"Blank Generation" DVD (director: Ulli Lommel)

Filmed back in 1978 during the heyday of New York's lower East side art scene, this film starred a young Richard Hell as Billy, a struggling musician who becomes entangled with a beautiful (but slightly crazy) French journalist named Nada, (played by a rather wooden Carole Bouquet). Their relationship is volatile and rather obtuse, with several side-stories attached to both characters that don't make sense or contribute to the overall "plot". Nonetheless, as a time capsule of an amazingly creative time and place, this well-filmed document is a must for fans lamenting the loss of the influential 70's-80's NY arts scene and CBGB's (which is featured prominently in "Blank Generation"). As well, several performances by Richard Hell and the Voidoids are quite worthwhile, although the same couple of songs are repeated throughout ad nauseam. A neat cameo by Andy Warhol himself also adds a certain name value here, though he doesnt play an essential role. And if the dialogue isn't quite ideal (or emotive), the movie is still enjoyable enough. Hell himself provides a 45-minute interview looking back at his (self-professed) embarrassing screen debut. Sure, it's a flawed film for certain, but I"ve seen a whole lot worse. (MVD Visual)

Richard Hell's official site

Lair Of The Minotaur - "Evil Power" CD

Chicago's LOTM are a monstrously heavy and thick clot of brutish metal aggression, tailormade for fans bands like Slayer or Mastodon. I'm particularly impressed by this trio's unrelenting bludgeon, which ranges from amped-up classic Viking-style metal to thrashy speed to almost stoner-death metal. And it's all played with a reckless and intimidating precision that pummels the head and churns the guts. The opener, "Attack The Gods", is a piledriver of intense riffage and gutteral vocals. The formidably-titled "Let's Kill These Motherfuckers" is a freight-train of raging wartime testosterone and a bold anthem indeed. Ditto for the mighty "Evil Power", and "We Are Hades", which would make an ideal soundtrack for the entrance of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Now that would make a killer video for these guys. One can only hope. But I digress.
Despite the fact that there are 11 tracks here of bowel-loosening aggro-metal, the attack never ceases to be mesmerizing or adrenaline-soaked. Perhaps because it's a short blast at only 30 minutes? Regardless, Lair Of The Minotaur are among modern metal's finest hopes, remaining faithful to classic metal themes and content, yet synthesizing them into a unique hybrid of ultra-heavy styles. Classic. (The Grind-House Records/Southern Lord)

Be sure to check the amazing new video for "Evil Power" on their own site (it's been banned by youtube and myspace):
Lair Of The Minotaur site

LOTMspace

Skullflower - "Strange Keys To Untune Gods' Firmament" 2xCD

Veteran UK noise act Skullflower are about as far from the mainstream as possible. Kudos to Neurot Recordings for bringing this savage yet mystical monolith of guitar-oriented noise to American ears (with no regard for commercial potential). Yes, this is truly a labor of love, though some listeners may be scarred by the end of this 2 hour mass of mostly formless and rhythm-free aural siege. Beginning with the fried feedback of "Shivering Aurora", the first disc moves abruptly into the drone/noise masterpiece "Starlit Mire", which refers to noted chaos magician and artist Austin Osman Spare, not Psychic TV, I'm sure. From there, it's back to the reckless "Enochian Tapestries" before the all-consuming invocation within "City Of Dis". "Basement Of An Impure Universe" is the sound of pain, pure and simple. Disc 2 is no less forgiving, opening with the grinding "Nibelungen" and continuing to the absolutely brutal catastrophe of "Blood Mirror Streams". While some bands coax different sounds out of their instruments, Skullflower strangle them, for lack of a better description. Theirs is the sound of all-consuming terror. Not for the faint-hearted, "Strange Keys.." is an overwhelming, overloaded, and ultimately purifying listening experience. (Neurot Recordings)

Skullflower site

Skullflower at Wordpress

Sigur Ros supporting Music Matters with short film

With Sigur Ros vocalist Jon Thor Birgisson's new solo album as Jonsi, entitled "Go", on the imminent horizon, Sigur Ros themselves have created a short film to show their support for "Music Matters". It's a lovely video to accompany a beautiful song, and with an important message. Give it a couple of minutes of your time here.

Music Matters - Sigur Ros (22-3-10) from Music Matters on Vimeo.

Marty Willson-Piper's Noctorum reissue, free tracks

Though he is often seen as a guitarist and sideman in Aussie psychedelic rock legends The Church, Marty Willson-Piper has emerged as a world-class songwriter in his own right. Aside from his 30 years with The Church, he's released 5 solo albums, 4 live albums, toured and recorded with too many artists to list, and worked on a pair of collaborative albums with Dare Mason, under the name Noctorum. These wonderful Noctorum albums received limited distribution, and are quite difficult to find.
To remedy this, 2006's "Offer The Light", is being re-released via Second Motion Records (USA) in June 2010. It'll be housed in a tasteful deluxe softpack CD with booklet. And to help promote it, Second Motion are offering a 2-song free download as a taster. Remarkable, melodic, and well worthy of your attention.

Noctorum free tracks

In other related news, expect a comprehensive set of Church and Steve Kilbey reissues (including an 8CD box set of Kilbey's past works) from Second Motion in the coming months.

Second Motion Records (source for all things Church)

Psycho - "The Grind Years" CD

This Boston group's 1990-1994 output is re-released on this fine 52-track collection, and it's packed with fast and fun furballs of noise, grunts, and riffs! Ranging from scuzzy gutter punk to ultra-blast grindcore, Psycho's over-the-top thrash and spittle-covered punk exhibit a wicked sense of humor and some superb musical chops. Fans of everything from classic punk rock to early Napalm Death will find plenty to chew on here. Production is hit-and-miss (invariably due to the numerous recording conditions and time periods), but the mood (?) here is of reckless abandon and good, heavy aggression. It's hard to single out tracks, as the majority of them run about a minute apiece, and some log in at as little as 11 seconds, but suffice to say there are plenty of gnarly and fun blasts here. "The Grind Years" is perfectly-executed old-school grindcore/punk with attitude, poise, and spirit. I dug it instantly! (Selfmadegod Records)

Psychospace

Burzum - "Belus" CD

Easily among the most influential and controversial bands in the Norwegian black metal circuit (look it up, I won't go into the gory and sensational details here), Burzum's first album in 11 years doesn't disappoint. Opening with the atmospheric "Leukes Renkespill", Varg Vikernes (who seems to be the sole member) descends into atmospheric (and surprisingly melodic) black metal on "Belus' Doed". But his palette isn't as monochromatic as or stifling as that genre has become. "Glamselens Elv" is an epic 11+ minute Viking-style romp that is as much classical in style as it is metallic. "Kaimadalthas' Nedstigning" is just under 7 minutes, but manages to range from dark Norse chant to more traditional black metal wailing - effective and unusual. "Keliohesten" is an unwavering blitzkrieg of rolling drums and thunderous, almost industrial-style riff, while the closing, "Belus Tibakekomst (Konklusjon)" is an almost SWANS-like mantra, with building guitar textures and drones. With "Belus", Vikernes and Burzum proves that he is moving beyond the traditional black metal sound that he helped to instigate, and (shady) politics aside, this is a powerful and triumphant return. (Byelobog Productions)

Varg's personal Burzum site

Unofficial but relevant Burzum site

Burzumspacel