Finntroll: Blodsvept (Century Media, 3/26/13)
Finnish folk- and cinema-metal band Finntroll resembles nothing so much as rejects from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth by way of the local steampunk convention. All floppy ears, goggles, and horns, the band has six albums of dark, cartoonish metal featuring accordions, brass, and more.
Como Asesinar a Felipes: Comenzará de Nuevo (Koolarrow, 4/9/13)
Chilean band Como Asesinar a Felipes is making its worldwide debut April 9. Comenzará de Nuevo, its fourth album, is dropping on Billy Gould’s (Faith No More) Koolarrow Records, and if the video for “Alto” is anything to go by, the band’s brand of jazzy hip-hop fusion is something on which to keep an eye.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve been wondering when you’d have a jetpack, a personal robot servant, and meals in pill form since you were a kid. These were all things we were sure would have happened by now (Back to the Future: Part II, you have two years), but they don’t appear to be coming anytime soon, unless you count Roombas (which you shouldn’t).
Kvelertak: Meir (Roadrunner, 3/26/13)
“Bruanne Brenn”
In 2010, metallic Norwegian sextet Kvelertak introduced its riff-heavy sludge ’n’ roll to a global audience via its self-titled, Kurt Ballou-produced debut, an 11-track monster that sounded equally fit for a house party as it was for the pit. Three years later, the band has refined and honed its sound, and on its Roadrunner Records debut, Meir — which boasts blast beats and Southern rock riffs in equal measure — Kvelertak has evolved into one of the heaviest rock-’n’-roll bands on the planet.
Chaostar: Anomima (Season of Mist, 5/28/13)
“Truth Will Prevail”
Opera and experimentation come together in Chaostar, a project whose impetus was Septicflesh guitarist Christos Antoniou’s desire to use a more “classical approach.” With his background in composition, the group released four orchestral albums before a hiatus in 2008. Returning, it started work on an operatic concept album built around the myth of Medea. Though it has since evolved, Anomima has kept that scope intact.
Smart phones consume a lot of power. So do tablets. It gets worse if you use even a few apps. And, in reality, it’s not always feasible to find an outlet when you get the warning that your gadget is about to die.
Because of this, coming across something like the FlashCharger is serendipitous. Charge up the battery at home, drop it in your bag along with a USB cord, and use it when you’re in a tight spot, electricity-wise. It’s not as versatile or powerful as something like the Goal Zero Yeti, requiring wall charging between uses, but for everyday emergency use, it’s not a bad choice — particularly when you can pick it at for a deeply discounted price ($14 instead of $60) for a limited time.