mentalrage

Downtime

So I'm halfway through my week off from work and I have to say that I've got that weird feeling that I always get when I'm off work that weird " I don't usually have this much free time what do I do now?" feeling, I don't miss my job in the slightest I just miss talking to the people I usually see but since I live so far from where I work I might appear a little bit sad if I just went in to hi. Apparently it's now so hot that the roads are melting! which is probably why I feel like a baked potatoe that's been in the oven too long. That is distinctly typical of most people in my beloved country though moan about the weather being crap all the time and then moan about it being too hot when it actually gets sunny, personally have to say I prefer the overcast skies and the rain I'm used to. I'll never understand people that decide to do their best rasher of bacon on a grill impression every time the sun comes out, maybe there's a national lobster impersonation competition that I'm just unaware of.

Is It Just Me?

So I started watching NCIS a while back and I've got to say I pretty much watch it every week now, not just because it's a well done show ( something the British are generally incapable of) but it also has Abby:

Maybe it's just me who's got a bizzare fetish for cute scientist goth girls but it seems like a cunning plan to build up an audience to me.

Behold My Material Possesions

So I got some more music over the last few weeks here's the run down for anyone who's interested in my rambling opinions.

Wednesday 13 Transylvania 90210

With the Murderdolls in a perpetual musical limbo I don't think anyone can blame Wednesday 13 for getting his own band together and contrary to what you might think it's actually pretty damn good stuff. Comparisons with the Murderdolls would be inevitable so it's good to see this stands up to and betters "Beneath The valley Of The Murderdolls". This album is a fine display of Mr 13's twisted black humour and knack for catchy riffs prime examples being "I Walked With A Zombie", "Bad Things", " The Ghost Of Vincent Price" & "Haunt Me". Album closer "A Bullet Named Christ" sounds not too far from something by a certain Mr Manson.

Combichrist Get Your Bodybeat

Andy Laplegua's latest project shows no signs of slowing down, E.P.'s as a rule are a very hit and miss affair but at 10 tracks at least you get you're moneys worth here. The title track itself, a mix of "Products", a new track called "what The F*ck" , 6 remixes of the title track and darkwave sounding closer DNA AM make up the tracklisting. My personal picks of the remixes here are "Kaptn K's Mix" by Sascha K of KMFDM which has a stripped down oldschool feel to it and the stomping "Tortured" mix by Manufactura which probably outshines the original. The bilious diatribe of "What The F*ck" also stands out with scathing assault on all the haters out there.

VNV Nation Empires

Credit due to Ronan Harris who has a talent for imbuing his work with an emotional resonance not seen regularly within the realms of electronica. tracks like "Legion" and "Dark Angel" sound more like poetry put to a shimmering beat than songs, instrumental piece "Saviour" is also worthy of note for having more soul than most dancefloor tracks. I think as a whole the album is well worth the praise it gets.

Amen Death Before Musick

That Amen ever released a third album is testament to the determination of Casey Chaos whose band with a habit of changing members on a seemingly weekly basis harness a punk spirit sadly lacking in a great deal of bands, stand out songs are "California's Bleeding", "Please Kill me", "Oblivion Stereo" & " F*ck In LA"

Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

After spending far too long on my list of bands I really should check out I got this the other day and it sounds damn good for something 25 years old. My top tracks include "Kill The Poor","Holiday in Cambodia" and "When Ya Get Drafted". Jello Biafra's sneering lyrics are just as potent today as they were back then particularly on "Kill The Poor" "Jobless millions washed away, at least we'd have more room to play" and the excellent rythm and sound from East Bay Ray's guitar and Klaus Flouride's bass on "Holiday In Cambodia" stays in your head and doesn't leave any time soon as for whether the songs lyrical matter has any relevance now I would hope that the atrocitie's carried out by Pol Pot will not be forgotten.

The Haunted rEVOLVEr

With the return of vocalist Peter Dolving to the fold The Haunted sound even more pissed off than before if that's possible. This isn't music in the general sense more like sonic weaponry with Dolving spitting vocals out like a machinegun to deadly effect on tracks like "No Compromise", "99" & "All against All". Any fans of The Haunted's previous vocalist Marco Aro should check out "The Will To Power" by Facedown.