Our friends at Relapse Records are giving away two tickets to the upcoming Dying Fetus and Devourment tour.
If you live on the East Coast or in the Midwest, you’re in luck. Anyone from Philly to Des Moines is eligible to win; all you have to do is specify which show you’d like to attend in your submission. See the full list of tour dates below.
And, as if it couldn’t get any better, the super-heavy, double-headliner tour is bolstered by the mutilating metal of Cannibal Corpse and Vital Remains.
For British guitarist Matt Stevens, the widespread digital distribution of his music via the Internet has meant more than major labels and pricey CDs ever could.
Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
AfroCubism: s/t (World Circuit / Nonesuch, 11/2/2010)
AfroCubism: “Jarabi”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/06-Jarabi.mp3|titles=Afrocubism: “Jarabi”]It was 1996 when British producer Nick Gold and American guitarist Ry Cooder arrived in Havana, intending to make a certain record that placed Malian and Cuban musicians together to explore the roots of Afro-Cuban music. But as passport and visa problems stranded the West African musicians in Paris, Gold and Cooder made the decision to move on and revamp the project because the studio in Havana was already booked.
Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.
†‡†: untitled CD-R (Disaro, 9/9/10)
†‡†: “Goth BB”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Ritualz_Goth_BB.mp3|titles=†‡† (Ritualz): “Goth BB”]
Morrow: Verbalized and alternately written as Ritualz, †‡† is an unnamed man from an unknown location, making a relatively dark and/or Gothic version of electronic dance music. He has been lumped with the “witch house” scene, which also has been dubbed “drag,” “haunted house,” and a few other things.
His sound is comparable to contemporaries like Salem, oOoOO, Mater Suspiria Vision, etc., and he’s far from the only one with the very-difficult-to-Google name. There’s also I††, ▲▲▲, and other random combinations of symbols.
Operating his printing and design practice under the name Crosshair, Dan MacAdam has taken a unique approach to poster art while working with the screen-printing medium for more than 15 years.
His recent work fully integrates the text — which is generally minimal — into the visual context of the image instead of displaying the text and image as two separate entities. Thus the image as a whole appears natural and undisturbed as it provides information to the viewer. In essence, instead of reading, the audience is viewing and absorbing the design.
With his band Oxbow, Eugene Robinson has become known for his simple, primal lyrics howled over increasingly complex arrangements and for his fearsome live performances. But with his first novel, A Long Slow Screw, the howls have been translated to a new format, and live readings take the place of the concert hall.
On a weekly basis, The Groove Seeker goes in search of killer grooves across rock, funk, hip hop, soul, electronic music, jazz, fusion, and more.
Qwel & Maker: Owl (Galapagos4, 9/14/10)
Qwel & Maker: “Letting Life Pass By”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/11-qwel_and_maker-letting_life_pass_by-noir.mp3|titles=LettingLifePassBy]Although Chicago’s underground hip-hop scene has roads that point back separately to both MC Qwel and DJ Maker, their partnership has helped them reach audiences beyond the confines of the city’s gridded streets.
Qwel gained an underground following starting in Chicago’s south-side neighborhood of Hyde Park as a founding member of the Typical Cats in the late ’90s. Between periods of work on Typical Cats material, he has released several projects that enlist fellow artists at Galapagos4, the indie label that has put out nearly 20 Qwel releases since 2001. That expansive list becomes larger with Qwel and Maker’s third record together, Owl.
Each Tuesday, Behind the Counter speaks to an independent record store to ask about its recent favorites, best sellers, and noteworthy trends.
Memphis, Tennessee’s Goner Records specializes in punk, soul, blues, funk, and heavy-metal LPs and 45s, with a label that is home to some ALARM favorites. What other record store can boast its own annual rock-‘n’-roll festival exhibiting bands from all across the globe? Shop owner Eric Friedl (of The Oblivians) spoke with ALARM and shared the story behind Goner.
The Thermals: “I Don’t Believe You” (Personal Life, KRS, 9/7/10)
The Thermals – I Don’t Believe You
We asked The Thermals, the Portland pop-punk power trio, to name a few of its favorite recent releases. The band’s drummer, Westin Glass, responded with a list of five records that ranges from radio-friendly pop to an independent artist that calls himself the “black Bob Dylan.” Whether or not you share Glass’ taste, you can appreciate his sentiment that some music exists to help you laugh and get laid.
1. Jason DeRulo: s/t (Beluga Heights [Warner Brothers], 2010)
This one may be hard to swallow for you indie-rock fans — but I assure you, it’s worth it. Definitely a “singles” record, with three mega smash hits on Top 40 radio. I first heard Jason DeRulo‘s track “Whatcha Say” blasting on the one working speaker in my friend’s car last year and immediately loved it. The digitally distressed Imogen Heap sample in that song makes for the most memorable hook of 2009.
I also love “Ridin’ Solo,” a great post-breakup, self-psych-up song. Jason DeRulo knows how to make a fucking hit — a bubble-gummy blast of ear sugar that will lighten your mood and get stuck in your head. Speaking of which, his track “In My Head” is stuck in my head right now.
In 2004, Jamie Schumacher founded Minneapolis’ Altered Esthetics Gallery with the intent of “bringing artists together and creating a community dialogue.” The non-profit gallery is a space where both emerging and established artists can interact and explore their own creative interests without the pressure of producing work that is commercially viable. Since opening, Altered Esthetics — which is currently one of 18 galleries operating out of Minneapolis’ historic Q’arma building — has built a solid reputation within the Twin City’s creative community.
Every Friday, The Metal Examiner delves metal’s endless depths to present the genre’s most important and exciting albums.
Triptykon: Shatter: Eparistera Daimones Accompanied (Prowling Death, licensed to Century Media, 10/25/2010)
Triptykon: “Shatter” Official Video
Tom Warrior’s creative output is both extensive and divergent. Since 1983, Warrior has released music as part of Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, and Apollyon Sun, and now his current project is Triptykon. If one takes inventory of the music created by this man over the last two-plus decades, one finds that none of his albums really sound all that much like any of the others. There are common threads and tendencies that tie everything together, but each release stands on an island of its own.