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METAL MONDAY: Beating the Ghost of a Dead Horse: Sex & Religion in a Post DTP World
I guess to some attentive people, Transcendence was an obvious sign of the end-times. The third album was in excess of the original intended four for Devin Townsend Project (making it the seventh down the line), and the notorious sonic tyrant decided to let the Project half in on the writing process, as if they were some kind of band. My pattern-assigning monkey brain is telling me even the title was a clue. Fortunately, I am not some attentive people, so I'm just figuring this out now for your amusement.
Everything is fine. He's done this before and it's always turned out fine. It's fine. So as I weepily dust off my credit card to hoover up whatever limited edition presses might still be bobbing with the flotsam, here's a first-impression review of Steve Vai's widely panned Sex & Religion that came out when I was five (thank you very much, get off my ass). Or specifically, the meagre two tracks “co-written” by some strapping young lad named Devin, because this is the four-way flaming dumpster collision that launched his career. I put sarcastic quotes there to remind us that the album was notoriously micromanaged by Vai to the point that the band split more or less immediately upon release.
I might be showing my hand a little soon. I'm sure it's very nice.
“Just Cartilage” exists solely as a B-side and one of those mythical bonus tracks spoken of only in Japanese. Truly there is no greater honour than not even being on the main release. If you've listened to my show, and you really shouldn't, you've probably heard “The Mighty Masturbator” or “Deconstruction” about seventeen times each, and could be forgiven for believing I have any tolerance for overlong prog-wank. This is that but shorter, wankier, and inexplicably bequeathed with a hook. At the very least it's self-aware, and if anything, presages Devin's magnum opus “Meatball” which would need a whole other article to talk about. His performance is as disjointed and nonsensical as every other part of this track, so points for committing to theme.
The absurder Zappa is definitely an influence here, but not so much as on “Pig,” which as far as I can tell is dedicated to not having any consistent rhythm—so full prog points there I guess. It does the whole start-stop, let's-change-tempo until it literally ends in tears. Once again there is somehow a hook, speaking to Vai's liminal existence as what would have been yet another glam-era guitar-jock if not for the Mothers of Invention infecting him with terminal poly-rhythms. With that in mind, the idea that anyone could make human mouth sounds over this defies reason anyway, so the pig grunting is more harmonious than the harmony.
Taken as a unit, these two songs represent everything I always initially hate about a Devin Townsend classic until it eventually worms its way into my aorta and lays eggs. That makes no goddamn sense and defies any organic attempt to identify with it results in the aural equivalent of a magic eye picture. Goddamn pattern-assigning monkey brain. It's musical Stockholm Syndrome. I have already been compromised and I haven't even finished lambasting it. ANSWER MY MESSAGES, DEVIN.
NEWS FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 16TH 2018
Hosted by Luca Caruso-Moro
Stories by Luca Caruso-Moro, and Jeremiah Ho
Produced by Luca Caruso-Moro
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LOCAL
By Luca Caruso-Moro
10 year old Ariel Kouakou, the boy who went missing on Monday, has still not been found.
CTV News reports Ariel was last seen on Gouin Blvd. in Parc des Bataliers around 2pm.
Ariel is 4'7", 88 lbs, has black hair, dark eyes, dark brown skin and speaks French.
He was last seen black hooded coat, grey pants, and yellow shoes
NATIONAL
By Jeremiah Ho
Quebec’s Viens Commission has come under criticism for its lack of diversity.
According to CBC News, roughly 21 percent of the inquiry’s staffers are Indigenous, but none are on the legal team.
The commission says it was difficult to recruit Indigenous and non-Indigenous lawyers to participate.
INTERNATIONAL
By Luca Caruso-Moro
Thousands took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to protest the murder of activist councilwoman Marielle Franco.
According to Reuters, investigators, prosecutors, and drug gang leaders are saying Franco appears to have been the target of a political assassination
Franco was a critic of the federal government’s use of the military and advocate for the right of those living in poverty.
CJLO @ SXSW: Flat Cola Presents SXSW Radio Show Special!
Listen to Flat Cola Presents: SXSW 2018, today 6-7 PM, and discover artists, underground record labels, and official networking parties at SXSW Conference and Festivals, happening between March 9-18, in Austin, TX.
Join your host, Mother Tongue, as she journeys to Germany, Mexico, and Colombia. From the hazy psychedelic sounds of Germany's SEA MOYA to the dreamy electronic solo project of NYC-based singer-songwriter, MARRÓN, come explore all that SXSW has to offer!
METAL MONDAY: Heavy Metal Book Club: “What Does This Button Do?” Bruce Dickinson, An Autobiography
*Find out how to win a copy of this book at the end of this review!*
I'm never one to turn away a good music-related auto/biography. Just as with music documentaries, most are surprising and sometimes, surprisingly edifying. Bruce Dickinson, of Iron Maiden fame, has entered the fray with his autobiography, and I'm pleased to say it ticks both boxes, despite being quite the strange creature.
In that sense, there is no doubt that this book mirrors its author. Fans of Iron Maiden—and Dickinson himself—know him for not just his vocal abilities, but also for his well-publicized and idiosyncratic hobbies: aviation and fencing. Both are heavily documented here, along with his unexpected forays into fiction writing, filmmaking, and one particularly hair-raising chapter about his travels to Sarajevo in the middle of the siege.
The very start and the very end of the book shine the strongest, especially in their contrasts. The beginning, where Dickinson describes his life as a child in a chaotic, mutable environment, then through his colourful school years, sets the stage for his later interests, and is told through curious anecdotes and vivid Britishisms. It is early on that he finds a passion for mechanics, war history, fencing, theatre, and eventually music, all of which return as threads woven throughout his life. As he repeats often over the course of the book, “nothing from childhood is ever wasted.”
The end of the book deals with his successful battle with cancer, and is handled with the kind of humor, sang-froid and practicality that speaks to his temperament. Dickinson is the type of person who follows his curiosities, and when faced with an obstacle, methodically overcomes it until he achieves his desired end. Whether that's conquering head and neck cancer in six months (specifically, two large tumors inside his tongue and throat), or learning how to fly heavy commercial airplanes, or, in definitely one of the strangest stories in the book, switching from right-handedness to left-handedness in order to improve his fencing abilities, Dickinson's life is a testament to his single-mindedness.
It is on that particular note that the book finds both its strength, and its cardinal weakness. There is a giant gaping silence throughout the book, which pertains mainly to Dickinson's most personal life. Addressed only in the afterword, with “I made a personal executive decision when I started to write. No births, marriages or divorces, of me or anybody else,” and by stating that “[h]ad I chosen to include airships, wives, divorces, children and entrepreneurial activities this would have been approaching 800 pages long,” he gives himself the autobiographer's get-out-of-jail-free card. People choose autobiographies in order to pry open the secrets of a stranger's examined life, and to see how their relationships have shaped the person they've become. Perhaps in avoiding that entire aspect of his life, Dickinson has inadvertently shared more about his character than he had intended.
Strangely, or perhaps not so, his longest running relationship, with the juggernaut that is Iron Maiden, receives much of the same treatment. Dickinson's trajectory with the band, from joining on their third album, to his six-year departure and subsequent return, is covered here, but there aren't too many personal anecdotes. There are many more details about his early bands and his solo and side projects offered instead, and one can't help but infer that Steve Harris (Maiden's primary songwriter and de facto band leader) looms silently in the shadows of what's unsaid. That is to say, there isn't much of any dirt to be read here, so readers looking for that might want to pick up an unauthorized biography instead.
I greatly enjoyed the book, though in some ways the answers it gave me only opened up more questions, but this is a must-read for all hardcore Maiden fans and people who, like me, have always been fascinated by the idea that, one day, the captain on my flight might be one of the most celebrated heavy metal singers of all time!
Want to win a hardcover copy of this book? I’ll be giving away copies of Bruce Dickinson’s autobiography live on BVST, this coming March 14th at 7 PM ET! Tune in for your chance to win!
Angelica hosts BVST every Wednesday at 7 - 9 PM on CJLO. Tune in for the best (& worst) rock'n'roll, country, punk & metal
NEWS FOR MONDAY, MARCH 12TH 2018
Hosted by Patricia Petit Liang
Stories by Karl Knox, Ana Bilokin and Loren O’Brien-Egesborg
Produced by Patricia Petit Liang
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LOCAL
By Loren O'Brien-Egesborg
This week as hearings into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls take place in Montreal, families from all over Quebec are travelling to share their stories.
According to CBC News, an Algonquin woman named Sandy Ruperthouse has been missing since 2014.
Her father Johnny Wilde will be sharing his daughter’s story as well as the policing problems in Val d’Or during this week’s hearings.
NATIONAL
By Karl Knox
Experts have found that Manitoba is continuing to fail Indigenous children who have been placed in the province’s child welfare system.
According to CBC News, 90% of the children receiving childware in Manitoba are Inuit, Métis or First Nations, and to keep track of these children the province has been using an outdated and flawed computer system.
The computer network has been plagued with problems including missing information on caseloads, inaccurate data and children being neglected.
Several years after the completion of the inquiry into five-year-old Phoenix Sinclair's murder in 2005, none of the recommendations from the investigator’s reports have been implemented.
INTERNATIONAL
By Ana Bilokin
Hundreds of migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya by Libya’s coast guard and international charity ships travelling to Italy on Saturday.
According to Reuters, many of the boats, operated by smugglers, had broken down and were on the verge of sinking when the coast guard arrived.
Libya is a primary departure point for migrants to reach Europe, with more than 600,000 migrants crossing the sea to Italy over the past four years with thousands dying in the process
NEWS FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 9TH 2018
Hosted by Luca Caruso-Moro
Stories by Luca Caruso-Moro, Jeremiah Ho
Produced by Luca Caruso-Moro
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NATIONAL
By Jeremiah Ho
Robyn Shlachetka and Raven Beardy made history this week as Manitoba’s first female Indigenous medevac team.
According to CBC News, Shlachetka had never met another female Indigenous pilotbefore Beardy, and the two worked together for the first time on Monday.
The two women hope to inspire other Indigenous women to follow their path into aviation.
INTERNATIONAL
By Luca Caruso-Moro
Women across Europe and Asia took part in public protest to commemorate International Women's Day on Thursday.
CTV news reports protesters called awareness to systemic sexism by means of mass gatherings, traffic blocking, and strikes.
Frans Timmermans, the European Commission's first vice-president, said "the issue of gender equality is high on the agenda, but progress is still slow on the ground."
INTERNATIONAL
By Luca Caruso-Moro
The genocide of Rohingya Muslims continues in Myanmar.
The BBC reports some 700,000 people have fled life threatening sexual and physical violence at the hands of Myanmar soldiers and vigilantes.
Myanmar’s military says they are only targeting Rohingya militants, civilians have sought refuge in Bangladesh.
Album Review: "Happy Season" by PHANGS
Mentioned in BuzzFeed’s list of “18 Emerging Artists To Watch In 2018”, PHANGS has amassed a serious core group of fans despite being a fairly new independent artist. Fans, or “Pham” as they call themselves, have gone above and beyond to hype up his music. Last year, they even rallied together to organize a string of shows across America amongst themselves. This later became known as The House Tour, which consisted of acoustic shows in fans’ living rooms.
Happy Season, PHANGS’ latest opus released on February 16, kicks off with its title track, a lush midrange dance beat mixed with smooth grooves. Lyrics like, “there’s no problems, kids just dreamin’ // you’re not alone when it’s happy season” add to the positive ambiance PHANGS aims to achieve. “Eyes off You” has more of a sensuous feel, complete with softer vocals and lyrics expressing appreciation for a partner’s imperfections. At times it falls into 90s boy band nostalgia, “I feel like a victim with you…I can’t be modest when you’re so hypnotic”, but the brief throwbacks sprinkled throughout blend well with smooth transitions between low and high-pitched vocals. The beat picks up a little bit during the chorus, setting a precedent for the next track.
Tinged with reggae and island vibes, “Good Now” is a journey through finding peace and genuine happiness in a relationship. Presented as a love letter—“I tend to look for things to go wrong but I stopped looking with you”—its subject matter makes for a feel-good upbeat tune. Unnaturally high pitched, shifted vocals during the final bridge lend an extra edge to the song, bringing in a sense of disconnect and allowing listeners to feel as if they could apply the lyrics to their own relationships.
While the first three tracks comprised of low-key cheerful pop goodness, Happy Season’s second half digs deeper into PHANGS’ emotional side. “One of those Days” introduces a funkier sound, juxtaposed with lyrical content discussing the importance of embracing sadness rather than pushing it away to maintain a false front for the world. The bass line in the bridge was a welcome surprise and aided the final chorus in emphasizing the lesson described above.
It was evident right from the start that “I Forgot You” is perhaps the most emotional song on the album. The bass carried hints of earnestness amidst a post heartbreak setting. The last line, “now I remember why I forgot you”, is a stepping stone towards moving on for good. It lets the artist claim ownership over their healing process. “Dry Eyes” picks up where “I Forgot You” left off, albeit with a slightly sarcastic approach. Featuring stunning R&B-style guest vocals from Truitt, it balances the act of bitterly calling out an ex for being manipulative while proudly declaring that their influence playing a role in providing comfort is no longer needed.
Themes that appear throughout, namely love, heartbreak, and acceptance, are all explored with mature emotional depth. Happy Season is a cohesive record that tackles the challenges of learning to embrace change without sacrificing kindness or integrity.
Recommended if you like: VÉRITÉ, Bonelang, DBMK. The album is available for purchase here and to stream here.
Concert Review: Intervals @ Café Campus, February 22, 2018
Thursday, February 22nd brought us to Café Campus, where Intervals performed on their North American tour alongside Nick Johnston, and Jason Richardson.
Needless to say, the anticipation was quite high for when I was about to go to this show. It had been ages since I had been to a show since my injury in early July, where I dislocated my elbow, and I was not able to go anywhere for months. It is good to be back in the live music world.
Making my way to the venue, I was listening to The Way Forward again to get a refresher of the songs, and as well preparing for my interview.
Genuinely excited when I was in Intervals' tour bus with Aaron Marshall, we had a discussion about the band, how much they have progressed over the years, and what challenges were faced with writing the newest album.
Venturing forth inside the venue, it took longer for the show to start because one of the bands unfortunately had to drop due to conflict..
Nick Johnston went on stage, and he played the majority of the tracks from his newest album. I was quite surprised to find that he sounded like a younger Steve Vai from his guitar playing skills. All the songs were instrumental, and some had unique time signatures, polyrhythms, and catchy guitar licks; some were heavy, some were super soft. Consider me a new fan of Nick's music.
Next up was Jason Richardson, who I was looking forward to see.
On stage were just two musicians, himself and Luke Holland, playing number of songs from I and a new song, "Tinnitus". It was a heavy song, and I liked how much bass drops that were utilized and that it shook the floor like crazy and how the execution was delivered.
I applaud.
Last but not least, we have Intervals who finally hit the stage all loud and banging. Seeing the band after two years with Animals as headliners, they have definitely improved their performance skills, and as well as presence.
Opening the set with "Touch and Go" proved that Intervals was gonna bring the house down—and they did.
Taking the majority of the set from The Way Forward, it shows that ittranslates well into live form. Hearing the album live was a treat, and more dynamics characteristics come alive with the show. A few of the highlights was from the set were "Belvedere", "I'm Awake", "The Waterfront", and "Libra". What caught me totally off guard is that they played "Alchemy" and "Mata Hari" from In Time, which was bonkers to see live. I have never experienced such a heavy punch from chugging guitars—that literally made my jaw drop the whole time during the whole songs and it was such a blast to see.
Overall, Intervals put on quite a bonkers show. I didn't expect to see a few surprises from the set that night and I was very happy and impressed by how the coordination and team play that was shown on stage, of pure musicianship and technicality.
CJLO is going to South by Southwest!
CJLO is going to South by Southwest! From March 14-17, four of our music directors will be in Austin, TX, to attend an incredibly wide variety of concerts and events. Here's what they're expecting from the 2018 SXSW experience.
Zach Carriere, a.k.a. Zakary Slax, is CJLO's Head Music Director, and hosts Slax Trax, every Tuesday from 5 to 6 PM.
In covering the endless sea of ‘indie’ music at SXSW 2018, my primary mission is to give attention to what lies outside the trappings of corporate rock; to seek out the acts who are more concerned with ripping up the stage than networking with industry figures. I’ll be after the ones who are not afraid to be wild and woolly, who are willing to create a dish not found on your average music menu and serve it up to unsuspecting audiences, no matter how raw. Much of this can only be judged in a live setting, which at least for most 'rock' or 'indie' bands strips away the artifice of recording and creates openings for spontaneity and an interactivity of energies. In this regard, there are indeed promising performers.
From Spain, there will be freak-pop/post-punkers FAVX and glorious garage gals Hinds. From Italy, there will be screaming distortion aficionados The Jackson Pollock, and from England the highly danceable post-punk stylings of Shopping. The infamous Russian protest artists Pussy Riot will be making an appearance, sure to be timely and devastating. Recent sub pop inductees Moaning will be undoubtedly to impress, as will uncompromising art rockers Palm. Unparalleled fuzz improviser Yonatan Gat, former guitarist of notorious Israeli rockers Monotonix, will be revealing some sort of unholy mess. And why not indulge in the Sabbath meets Syd Barrett riffage of Australian outfit ORB, or the cacophony of profusely experimental Norwegian mud-baskers Sturle Dagsland?
When travelling to a distant city for a music fest, a key highlight for me is not just the convergence of international artists from all over the globe, but the opportunity to get a taste of the place itself and its musical heritage. This means I’ll be sure to check out Bubble Puppy, known for their 1968 hit psychedelic rock hit ‘Hot Smoke & Sassafrass’, who have recently resurfaced as a distinctly Texan hard rock act. Stepping out from the more recent past is The Ugly Beats, an early 2000’s garage rock revival combo from Austin in the true nuggets tradition.
Canadian artists will be substantially represented in the proceedings: Casper Skulls, Faith Healer, Frigs, Greys, Blessed, Japandroids, Lido Pimienta, Mauno, METZ, Michael Rault, Partner, Pkew Pkew Pkew, Terra Lightfoot, U.S. Girls, The Weather Station, The Wet Secrets, Yamantaka/Sonic Titan, and probably some others I missed, are all making the trip.
There are many Montreal artists destined to make an impact as well, including Common Holly, Corridor, Elephant Stone, Gulfer, John Jacob Magistry, Le Couleur, Men I Trust, Milk & Bone, and Ought.
Andrew Wieler is CJLO’s Metal Music Director, and hosts Grade A Explosives, every Sunday from 4 to 6 PM.
SXSW this year (as of time of writing) has kind of a limited amount of metal. To give you the best example, on SXSW's website, last year the main draw in metal was Grammy Award winners Mastodon. This year, it's Wo Fat. Not that they aren't great, but they aren't exactly a big name band. Still, there's good stuff to see, most of which are before I get there or after I leave, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go.
If you want to check out some metal from the Lone Star state, chek out Metal Monsters of Texas happening at Dirty Dog Bar on March 10, featuring acts like Grey Feather, Death of a Dream, and more. More info here.
Speaking of Texas metal, Dirty Dog will also be the place to go for the best named showcase of the festival, Don't Mosh With Texas, happening on March 17 with American Sin and a special guest to be announced later.
Stoner rock will be on display at Valhalla on March 16, with the afroementioned Wo Fat playing a Ripple Music showcase with many bands including Mothership, Salems Bend, and Blackwulf, featuring members of Petagram and Bedemon.
On a similar vein, Boss Tweed Backline will be doing another stoner rock heavy showcase, Black Smoke Conjuring, at The Lost Well on March 13 with Destroyer of Light, Great Electric Quest, and Curses, among others.
But really, if you're interested in just stoner stuff, you should check out the SX Stoner Jam on March 14 at Spider House Cafe and Ballroom, and then Stoner Rock / Doom Fest, on March 15 and 16 at Texas Mist. Stoner Rock Doom Fest does cost 40 bucks for both days, but between these two shows you can see over 60 stoner and or doom bands, which is just... crazy.
Amrew Weekes, a.k.a. DJ Lady Oracle, is CJLO’s Hip Hop Director, and hosts The Limelight, every Saturday from 6 to 8 PM.
This year will be my second SXSW. It’s great because I’m familiar with the city and the show venues. As I’m looking through the long list of artists coming to Austin this year, there are a lot of artists I don’t recognize, which makes me look forward to discovering new artists. Luckily, this year, I’m receiving a lot of invites to check out shows. One of them is Adrian Daniel, an eclectic R&B artist from Brooklyn, NY. Another one is R.LUM.R, who has been described as a cross between Gallant and Frank Ocean, two of my favourite artists.
I’m also looking forward to the Stones Throw Showcase featuring Peanut Butter Wolf, MNDSGN and Homeboy Sandman. Last year, when I went to the showcase, Karriem Riggins was the headliner and he put on a great DJ set.
Although our former Head MD Omar Sonics will not be in attendance this year, he has his eye out on events that are happening at SXSW and he has been finding fun ones, like The Light Side which will have different artists and DJs including MNDSGN and Maltesers candy! There’s also COLLiDE on Rainey which will give you the full M&M experience, not sure what that is about but I’m curious to find out.
Finally, I’m looking forward to hanging out and bonding with my fellow music directors as well as connecting with the reps I work with all year round. Be on the lookout for my review of the festival!
Kelly Belfo is CJLO’s World Music Director, and hosts Flat Cola Presents: Mother Tongue, every Monday from 6 to 7 PM, and co-hosts Beat The World, every Saturday from noon to 2 PM.
As World Music Director and SXSW Music Festival delegate, my focus will be on exploring and discovering local and international artists performing at SXSW Conference and Festivals.
Musically, I have been drawn to electronic, psychedelic, and futuristic sounds from around the world. From this year’s SXSW artist roster, we will be travelling to Germany, Mexico, and Colombia focusing on individual artists, record labels, and official SXSW showcases.
Let’s walk through a “haze of electronic funk” with Germany’s psych beat outfit, Sea Moya, as we listen to previously unreleased tracks from their upcoming 2018 debut album and congratulate them being named “SXSW Artist of the Day”
With a spotlight on artists released on Nacional Records, we continue our trip to Mexico, and discover New-York based singer, songwriter, and producer, Marrón. Dream pop at its best, his solo album etc. will float you up to the clouds.
Finally, we will feature music from the artists performing at globalFEST presents “Global Future” 2018 Official Showcase ,featuring the futuristic sounds of Punjabtronix, Alsarah & The Nubatones, Gato Preto, Combo Chimbita, and Seyi Shay.
Listen to these specially selected discoveries and more on SXSW 2018 on CJLO’s Flat Cola Presents: SXSW 2018, Monday, March 12, 6-7pm EST.
METAL MONDAY: 5 Amazing Metal Bands I Saw in Australia
Back in December, I took a trip to the land down under. I loved almost everything about Australia—the intensely hot weather, the accent, the creative cursing inserted into casual conversation. The only downside was the beer being twice as expensive. I spent most of my time in Melbourne, a city with wide-ranging arts scene. In many ways, it was like the Montreal of Australia. During my time in Melbourne, I was able to check out a handful of shows, where I fell in love with Australian’s heavy scene. Here are my picks of the best Australian metal bands that I saw live.
Prior to my trip, I was obsessed with King Parrot for their unique grind of black and thrash metal, and for their outrageous sense of humour. In many ways, they’re the ambassadors of Australian metal. Despite living on the other side of the planet, they’ve frequently toured in North America, even recording an album with Phil Anselmo. I’ve seen them twice before in Montreal and Toronto, but I was usually the only one at the front singing along. So it was a completely different experience being able to see them in the hometown, in a packed venue with hundreds of fans singing along. They mostly played songs from their third album Ugly Produce, which they had released a month before, but at one point, they broke out a cover of AC/DC in honour of the late Malcom Young. It was truly a magical night and I still won’t shut up about it.
Opening up for King Parrot, was a darkened hardcore band called Pagan. I hadn’t listened to them before, but I was completely taken by surprise. I was in awe of the stage presence of their singer Nikola Elizabeth, who couldn’t stand still for a second and resorted to jumping and kicking the air. Her energy was infectious, not to mention she had a gnarly growl. I suspect that she and her other bandmates have some Italian blood. Perhaps I got the impression from their song “Luigi Cherubini.”
The next day, I attended an all-day festival featuring a wide variety of sludge, doom and psych bands. I was intrigued by bands with names like Black Jesus and Maggot Bath, but the highlight was seeing Religious Observance. The bassist, Campbell Stephens, organized the festival in honour of the first successful year of his art collective UMAC. His six-member strong band played long doomy songs, without being afraid to delve into the realm of the bizarre. One member was in charge on handling the sample and noise pedals, and somehow manipulated the sound by waving around a knife. Their album Boiling Excrement should give enough indication of their mental state.
I was lucky to be staying on such a trendy street, because two blocks away from the sludge festival was another festival called Loudmouth. The bands playing at Loudmouth were more on the melodic punk side, with Guttermouth headlining. But the band that really stood out from the rest was a trio of headbangers called Cosmic Kahuna. The struck up a conversation with the bassists (why are bassists always the most approachable ones?) who described his sound has a mix of surf and Aussie-brand skate punk. But after seeing their performance, I’d describe it as surf riffs sped up to thrash metal speeds.
This band was very strange. It was like staring at something incomprehensible, yet being unable to look away. For starters, the frontman wore a Leatherface-esque mask, would scream into a microphone and fumble with noise pedals with one hand and in the other hand, he held a light, shining it in every direction. The light was blindingly bright, so I had to strategically stand behind a taller person to partially block my view of the stage. They didn’t use guitars at all, instead one guy would repeatedly wack a springboard box with a stick, which generated a guitar-like sound. The drummer would tie the noise together, alternating between cool jams and blast beats whilst pig squealing. They recently released their second album in January. Listen if you dare.
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