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Witch + Earthless
Ah, Earthless, the perfect soundtrack for a frigid February night. All precise, pummeling, instrumental rock, erring more on the bong hit rather than acid trip side of psychedelic. Trekking out to see them somewhere in the wilds of Brooklyn in 2007 is one of my fondest memories from that year's CMJ festival, and I knew that if this show would be anything like that one, I was in for a treat. The night before that CMJ showcase, guitarist Isaiah Mitchell somehow seriously damaged his wrist, and yet the band still played a blistering, unbroken 45 minute set, his bandage slowly unraveling all the while. That dedication to their craft, as well as their incredible musicianship left me extremely impressed that night, and I was not to be dismayed again here in Montreal.
Now, I believe that in order to be a great instrumental band, you have to work twice as hard as any band with a vocalist. After all, it's easy to distract people away from poor song structure and instrumentation with antics, banter and lyrics... any lyrics, even bad ones. With instrumental bands, however, the music stands alone. Holding the attention of a crowd can be difficult unless you're very skilled, so most fledgling bands should be prepared to soundtrack their audience's conversations, beer runs and bathroom breaks. It takes extraordinary musical craftsmanship to keep a crowd glued to their spot, and Earthless had the room doing just that. They played on endlessly, seamlessly blending together songs into one continuous track that ebbed and flowed and eddied out, only to rush back with a roar. One would think that after 45 minutes, non-stop, it might lose some appeal, and yet the prodigious display of skill onstage is riveting.
They lost me briefly during an extended jam, (with drummer Mario Rubalcaba trying to rein the guitarists in and back on track on a couple of occasions to no avail), but despite that thankfully relatively shortlived bout of wankery, they were as tight and on target as possible. Earthless is not a band for everyone. Their bluesy, ponderous, psych-inspired rock doesn't appeal to all, but if you like heavy music, this threesome strips it down to its barest bones with surgical precision, and that's mastery all music lovers can understand.
Up next was New England's Witch. Having seen them on two previous occasions all the way back in 2006, once supporting the mythical Blue Cheer here in Montreal, and shortly thereafter with Teeth of the Hydra at CMJ in New York City, I was looking forward to a rematch after all these years. I couldn't wait to hear my old favorites from their first self-titled record, and get an introduction to their latest album, which I have managed to avoid since its release. "It's really not that good," I had been told, over and over, and knowing that some stuff sounds better live than on record, I decided that going in fresh was perhaps the best way to try the new material on for size.
From what I gathered, Witch's new stuff is a pretty radical departure from their debut album, and I was unhappily surprised to discover that the band has matched their live sound to the new record. While the first album deftly tapped into the sound and atmosphere of a funeral dirge signaling the end of the Flower Power movement, the new songs have lost a lot of fuzz in favor of fast, messy, angry execution. I was surprised to hear a song or two even dipping into rolling punk rock beats, undoubtedly comfortable Dinosaur Jr. territory for J. Mascis on drums, but not the vibe suited to the much-loved tracks from the first album. Earlier songs that once swelled and sprawled under soaring elfin vocals are now filtered through a layer of grit and rage, and lead singer Kyle Thomas' once sweet, haunting Bolan-esque vocals have been replaced with grating, strident shrieks. On their own, the new songs are probably not that bad, but when you show up expecting to hear Black Sabbath, and get Black Flag instead, you're either going to get your mind blown, or go home disappointed, and I think a lot of fans of the band's first release aren't cleaving to the new album for just that reason. Similarly, I left disappointed that night, if only because what I once knew as a rare, shining diamond of throwback psychedelic drone has morphed into just another generic rock band. That said, the band's last song that night was the mighty “Seer”, the standout track from the first record. That one last taste somewhat sweetened the otherwise bitter quality of that performance... it was a final reminder of just how good it once was.
Finally, the CJLO magazine has been subjected to a lot of bitching on my behalf about Les Saints, and while I could mention the abominable state of the venue, which is steadily sliding from upscale rock club to dive bar (seriously, I dig the fancy fountain sink in the women's washroom, but it'd be even nicer if it, you know, worked), I will mention that I had a really pleasant time that night. The staff is always very polite and courteous, and for the first time in a long time, so was the crowd. Of course, doom/drone shows are always the best for that kind of thing, since at these sausage fests overt appreciation of the music beyond head-nodding is generally non-existent. Oh, and girls, if your ideal man is long-haired and/or bearded and/or flannel clad, there are some good pickings at these shows, as the lovely Steph from Twee Time will attest to... "So this is where all the hot guys are!" The music ain't that bad, either.
Underoath + Norma Jean +Innerpartysystem
Call me an old fogey, but I’ve been attending hardcore and pseudo-hardcore shows for close to a decade, spent many sweaty nights at L’X and Café L’Inco during my time, and have come to watch the scene somewhat closely, and during that time, I’ve noticed the degeneration of “the scene” (as the kids refer to it as) into a muddled mess of wayward children who care more about their bandanas and cool kicks (often looking like a terrible biker gang than true fans of the music they’re there to listen to.) Although this has been happening for years, Thursday night served as a reminder of the disintegration of a once-enjoyable genre of music ruined by the idiocy of the majority of the current fan base, much like how I believe that modern prog rock (think Dream Theater and Tool) is ruined by the rabid, crazed fanbase.
The thing is, though, that every scene goes through the same transformation and degradation that leads to an eventual downward spiral of generic
Things, though, started off rather serenely as the first band of the evening hit the stage of Club Soda promptly at 7. Innerpartysystem, the quartet hailing from Pennsylvania, surrounded themselves with a dizzying array of lights and toys and gave a set that wasn’t entirely un-enjoyable.
Coming out and playing the first two tracks off of their self-titled debut LP, the band was all flash and some substance, as a markedly complex light show was undertaking, bathing the audience (and most of the band, save for drummer Jared Piccone, who spent most of the night in darkness) and sometimes inundating the senses to the point of sensory overload. Their half-hour set was marked with intense electronic interludes, drowned-out vocals and missed marks.
Singer Patrick Nissley (the band’s primary songwriter) seemed to have taken notes while watching And All That Could’ve Been, as his stage persona was a clone of a watered-down Trent Reznor, clutching the microphone as if falling off a cliff and swinging the mic stand with vigour, at times.
The band’s mix of electronics (comprised of a bevy of keyboards and drum machines) and live instrumentation (in particular Piccone’s great tone, which added an edge that is largely absent on the band’s self-titled outing) came off well, although a little too well planned-out and theatrical to be considered a fully live show.
Having seen Norma Jean in a live setting numerous times, I have to admit that their move towards a more melodic direction left the audience (who largely identifies with their chugga-chugga-Botch-loving persona) rather confused. Everything was okay during set-opener (and first single from their newest album, The Anti Mother) “Robots 3, Humans 0” (which had the audience singing along, even as singer Cory Brandan Putman’s mic suffered numerous technical difficulties) and onwards as selections from both 2005’s O God, the Aftermath and 2006’s Redeemer kept the crowd moving. In the middle of the half-hour set, the band launched into their pseudo-signature song “Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste” off of their 2002 initial LP Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child. The response was near-euphoric as most of the floor of Club Soda surged back and forth, and a battalion of hardcore dancers did their thing, catching butterflies and pounding the pavement in time to the breakdowns that mark the song.
Unfortunately, though, the band followed that up with the lead-off track off of The Anti Mother, “Vipers, Snakes, and Actors”, a song whose (relative, for the band) musical complexity confused the kids who would hardcore dance and then abruptly stop as the band switched gears towards a slower downturn. Much of the crowd was unsure how to react to such a composition that found itself switching time-signatures and go from balls-out hardcore to quiet, introspective verses, but points go towards the band’s adventurous new direction, as they carry with it a “damned if they do, damned if they don’t” predilection: how do you branch out into something new without totally fucking over your fanbase? I think the answer is gradually, as the band managed to slip in some different moments in-between breakdowns. They closed off their set with an awesome rendition of “Bayonetwork” (interspersed with some of Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child track “Creating Something Out Of Nothing, Only To Destroy It”). The entire club helped the band chant the now-familiar refrain of “like bringing a gun to a knife fight” until the entire band stood still, a wall of feedback washing over the audience.
I’ll be upfront: I’ve always had a problem with Underoath. Apart from the clean vocals by drummer Aaron Gillespie, a lot of the band’s catalogue sounds entirely identical to me. A friend who had accompanied me to the show had remarked that apart from a mini drum-solo, a lot of the instrumentation was rhythmic in nature: there are two guitarists, but they largely mimic each other. There is no interplay in-between the six-stringers and very little lead guitarwork being displayed, and the same can be said of the rest of the band, musically: solid rhythmic work that strays very little from its original concept. Don’t get me wrong: I happen to think that they have a good song (yes, singular), but the song marked by a sameness that brings the compositions down. I honestly can barely tell any of it apart, and I’ve tried numerous times to get into this band.
The band brought with them an impressive collection of videos that served as both interludes and driving points of the set, as they kicked things off with a spooky video featuring a post-apocalyptic encounter in-between two people before launching into “Breathing In A New Mentality”, the lead-off track from newest effort Lost In The Sound Of Separation. From then onwards, the band’s hour-plus set featured great audio-visual elements that offset the bland nature of the parade of songs played. A lot of the audience seemed to be really into them, though, as lips moved along with every word screamed.
I can see the appeal of a band like Underoath, but was largely left unimpressed by their set, which seemed satisfying on a very basic level but the lack of the band’s ability to diversify left me rather empty otherwise.
Lamb of God + Children of Bodom
On April 17th I threw on my well worn, black t-shirt bearing a lightning bolt down the front -a shirt that has survived countless brutal slams in the pit and has been soaked in buckets of other people’s sloppily spilt beer. Wearing this shirt out could only mean one thing: I was going to a metal show.
I shimmied my way through tons of metal fans and eventually planted myself by the stairs at CEPSUM. Sitting by the stairs during the show would allow me to witness numerous people tripping and sometimes falling while they attempted to navigate through the darkness as they traveled up or down said stairs, often juggling a few beers to boot. Note to CEPSUM: light the stairs better. More importantly, this spot also allowed me to witness a truly fantastic metal concert. A concert that would showcase old and new personal favorites including Children of Bodom and of course the headliners, Lamb of God.
Finland's Children of Bodom played right before Lamb of God did and paid great homage to their loyal Montreal fans saying (in broken French), “Yesterday we played in Toronto. But we think you’re a better crowd, right?” This was followed by a sea of horns and intense cheering, of course. Also, they continuously told the crowd to, “make some noise” and “drink it up,” adding in an impressive amount of expletives while doing so...perhaps the most I’ve heard from any one band.
The band played almost ten songs –a large set for an opener, which put the fans into a frenzy. Suffice to say that crowd surfing, moshing and cheering were in abundance. During their set they played several crowd favorites including “Hellhounds On My Tail”, “Bodom Beach Terror”, “Blood Drunk” and “In Your Face”. However, “In Your Face” was played in a tempo that was a bit too fast for my taste, but this may have been an intentional means to pump up the audience. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Additionally, COB’s set was rife with audio samples, creating edgy introductions to their songs. A particular favorite was extracted from cult classic film American Psycho. The oft quoted, sadistic lines uttered by Patrick Bateman are as follows, “All I have in common with the uncontrollable and the insane, the vicious and the evil, all the mayhem I have caused and my utter indifference toward it, I have now surpassed. My pain is constant and sharp and I do not hope for a better world for anyone, in fact I want my pain to be inflicted on others” …intense.
Richmond, Virginia’s Lamb of God, on tour promoting their February-released, sixth studio album Wrath, took the stage and played a few more than a dozen songs. The third song they played, “Walk With Me In Hell,” off their 2006 release Sacrament, compelled loads of fans to jolt out of their seats and into the pit. Other crowd pleasers included: “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For”, “Ruin” and “Laid to Rest”, which the band introduced by saying, “You may have heard some shitty version of it in a video game.” (That video game being, Guitar Hero II.)
Like Children of Bodom, Lamb of God appeared to vibe off Montreal’s audience quite well. “This has been a great way to end our Canadian tour. You are singing louder than anyone else. Did you have a good night with Lamb of God tonight?” They also dedicated one of their songs to “everyone (they) drank a beer with at Foufounes.” This was a sure way to connect with the audience, whose vast majority, I can safely assume, has at least once or twice ambled through the bar’s iconic, giant-spider gate.
For their last song, Lamb of God asked for a circle pit. Montreal fans responded by immediately flooding the floor at CEPSUM, erupting into a mass of black t-shirted bodies, flowing in a counter-clockwise motion. The friends I was with yanked me down the flight of stairs I had seen so many people stumble on, and into the screaming, vibrating, electrical current of the pit. It was there that my lighting bolt t-shirt got drenched in other people’s beer and other people’s sweat. If the music hadn’t yet convinced me that I was at an excellent metal show, it was this.
Testament + Unearth
On May 21st, seasoned metal veterans Testament played to a packed crowd at Metropolis, with openers Unearth. Watching a band with such a massive and age-diverse fan-base could only be compared to being devoured by a giant whale. In the belly of the pit, I weathered a sea of sloshing and moshing, horn-bearing metal fans. It was a rocky ride, and I was tossed about relentlessly amongst wave after wave of crowd-surfing, moshing, diving, spinning, kicking, punching, pushing, circling, and any other kind of enthused metal outburst. Yet I survived to tell the tale, like some old, half-mad sailor too sun-drunk and dry-mouthed to properly convey a story. However, I’ll try.
While waiting for the show to begin, Metropolis’ speakers began booming out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” This song reminds me of two things. One, the season finale of The Sopranos, which I was NOT disappointed by, and two, riding in a car in a small, Italian town called Ripi. Vincenzo (of the family I stayed with) only kept a Journey tape in his car, which is what I listened to repeatedly, as he drove through lush mountainsides, and through the town’s dusty markets and cobbled stone. But I digress. While this song is obviously near and dear to me, the fans at Metropolis did not seem to take as kindly to it, flooding the venue with “Boos.”
Boston’s Unearth opened the show with an instantly intense set, yelling, “Let’s get fuckin crazy,” and releasing a flurry of double-kick drumming so thunderous it might have made the Norse god Thor jealous.
The band was promoting their fourth studio album, The March, which was released on my birthday, October 14th of last year. The album is conceptual, exploring the evil and hopeful aspects of human nature. They played several songs featured on The March, including “Crow Killer” and “We Are Not Anonymous.” Unearth also payed homage to headliners Testament by dedicating a song to them, reminding the audience of the band’s twenty plus years of experience. They closed their set with “Black Hearts Now Reign,” a hit off their celebrated 2004 album, The Oncoming Storm.
During the break, I could not help but notice a few bewildered stares coming my way. It was at that point that I looked down and realized that I, foolishly, was wearing a red and white striped t-shirt. Little had I known that for a great portion of the show, people had surely been playing ‘Where’s Waldo?’ with me, as I was surrounded only by black shirts, and maybe a few dark grey ones. This was a tad embarassing, to say the least. Again, I digress.
Soon enough Testament’s stage backdrop was set up. It bore an image that was a sort of Romantic-style painting, depicting angels bearing swords. It’s easy to parallel images of angels and their swords with musicians and their instruments. At least, it’s easy to do at a metal show. Musicians like Testament take the stage as though it were a battle ground, and mercilessly give it everything they’ve got. This is especially impressive considering the fact they’ve been around since before I was born.
The California based band, is promoting, The Formation of Damnation, their ninth studio album, which was released April 29, 2008. They played many crowd favroites, including “Over the Wall” and “Absence of Light” as well as many songs off their new album, such as, “The Formation of Damnation,” and “More Than Meets The Eye.”
Testament’s set was solid. Chuck Billy’s vocals boomed out from under his full-head of long, curly hair, and Alex Skolnick artfully made his golden guitar wail along. It was the kind of tight set that one could only expect from a band thats been around since 1983. However, as I mentioned earlier, what surprised me was the constant level of energy and enthusiasm for their music that this band has maintained. A real testament to their character (sorry, I’ve been pun-crazy lately).
CJLO Comic Review Roundup: Vol. 2
So maybe this one was a little late, but late is frequently better than never (and lets be honest here...late releases are something comic readers should be used to right now.) To make it up to you though, not only have we got some reviews of some of the best comic books to land in the month of February (New Avengers #50 and Eternals #8) from some of CJLO's best and brightest comic dorks, but we also have we have the hilariously jaded debut of "THIS MONTH IN THE X-VERSE!" That's right, curious what the X-Men were up to this month? ALL of them? Wanna know if Wolverine finally had that nose picking accident everyone knows is coming? Wanna see if Jean Grey finally came back from the dead for the 8th time? Wanna know what mutant was senselessly killed for shock value THIS time? Then read on...
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE READING:
1. There was a Civil War amongst the Heroes that divided them into two factions.
a. Registered Heroes recognized by the US government - Mighty Avengers
b. Non-Registered Heroes, considered outlaws – New Avengers
2. Captain America was the head of the Non-registration movement. He decided to turn himself in. On the day of his court appearance he was assassinated.
3. Tony Stark aka Iron Man felt responsible for the death of Captain America, since he was the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. and pushed for the registration act.
4. In a moment of insanity the Scarlet Witch caused the near extinction of the mutant population. She has since gone into hiding. At this time there are less than 200 mutants left on earth.
5. As head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony Stark and others organized the Avengers Initiative to place a super hero team in every State in America. 6.Bucky (Captain America’s Sidekick) took the mantle of Captain America in the absence of Steve Rogers.
7. The Skrulls (an alien race with the ability to shape shift and imitate superpowers) infiltrated every major team in the Marvel universe. They also used the Avengers Initiative to make sure they had an agent on every team.
8. Norman Osborn (A.K.A. The Green Goblin) was made head of the Thunderbolts. Under his command, the team became a group of ruthless monsters.
9. When the Skrulls made their move, everyone in the Marvel Universe joined together to fight them off. The new Captain America, Thor and Iron Man all came together and gave everyone hope.
10. Norman Osborn made the kill shot that took the life of the Skrull Queen. He has since been named the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. replacing Iron Man. As the new head, he renamed the operation to H.A.M.M.E.R.
11. Viewed as a miracle by some, a mutant baby was born following the Scarlet Witch’s decimation of the mutant population. A war was then launched between the X-Men, the anti-mutant Purifiers and the villainous Marauders for control of the baby who eventually ended up jumping into the future with Cable for her own protection.
12. The X-Mansion in New York, home to the X-Men since their inception, was destroyed by rogue Sentinel robots. Rather than rebuild on the same spot, the team decided to start over across the country in San Francisco.
Got it? Good. Lets go...
New Avengers #50
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by too many guys to name (but they’re all good.)
I loved New Avengers this week; the fiftieth oversized issue rocked in almost every way. I’m going to get my one complaint out of the way first and then I’ll lavish it with praise. The cover of the book showed the New Avengers fighting the Dark Avengers and I was really hoping that’s what we’d get in this book, instead we got the NA vs the Hood’s army which would have been a total let down if the fight scenes weren’t drawn and handled in such a creative way. Now that the small complain is out of the way, on to the good stuff. First, the book is hilarious. The opening pages with the NA watching Osborn’s press conference where he revealed the Dark Avengers has some great back and forth dialogue that really showed off some of Bendis’ strength as a writer. Aside from that pretty much the entire book is a giant fight scene, the really neat part of it is that each page focuses on a member of the Avengers and is drawn by an artist closely associated with that character, David Aja for Iron Fist, Gaydos for Luke Cage, Maleev for Spider-Woman and more. It was a great effect and really was a nice way to highlight each of the members as a worthwhile addition to the team. Finally at the end of the issue Ronin goes on the news and tells everyone that the members of Dark Avengers are just a bunch of assassins, murderers and criminals. I like that Ronin/Clint/Hawkeye seems to be stepping up as the leader of the New Avengers, it’s a very strong team where there could easily be any number of people stepping up in charge, but Clint has always been someone I’ve liked so it’s nice to see him in charge of an A-Level team.
This was the first real outing for the New Avengers after Secret Invasion and this issue went a long way to solidifying them as a team to be reckoned with, they don’t have the firepower of the Dark or Mighty Avengers but they’ve got more “real” heroes and that’s what the current Marvel universe needs right now. I’m solidly behind this team when before Secret Invasion I couldn’t care less about them, starting next issue they’re going to be answering some questions about Dr. Strange and who the new Sorcerer Supreme is going to be so I’m definitely on board for at least one more arc, but if it keeps being this good I’m in for the long haul. If you ever had an urge to read the Avengers at all this is a great time to jump on.
-Ryan Closs
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Eternals #8
Written by Charles and Daniel Knauff
Art by Eric Nguyen and Sara Pichelli
The new run of the Eternals by the Knauffs was slow to start and I think it’s because there was a lot of character development, most of which was already covered in the Neil Gaiman/John Romita Jr. mini-series. I guess if you are going to have people reading the new run of Eternals from issue #1, they have to feel like they’re starting it from the beginning. Now in its 8th issue, the story has reached a sort of climax.
Before that a quick look at the last seven issues: The Eternals are divided into two sides; heroes and villains, however there is a third side that is somewhat ambiguous. Ikaris comes across as our main hero, the one who has to make the hard decisions and one decision is to leave the fold of the heroes and attack the villains (a treaty was made in which neither side would attack unless provoked). Both sides have been spending all their time thus far recruiting other Eternals to strengthen their sides. The story comes across like the US and USSR cold war, where you stockpile weapons that you won’t be using. Most Eternals have been in mortal form and cannot remember their past. Druig (head of the villains) has been recruiting members at a much faster rate than the heroes. Ikaris has decided that this is not acceptable and breaks his ties from Zuras (head of the heroes) so that Zuras is not responsible for the act of war. The Celestial (a member of the gods who gave the Eternals their powers) has been communicating to the Eternals through the hero Makkari. However the Celestials have always spoken through the chosen one Ajax, this has created a rift between the two men. Ajax has been acting on his own and although he is a hero we can see that jealousy is getting the best of him. In the mean time Makkari has been informed of the imminent attack by the Horde (an external enemy that has to be dealt with).
Now in issue 8, Ikaris has contacted the X-Men and they are helping him attack Druig and his team of miscreants. The issue is another one of those all out battle issues where it’s mostly just people punching people and not much story to it. For me this works; we’re in issue 8 and finally we’re moving past character development and the lines of division between good and evil. I’m happy to see an aggressive story and it’s always nice to see the X-Men make a cameo. Some might say that the issue doesn’t move the story forward much because you could cover a battle in a two page spread and be done with it but after the progression of the last seven issues I think this was needed. Ikaris gets to let off some steam and was smart enough to not make it fall back on Zuras’ shoulders. Also the build up so far always seemed to be more about the Horde. No matter what had happened thus far, both sides would have to join forces to face something like the Horde. Going into the end of the arc, I’m excited to see how the Knauff’s will handle it all.
I know it hasn’t been easy for the Knauff’s to fill the big shoes of writer Neil Gaiman, or live up to the likes of legend Jack Kirby (who created the characters.) However going into their eighth issue we can see they’re doing it. Taking up from where Gaiman left off in his mini-series, Charles and Daniel have been telling an updated story of the Eternals that isn’t half bad. I’ve mentioned it could be a little faster paced but that’s from the perspective of someone who read the mini-series right before this current run. If you only jumped in for the current run I could see how the development is important.
-Doc Holidae
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February was an interesting month for Marvel’s Merry Mutants as the new status quo they received (courtesy of last year’s smash crossover Messiah CompleX) pushed forward into some new but ultimately familiar directions.
Starting in the X-Verse’s “badasses with guns department,” this month brought us the continuing adventures of Cable, Deadpool and saw the beginning of a new mini for that former X-Man everyone loves to hate, Bishop. Over in Cable #11 we find good ol’ Nathan Dayspring Askani-Son Blend-O-Matic Summers (say THAT three times fast) and the newly named seven year-old Mutant Messiah Hope Summers in some pretty dire straits. Since their time machine broke waaayyy back at the start of the series (issue 5 or so), these two have only been able to jump FORWARD in time in order to evade their would-be assassin, good-cop turned crazy mother fucker Lucas Bishop. So that’s just what they keep doing…except guess what? They eventually run out of habitable Earth to bounce back to. That’s right kids; humanity messes up SO badly Cable and Hope end up in a barren wasteland that used to be Connecticut with no food, water or shelter to speak of. Now, you’d think such a messed up situation wouldn’t be conducive to some of the most heartwarming graphic fiction I’ve read in a while…but you would be wrong. It’s clear that these two have grown to love each other as a father would love a daughter and vice versa, and while the scenario of “Bad Ass Future Cop turned Baby Sitter” seemed a little off-putting and downright cliché at the start of this series, it’s clear with this issue that all of his appearances leading up to now and all of the changes in character and status that came along with them were just a precursor to “Dad” Cable, and I couldn’t be happier with it. Except guess what…at the end, Cable passes out, leaving Hope alone for the first time in her life. DRAMA!
Over in Deadpool #7, the miraculous return of BOB AGENT OF HYDRA! One of, if not the best character introduced in the now defunct Cable and Deadpool series, Bob arrives just in the nick of time to try and rescue his one time pal Deadpool from the clutches of the adorably cliché Tiger Shark but end up getting strangled under water. It’s okay though, as it turns out he wasn’t really getting choked because both him and Tiger Shark are both working for current uber -villain of the month Norman Osborn to kill Deadpool so he won’t reveal the fact that Deadpool was the one who discovered how to kill the Skrull Queen which Norman is now famous for doing because he totally punked Deadpool AND Nick Fury to get that intel. OH NOES! It’s okay though, like all issues of Deadpool, this one ended with a lot of people bleeding and Wade threatening someone and it was just magnificent to behold. This is easily one of the best books Marvel puts out now, if not the funniest one not written by Bendis.
For those of you unfamiliar with the character, The Life and Times of Lucas Bishop #1 is a great place to get your Bishop fix as we’re brought back up to date with the character’s history and current status quo. With all the somewhat radical changes made to the character in the wake of Messiah Complex (remember all that talk about killing babies over in Cable? Yeah, that’s new), it’s nice to see Marvel and writer Duane Swierczyinski justifying those changes and making them make sense within Bishop’s past continuity. Does that mean’s I’m happy about the changes? No, not really…but at least they’re trying…so kudos to them.
Moving right on into the center of the X-Verse we have the line’s flagship title, Uncanny X-Men. Issue #506 landed this month brought us the continuing adventures of “THE SCIENCE TEAM.” You wouldn’t think an entire team of mutant scientists would be traveling to a deserted island and fighting giant crab monsters and dragons right? Yeah, me neither, but apparently shit like that actually happens (to the extent anything in a comic book can actually happen.) Also in the book is Colossus bashing heads (and finally being less emo...much to this fan’s delight), a whole bunch of prostitutes and Emma Frost being a baaaaaad girl. Not bad for a book kids will be reading for the two panels Wolverine’s in it, right?
Speaking of Wolverine, while he’s not busy being in every book Marvel puts out, he also has the pleasure of helming his own ongoing series’ (that’s right…plural) as well. While the main Wolverine title didn’t make it onto shelves this month, Wolverine Origins #33 sure did, and boy is it a whopper. Something I’ve always loved about Wolverine is his DEEP history, and I was glad to see the series that was established exclusively to explore that history ACTUALLY, ya know, discuss Logan’s history instead of having him stab a bunch of guys and get drunk like every other appearance he makes. Now, having said that, the developments made in this issue are still confusing as hell, but you can’t argue with that cliffhanger. Speaking of cliffhangers AND Wolverine, over in X-Force #12 we saw the first part of the “Suicide Leper” arc that looks to prominently include…wait for it…apparent mutant suicide AND a character called “The Leper Queen.” Make no mistake though, this is easily the most action oriented and spy drama-esque title the X-Office puts out and month in and month out I am consistently surprised by what writers Craig Kyle and Chris Yost throw at this team and subsequently at the fictional world of the Marvel Universe. I know Wolverine is supposed to be the flagship character that all the kiddies like, but despite his inclusion in this series, NO child under the age of 14 should be reading it…there may not be any boobs or swearing…but my God…so much death…
Before we move into boreville with this month’s X-Duds, we have to run through what is easily the best comic I read every month: X-Factor. As with last issue, writer Peter David has asked that reviews NOT spoil what happens in this issue, but I will say this: never did I ever expect to receive such a well formulated and heart-rending analysis of what it means to be alive on this earth from a comic book prominently featuring a character called “Madrox the Multiple Man.” If you’re a fan of mutants, comics, fine literature and to an extent, toilet humour (though not so much this issue…but normally), you need to be buying this book.
Which brings us to boreville and Young X-Men #11 and X-Men Legacy #221. While I absolutely loved the precursor series to Young X-Men (the similarly titled New X-Men), this new attempt at showcasing the younger mutants in Marvel’s pantheon has thus far fallen flat and in the wake of the announcement of its cancellation I am left to wonder how the hell they are going to reasonably wrap up all the plot threads they started with one more issue. My assumption now is that they won’t and I may have effectively just wasted 36 dollars reading a character named “Ink” who gets his powers from his tattoos and likes to use words like “cuzzin,” but this IS Marc Guggenheim writing…so he may still pull it off. Then again, the once mighty Mike Carey, whose X-Men was at the top of my reading pile just two years ago, has not been able to keep me entertained with X-Men Legacy in months. While a story focusing on Professor Xavier exploring the history of the X-Men Universe attempting to reclaim his lost memory is an okay enough idea for a story arc or two…but we’re getting to a year of this already and I just don’t care anymore. I was never that much of a Charlie Xavier fan myself, and this series does nothing to change my mind. “Uh Oh! Rogue’s in trouble! Let’s go climb a mountain Gambit! Hoowah!” Pass.
That just about wraps up the February adventures of those with an X-Gene (and their friends.) Next month looks pretty exciting as Deadpool goes toe to toe with the Thunderbolts, X-Force gets thrown into the future to save a baby and meets a seven year-old with a plasma rifle and a half-dead son of Cyclops and Wolverine’s illegitimate son makes his old man’s life even worse. Will these stories deliver? Probably. Will I lose a lot of hard earned money finding out? Yup.
See you in thirty.
-Josh Mocle
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For more comic-y goodness, tune into Comic Book Talk on The Phantastic Cypha, every Friday at 11:45PM and The Onomatopoeia Show every Sunday from 3PM – 4PM. As always, a big thank you to Arune Singh and everyone over at Marvel Comics for showing us love and giving us the good stuff to read every Wednesday.
CJLO Comic Review Roundup: Vol. 1
Every Wednesday, CJLO's resident comic dorks bring you the best in whats new and good in the world of comic books. However, since this is our first feature, we figured we'd throw you a bone with a ten point breakdown of the Marvel Comics Universe circa 2009 that may be necessary to understand some of the finer points of our rants...so, without further ado..
1. There was a Civil War amongst the Heroes that divided them into two factions.
a. Registered Heroes recognized by the US government - Mighty Avengers
b. Non-Registered Heroes, considered outlaws – New Avengers
2. Captain America was the head of the Non-registration movement. He decided to turn himself in. On the day of his court appearance he was assassinated.
3. Tony Stark aka Iron Man felt responsible for the death of Captain America, since he was the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. and pushed for the registration act.
4. In a moment of insanity the Scarlett Witch caused the near extinction of the mutant population. She has since gone into hiding. At this time there are less than 200 mutants left on earth.
5. As head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony Stark and others organized the Avengers Initiative. An initiative to place a super hero team in every State in America.
6.Bucky (Captain America’s Sidekick) took the mantle of Captain America in the absence of Steve Rogers.
7. The Skrulls (an alien race with the ability to shape shift and imitate superpowers) infiltrated every major team in the Marvel universe. They also used the Avengers Initiative to make sure they had an agent on every team.
8. Norman Osborn (A.K.A. The Green Goblin) was made head of the Thunderbolts. Under his command, the team became a group of ruthless monsters.
9. When the Skrulls made their move, everyone in the Marvel Universe joined together to fight them off. The new Captain America, Thor and Iron Man all came together and gave everyone hope.
10. Norman Osborn made the kill shot that took the life of the Skrull Queen. He has since been named the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. replacing Iron Man. As the new head, he renamed the operation to H.A.M.M.E.R.
Got it? Good. Lets go...
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Dark Avengers #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis / Art by Mike Deodato Jr, Rain Beredo and Cory Petit
The Skrull invasion has been stopped and when the smoke cleared Norman Osborn, better known as the villainous Green Goblin, stood as a hero. Taking into consideration what he’s done with the Thunderbolts, he has been named the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage Logistics Directorate.) His first course of action is to name his right hand woman, Ms. Victoria Hand. His next move, to create his new Avengers team, is met with resistance from longtime hero Ms. Marvel. Sadly, not all the Mighty Avengers have an issue with Norman as the new head of the U.S. recognized team. Both Sentry and Ares join Norman and are even willing to go after Ms. Marvel when she storms out of the Avengers Tower. As the issue goes on we see Bullseye (long time Daredevil villain) take the name Hawkeye, Venom (long time Spider-man villain) take the name Spider-Man and some somewhat unknown Marvel characters take on the mantles of Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and Wolverine. With a little help, Norman discovers numerous Iron Man armors and paints one with a Red, White and Blue colour scheme to become the Iron Patriot.
Brian Michael Bendis did a decent job with all the titles he wrote in 2008. The Skrull Invasion being such a big part of the Marvel Universe, a lot of the weight for its success was on his shoulders and he carried it well. I admit I was never the strongest supporter of another major Marvel crossover so soon after Civil War and World War Hulk, nor did I like the use of the Mighty Avengers and New Avengers titles being used as footnotes to the Secret Invasion mini-series. However, Brian taking charge with this title is looking to be pretty positive. So far the characters he’s going to be working with are very good. Having villains and heroes working together to represent the a government sanctioned team is going to be a tricky one to write but I think if he could handle pretty much running the entire Marvel Universe for a few months he can write the Dark Avengers title without breaking a sweat. I worry about the use of relative unknowns in the story, with the likes of Noh-Varr, Moonstone and Daken. I can see how using these characters could work with new readers; the characters can be developed and built upon. For someone like me who has been reading the Avengers titles for the past two years, yes I like seeing new blood but I don’t want characters that will need time to give their back story. For example I don’t know anything about Moonstone; I’m not interested in getting to know the character. To me she’s just a place holder until Ms. Marvel comes back to reclaim her name. However in the grand scheme of things she has a story that will probably need telling. What it all comes down to is; I’m a pessimist when it comes to new characters in good comics, but technically this is a whole new title altogether and like I said before with Brian Michael Bendis writing, it’s going to be a good run.
Mighty Avengers #21
Written by Dan Slott / Art by Khoi Pham, Allen Martinez, Danny Miki and Jason Keith
Coming fresh off the death of Jan Van Dyne aka The Wasp, the Mighty Avengers have been in limbo. Norman Osborn has been off creating his own U.S. sanctioned Mighty Avengers and the New Avengers have pretty much the same roster they had pre-Secret Invasion. This leaves a lot of heroes who survived the Secret Invasion with nowhere to go. This story is centered on the regrouping of a classic Avengers team as Scarlet Witch returns from her self- imposed exile. As she goes around the world looking for figures that represent the spirit of the original Avengers, we find ourselves with a team made up of Hulk, Vision, Hercules, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, US Agent (in place of Captain America), Stature (in place of Giant-Man), Jocasta (an android with the memories of the late Jan Van Dyne) and their leader Wasp (Hank Pym’s new alter ego in honour of his late wife). This is all set to the back drop of a worldwide outbreak of magical madness. The last page introduces us to a villain that should make this arc in the Mighty Avengers very interesting.
What can I say about Dan Slott? I’ve met him in person and he’s really amazing guy. He’s really funny and a very good writer. Unfortunately I haven’t read many Dan Slott titles but the few things that I’ve had the chance to read were great. His run on She-Hulk helped establish the character as she is today. Unfortunately She-Hulk was cancelled but that had nothing to do with his ability to tell a great tale, it had more to do with general acceptance of She-Hulk as a standalone character (and he wasn’t writing the book at the time either.) It’s not easy taking over up the reins of the Mighty Avengers title after all the work Brian Michael Bendis did on the book. However the main thing here is; these aren’t the same characters, the only person returning to the team is Iron Man. When I say returning I mean, returning after the alien invasion of course. I’m looking forward to how everyone will interact, Scarlet Witch is one of the most hated people in the Marvel Universe right now, US Agent is arrogant and the last time I saw Hank Pym and Tony Stark together, Hank was telling Tony off. I think the best thing about this new lineup will be the excessive tension between some of the major characters. Any team with Hulk in the mix is bound to have some problems and I think Dan Slott is ready to tell those stories.
-Doc Holidae
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Ghost Rider #31
Written by Jason Aaron/Art by Tan Eng Huat and Roland Boschi
I've never been a Ghost Rider fan; I always liked the idea of this badass on a bike with a flaming skull using chains and shotguns as weapons. Cool right? Well, no. Every time I took a swig of the flaming Ghost Rider water I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. Recently a new name came on to write the Spirit of Vengeance, one Jason Aaron. This guy is one of, if not the best "new" writer to come on the scene in years. His (independently written series) Scalped is regularly considered one of the best books on the market right now and every arc or mini-series he's done with super heroes has been spectacular. So I decided to jump on a few issues ago and I haven't been disappointed. Ghost Rider apparently is actually a weapon from heaven instead of hell and it looks like he's not the only one anymore. There are Ghost Rider's from around the world that have been getting murdered and now Johnny Blaze, and the remaining few Ghost Riders have to standoff against Danny Ketch (the former American Ghost Rider for those not in the know) who has been killing GRs and absorbing their powers Highlander style. I don't want to give away too much since this is the penultimate issue in the arc, and really I'm just trying to sell you on the series as a whole. The art and writing have both been consistently amazing (and with Tony Moore coming on for an arc, only going to get better.) Jason Aaron has turned GR from some goofy flaming skull to someone with depth and history, he's single-handedly made Johnny Blaze into a compelling character and made the Ghost Rider universe one that I want to stick around in. If you like over-the-top grindhouse style movies, check this out. If you want some supernatural stuff with ghosts, angels and devils? Check this out. Ghost Rider isn't goofy and silly anymore. It's one of the best books Marvel is putting out right now that's not set in space. I can't really recommend you jumping on with this issue but if you wait until issue 33 we'll be finished with this arc and ready to go on some awesome new ride with one of my personal favourite artists Tony Moore handling the art.
-Ryan Closs
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X-Factor #39
Written by Peter David/Art by Valentine DeLandro
I’ve never been one to hide my feelings about things I like, and for the past two years Peter David’s X-Factor has consistently been one of the best comic series I’ve read and have looked forward to it month in and month out. I’ve been a fan of the mutant corner of the Marvel Universe for as long as I can remember and my logic has always been “the more obscure the better.” David is a writer who has long since proven he can take Y and Z List characters and turn them into literary gold; so while you may not be familiar with characters like Multiple Man, Siryn, Darwin, Longshot, Rictor, M and Strong Guy, they’ve sure as hell been written better than Wolverine or Cyclops over the past few years (and given the writers who have worked on the more mainstream mutant titles, that says a lot.) Now the important question you must be asking is why the hell am I padding this review with so much filler? The answer is simple: because Peter David asked me to.
While I (and most regular readers) usually skip over the story recap page at the beginning of Marvel’s books, I always make an effort to check out ones written by Peter David since he is wont to slip in a few nuggets of wisdom and hilarity into even those preliminary pages. However, this issue’s recap page featured a message directly from David urging readers to not, under any means, reveal what occurs in the issue to those who have not read it. While this may seem like a reasonable request, it’s rare that writers actually make it, especially given the tendency of issues to be spoiled before (and after) release these days. However, I choose to honor Mr. David’s wishes, so I won’t be telling you how this issue left me in a state of literary induced shock after I put it down. I also won’t be telling you that David has taken these characters to places no real human should ever have to go. I won’t tell you about how Valentine DeLandro’s art has progressed in leaps and bounds over the last few issues. I won’t reveal just why I kept having to remind myself that this wasn’t the last issue of the series and that somehow the characters will move forward from the events of this issue…but I certainly have no goddamn way how they'll do so. However, what I will tell you is that this issue is an example of serialized drama at its absolute best that leaves you not only with an unshakable case of the chills but an unquenchable desire to find out what happens next.
And THAT is good storytelling.
Thunderbolts #128
Written by Andy Diggle/Art by Roberto De La Torre & Frank Martin
I’m gonna be honest…I’ve been following this series since it’s relaunch in late 2004, including both team changes and new directions that have occurred since then. I’ve always enjoyed the concept of villains attempting to redeem themselves through heroic actions, except somewhere along the way Marvel seemed to forget that that was the POINT of The Thunderbolts as a team and the main draw of the series on the whole. This issue began yet another new direction for the book and for the team that saw an entirely new group of villains assembled into a paramilitary, black ops super human assassination squad without even a hint of heroic intentions put together by the “all-of-a-sudden-a-lot-more-important-than-he-was-three-months-ago” Norman Osborn. You would think that someone who was as much of a fan of the original concept as I was would be pretty appalled by this sudden change in direction…except there’s just one thing standing in the way of that, namely being the fact that the issue is SO FUCKING GOOD (and I REALLY didn’t want to think so too!)
The issue starts off with a bang and a very important celebrity appearance in the form of the newly inaugurated President Barack Obama. You see, as Marvel is currently attempting to line its continuity up to modern pop culture, Obama was ALSO just inaugurated in the Marvel Universe. Yet evidently this occurred AFTER Osborn was given so much power and, to be frank, the new President is unsure whether one man should HAVE as much power and thus orders Osborn to take a little ride in Air Force One with him to plead his case. However, on board the plan we learn that Obama has been consulting with the Marvel Universe’s resident super-hero shrink, Dr. Leonard Samson, who believes that not only should Osborn not be in the position he is in, but he should not even be walking the streets. More importantly, Samson also possessed video surveillance footage of Osborn having a mental breakdown, reclaiming his Green Goblin persona and killing multiple U.S. security officers (an event seen by the readers just a few issues prior.) However, before Samson has an opportunity to play this footage, Osborn makes his move and engages the Thunderbolts who had stowed away on the plane. What followed is probably one of the most well orchestrated, fictional snatch and grabs seen since Oceans 11 (the original Rat Pack version…not that George Clooney garbage.) While I’ll save the gritty details for you to discover, I will say that Diggle seems to have a great handle on the characters he chose for this team (the ones I was familiar with anyway…though the ones I was reading for the first time are pretty compelling already) and the art, while muddy in some places, was consistently good throughout. As for the cliffhanger ending that will certainly have ME reading the next issue (and is already kinda spoiled by the advance solicitations)? All I can say is “wait…you aren’t supposed to be there, you!”
-Josh Mocle
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For more comic-y goodness, tune into Comic Book Talk on The Phantastic Cypha, every Friday at 11:45PM and The Onomatopoeia Show every Sunday from 3PM – 4PM. As always, a big thank you to Arune Singh and everyone over at Marvel Comics for showing us love and giving us the good stuff to read every Wednesday.
Mastodon: A Condensed History
In anticipation of the mighty Mastodon returning to Montreal this May (brought to you in part by none other than CJLO RADIO), our very own harbinger of doom Brian Hastie (host of Countdown to Armaggedon) has laid down a little history lesson for those poor, unfortunate souls unfamiliar with the band's vibrant, nine year history. Read on...
The name Mastodon evokes images of a large, powerful beast lumbering through a wooded area to most. I should know – I informally polled friends and family and all seemed to reach a similar conclusion. So it seems fitting that a band with such an image-intensive name should come across as strongly as their name invokes, a muscular attack that's short on pauses and long on a crushing wall of cascading sound that's lasted through four very distinct records.
Before Mastodon, though, there existed only four members of diverse backgrounds, toiling away in regionally-successful bands and hoping for more before the cosmos aligned and allowed them to join forces. Despite its band members being unpretentious, down-to-earth fellows (as is demonstrated by countless interviews as well as their Workhorse Chronicles DVD), Mastodon's high-brow take on the cosmos is ingrained within much of the band's work, specifically highlighted in their most recent outing, 2009's Crack The Skye. However, tirelessly tying in elemental concepts into the very fabric of their records without letting the 'concept' portion of the lyrics and music overtake the individual songs themselves is a tough balancing act.
The Years Before…
Drummer Brann Dailor's most prominent band pre-Mastodon was Rochester, N.Y.'s Lethargy, which was active from 1992 to 1999. Dailor met future Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher when the latter joined Lethargy in 1995. The group disbanded in 1999 after releasing just one studio album (1996's It's Hard To Write With A Little Hand) and one compilation (Discography '93-'99). Dailor and Kelliher then both relocated to Boston, Massachusetts to record with Steve Austin's noisegrind outfit Today Is The Day. The result, 1999's In The Eyes Of God, found Kelliher trading in his guitar for a bass and was the sole involvement the duo had with TITD. They moved to Atlanta, Georgia in late '99 due to Kelliher's desire to live with his girlfriend.
The other half of Mastodon, bassist Troy Sanders and guitarist Brent Hinds had spent some time in Four Hour Fogger, touring regionally since 1995. The duo's tenure with the band was coming to a close due to the other band member's waning interest in the band and Hinds and Sanders found themselves looking for new people to collaborate with.
The band now known as Mastodon formed when Dailor, Kelliher, Sanders and Hinds met at a High On Fire show. Within weeks of meeting each other, the quartet had come up with some strong musical ideas and were ready to proceed. They recruited vocalist Eric Saner (who was formally one of two vocalists in A Death Between Seasons) and in 2000 recorded a 9-song demo. At this point it was clear that Saner did not fit the musical stylings the rest of the band and left later on in 2000, leaving Sanders and Hinds to assume vocal duties.
The band released 2 EPs in 2001: the first was the Slickleg 7" picture disc (originally put out by Reptilian Records) containing 3 re-recorded renditions of tracks that originally appeared on the 2000 CD-R demo, and the second was the Lifesblood EP, which contained 5 more re-recordings. The 2006 Call Of The Mastodon compilation eventually collected all of these tracks (minus the samples contained within the original versions.)
2002 – Remission…
After the release of the Slickleg EP, the band inked a deal with Relapse Records in 2001, who put out the second EP. The band's first proper studio album, Remission, was released on May 28th, 2002 to near-unanimously positive reviews and very good sales for an underground metal release. The band's brand of galloping rhythms and carefully-planned arrangements (which has become their signature) was present in full force. Whereas the EPs and demo showcased a band intent on displaying a tight, cohesive package that leaned less towards their eventual progressive leanings, Remission upped the ante with tracks like "Trainwreck" and "Trilobite", displaying the fact that the band could ebb and flow better than most of their counterparts, inserting quiet instrumental parts that meshed well with the harder-edged material being offered up. They launched the first single, "March Of The Fire Ants", in 2003, and followed that up with the second single "Crusher Destroyer". The record was re-released a year later with a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Emerald" tacked onto the end of the record, showing that the band was unafraid to tackle music not necessarily of their own genre, imprinting their own stamp upon the classic '70s song in the process. The band embarked on a myriad of tours, pairing up with the likes of Clutch and Neurosis, before returning to Atlanta to record their breakthrough follow-up.
2004 – Leviathan…
The band recruited former Botch axeman Matt Bayles to co-produce their sophomore outing. The result was Leviathan (released on August 31, 2004), a loose concept album based upon Herman Melville’s classic sea tale Moby Dick, which also simultaneously represented the water element. The album's opening track (as well as single), "Blood and Thunder", whose intro riff was a noted calm before the aural storm, featured Clutch's Neil Fallon in the second verse. Its chorus ("White whale/holy grail") definitely made the concept of the record clear, as the rest of the lyrics evoked similar nudges towards the source material.
The other prominent guest on the record was Neurosis singer/guitarist Scott Kelly, who shows up on "Aqua Dementia". The record proved to be a small departure from Remission, containing a few clean singing parts and incorporating other styles of music in short bursts, including alt-rock and a tiny bit of country. The album's centerpiece, the 13-and-a-half-minute "Hearts Alive", starts with the sound of crashing waves, slow-paced drum rolls and subdued, barely-amplified guitar lines. The song really kicks in at the 2-minute mark, building into a pulsating, driving torrent that alternates between quiet, almost-whispered vocals by Sanders countered by out-and-out aggressive moments screeched by Hinds.
2006 - Blood Mountain…
2006 brought Blood Mountain to the masses. Once again produced by Matt Bayles (and put out by Warner Music, in collaboration with Reprise Records), the record was loosely modeled after the earth element. Though more subdued musically than Leviathan (with more clean singing parts as well as quieter musical moments), it still retained the spirit of the early two albums. Whereas before Sanders and Hinds previously screamed and growled in time with the rhythm laid out by the drums, there was a strong vocal presence in the songs this time around, stressing actual vocal melodies and the occasional harmony in-between members. Scott Kelly once again made an appearance on "Crystal Skull", and Queens of the Stone Age singer/guitaris Josh Homme made an appearance on single "Colony of Birchmen". Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Isaiah Owens, the singer and keyboardist of The Mars Volta, both show up sporadically on the disc as well. The record went on to sell more than 150,000 copies in the U.S. since its release, and also brought the band their first Grammy nomination for "Colony of Birchmen".
During this time the band made a quick detour into the absurd, penning a song entitled "Cut You Up With A Linoleum Knife" for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force film. The 2-minute long song shows the band's playful attitude as they go through lyrics extolling the virtues of employing proper movie theater etiquette…or else, as Dailor sings in his best falsetto, they will cut you up with a linoleum knife. The band also showed a sign of things to come by covering Metallica's "Orion" for a Kerrang magazine tribute to the band's Master Of Puppets record. The instrumental, which was faithfully delivered by the band, showed a quieter, more streamlined direction that toned down the controlled chaos and revolving door time-signatures that had been their faithful M.O. since their early days.
2009 - Crack The Skye…
The most recent Mastodon release, Crack The Skye, was released on March 24th, 2009. This time around, the record was produced by renowned rock producer Brandan O'Brien (best known for helming albums by such rock staples as Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and the Stone Temple Pilots), and is a stylistic departure from their past albums as clean vocals are prominent on the release as well as less metal elements, edging more towards prog rock territory. The record's concept (a disabled boy who astral projects too close to the sun and gets stranded in outer space before ending up in a spirit realm that confuses him for another spirit, which sends him to a Russian cult where he ends up tangling with Rasputin…to put things VERY simply…) was explored over 7 tracks, two clocking in at over 10 minutes. The overall theme of the record, was much more elaborate than past works. Somehow though, songs like "The Czar" and "Oblivion" stood up on their own, with their lyrics still vague enough for many to insert their owning meaning to the songs and not have to follow the storyline closely in order to enjoy the recordings. A notable milestone was also reached by the band with this release, as it was both lyrically and musically representative of the air element. This brought the band’s pattern of thematically arranging their albums around the four elements, beginning with fire (Remission), through water and earth (Leviathan and Blood Mountain) then finally to air (Crack the Skye), full circle.
The record managed to hit #11 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, selling 41,000 copies in its first week, before the band embarked on a headlining tour with Kylesa and Intronaut to support it. However, for this record, the band has chosen a new way to introduce audiences to the material (which they purposely avoided playing live prior to the record’s release) as they will be playing Crack the Skye in its 45 minute entirety every night, before concluding with a shorter set of classics. Whether or not this tactic will win over those who are disappointed with the band’s new direction remains to be seen. However, this dual dedication to the source material and their own creativity as well as their fan base is indicative of their work ethic on the whole and sure does add a hell of a lot of credence to all those “Next Metallica” labels they’ve received over the years.
Want more??? Stick to the CJLO Magazine over the coming weeks as we bring you more Mastodon madness in the form of Brian’s thrilling interview with Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor! If that doesn't crush your mind entirely, don’t forget to check out Brian on Countdown to Armageddon, every Thursday from 4 to 6 PM on Montreal’s home for independent metal, CJLO!
CKY + Early Man + Hail The Villain + Fall From Grace
News that the latest Montreal appearance from CKY had been upgraded from Les Saints to Le National was good news to my ears. The band's brand of octave-pedal-abusing guitar heroics seemed at odds with the too-cool-for-school vibe that Saints often gives off, due to the venue's usual musical guests. Le National felt like a more appropriate venue to witness a band whose devoted fanbase are the very definition of hardcore and who would be sure to bring the venue to life via various mosh and dance moves, as they had in 2005 when they came to town touring behind An Answer Can Be Found. As I entered the venue right before any of the bands took the stage, I noted the fact that the venue was already 3/4ths full, which was a good sign of things to come.
Fall From Grace performed a set peppered with by-the-numbers alternative rock that would probably do well on the radio if signed by a major, nestled in-between Nickelback and Buckcherry. The crowd seemed indifferent as the band lacked the balls-to-the-wall mentality that the rest of the bands on the bill had, showing musical restraint where a straight-up hard-rocking approach would've been better suited.
Hail The Villain, on the other hand, managed to kick things into gear; picking up the slack and playing a set of fast-paced, up-tempo numbers with huge choruses and breakneck-speed solos. The crowd seemed more into the band as they joined in on the various audience participation bits singer Bryan Crouch initiated.
Early Man performed their role of direct support admirably, playing fast and loose rock-and-roll mixed in with bits reminiscent of the Bay Area thrash scene circa 1983. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Conte's warbling voice definitely had people comparing him to a young Ozzy Osbourne, slightly nasal and high-pitched, his phrasing and cadence similar to the Ozzman's. The crowd, obviously enthused by the fact that the headliners were soon to take the stage, cheered gleefully at every opportunity given. Thankfully the band did not overstay their welcome and managed to play a hearty 30 minute set that sufficiently warmed the crowd up for CKY.
Kicking things off with single "Escape From Hellview", the band stuck to familiar territory, building a large portion of their set from songs off of 2002's Infiltrate/Destroy Rebuild. They managed to play 7/10ths of the record throughout the band's 15-song set, bookending it with I/D/R stand-out "Sporatic Movement".
That point brings me to the biggest gripe of the evening: CKY's rather odd setlist choices. Their decision to spend half of their show playing tracks from a 7 year-old album (as well as none from its equally well-received successor) is one that left many fans surprised. Sure, CKY's known as a group of ragtag individuals that rarely play by the conventional rules, but giving the crowd 4 songs (that have been played to death on prior tours) from their debut Volume 1 ("Rio Bravo", "Disengage The Simulator", "Promiscuous Daughter" and "96 Quite Bitter Things") and 2 ("Hellions On Parade" and "Imaginary Threats") from their newest album is an odd choice. Carver City rivals any of the band's prior output and a chance to see how the more experimental approach that Chad Ginsberg and company took on the record translated into a live setting would've been great to see. The complete omission of An Answer Can Be Found is also a mystery, one the band did not even bring up.
A large portion of the audience did not care, naturally, as they enjoyed the band’s entire catalogue equally, but having seen the band perform these songs before felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to showcase new material. Don't get me wrong, it was a great evening filled with many fine moments, marred only by that one tiny gripe I listed above.
The band themselves were in fine form, engaging in their usual in-between song banter and baiting the audience with potential song choices before launching into other ones. The band's ability to rock harder live than on record is uncontested and they kept things fluid, only stopping to quickly change guitars before launching into another song. CKY managed to once again put on a great rock show that was appreciated by all, but the evening also managed to display a band that was perhaps too scared to venture into new, uncharged territory.
Pawa Up First + aKido
As I’m standing waiting for the bouncer of the Cabaret Juste pour rire to find my name on the guest list (with the typical, what kind of name is that, implying that my name looks retarded, which I know). A situation between said bouncer and one of the night’s performers occurred which I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at:
Performer: Hey I just want to add a name on the guest list.
Bouncer: Who the f**k are you?
P: I’m the guitarist from Pawa up First.
B: What the hell did you say.
P: I’m part of the show.
B: What?
P: I’m the show.
B: ....ohhh shit! Go ahead.
The bouncer’s reaction to the guitarist was hilarious, and I told myself that I had to include that little gem in this review.
Walking into the Cabaret had me thinking about how badly designed and constructed this place really is. The entrance to the place and stairs are totally screwed, which gives you the impression that Quebecers can’t do anything right. When I walk into a building now I always think about how I could make the building better if I had a sledge hammer. I don’t know if that makes me a genius or just aggressive.
The place was packed with the typical University of Montreal hippy/French skater crowd by the time Akido got on stage. I felt out of place with a tie on after heading to the show after work. The crowd was still, movements were infrequent, and clapping was weak to say the least. A show that is completely instrumental with no singing will apparently sedate a crowd of hundreds. I have to admit, the whole time I was watching I was thinking about how much better the show could be if there was an MC spitting lyrics over the band. Akido was certainly good, but there is nothing special and original with this band. It’s just a simple instrumental group with a synthesiser. Akido is a band created by Kim Gaboury who is solely responsible for the musical direction of the band. The occasional voice of his girlfriend is there to sing her oohhh and uhmms. Akido got some fame with a song called “Dancing With Chains,” which is a good song with an Asian punk video clip that is pretty cool. However, their set was just too long, and left the crowd dazed and confused.
Pawa Up First then got on stage and kicked a really good show. They were on point and flawless with their sound just like on their albums. The members of Pawa are all talented and they make up a really good band that once again creates perfect hip-hop/jazz based beats that an MC could flow over if they had one. That’s all I could think about. Does that mean my perception is bias because I’m immersed in Hip-Hop or does that make me a genius? I don’t know. To tell you the truth, I don’t think the world knows. If you don’t know Pawa Up First, check them out because they’re one of Montreal’s greatest local bands (second to CJLO’s own Super/heater of course.)
Divine Brown
I have been a big fan of Divine Brown since her debut CD was released a few years ago, when a copy of Love Chronicles arrived at CJLO. Since then, I have played her music steadily on my show and waited patiently for her February 20th Cabaret Du Musee concert.
I arrived at the venue to see opening act Sean Jones in the lobby meeting, greeting, posing and signing copies of his This Is Love CD. I did not wait long to get my copy signed. I missed his performance, but was content to have met him and for the autograph.
Not too long afterwards, I walked through the doors to hear the sounds of Divine Brown and company. She was backed by two singers, three dancers and a small band. There were a lot of people on both floors of the venue. I chose to stay on the ground floor near the bar for an easy exit at the end of the show. It was also ideal to objectively view the concert.
The initial crowd reaction to “Old Skool Love” was textbook. I was surprised that she performed it so early in the set. It was possibly the third or fourth song. I am not sure if this happens at all concerts now, but the majority of the crowd raised and pointed their cameras and phones to the stage and sang along. It was a touching moment. I was nostalgic, remembering playing the original and reggae versions to the song on my show weeks after returning to CJLO in 2006. I did not expect to hear “Old Skool Love” so soon in the night and worried it was a mistake. I wondered if she ever performed the reggae version for audiences as well.
Songs like “Meet Me at the Roxy”, “Bebe” and “Twist My Hair” were all performed and received. Vocally, Divine Brown was in fine form. Her voice was powerful or sensitive when need be and there were no bad notes. I realized early enough that I was in the presence of one of Canada’s finest urban vocalists.
The choreographies were simple enough for her to join her dancers for a few tunes. She introduced a guitarist that did a blistering solo. I was amused by his antics while playing. The young man in the black leather jacket had a nice mix of confidence, determination and subdued flamboyance while playing.
The concert ran longer than I expected or was prepared for. Clocking in at nearly over two hours, I felt that Divine Brown truly gave the audience their money’s worth. The finale was another surprise, but the seeds were planted throughout the show. The guitarist and rock music sound gave the impression that Divine Brown had either a rocker past or at least an interest. Her performance of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” made me a believer. Seeing and hearing one of my favourite female urban music singers covering one of the most iconic arena rock songs of all times will be marked as one of my best concert experiences for 2009.
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