads of LSD. So so so pumped to see them at MDF.

5. Cobalt – Gin

“Burn me down – shoot me in the chest” arguably my favorite line from any album this year. Great record and I wish these guys would play live someday, though I know how hard that is when someone in the band is active military

6. Immortal – All Shall Fall

To be perfectly honest, I was surprised at how good this was. I wasn’t expecting much and it turned out about 10 times better than I thought it would be. A true return for one of the great original black metal bands. Are you listening, Emperor?

7. Converge – Axe to Fall
Brutal record.

8. Baroness – Blue Record

Really good album, i’m sure a lot of you are probably kinda “meh” on it, but it’s a really good album to kind of chill out to, despite its heaviness

9. Asphyx – Death…the brutal way
Can’t get enough of Van Drunen or really slow chugging death metal.

10. Nile – Those Whom the Gods Detest
I had kind of given up on Nile, but this album kicks ass. Unbelivable drumming, interesting and well researched lyrics/themes throughout. Say what you want about it being repetitive but if you want some good music on a day where you feel like punching God in the face, this is probably it.

and there you have it.