LIVE AT POMPEII

More silence from me to round out the year of our goatlord 2015. This was a particularly lame year for me. Steamrolled by a depression the likes of which I'd never experienced before. Not fun. Anyone who has to deal with these issues, my heart goes out to you. "This too shall pass" is something to keep in mind during the shittier times. And I don't mean that with any of the religious connotations tacked onto it, however it does go to show that a good idea is a good idea no matter what the source may be.

So ANYWAYS, despite all that crap, one thing that was not effected too badly was my productivity. I have, just recently, released a new single called LIVE AT POMPEII. This title will obviously be familiar (ie: ripped-off) to some, namely taken from the incredibly awesome PINK FLOYD live/not-live concert video of the same name. The reasoning behind that basically started with coming across an awesome plugin that emulated the types of FARFISAs featured very prominently on music from the mid to late 60s, particularly the pre-DARK SIDE OF THE MOON PINK FLOYD stuff. That got me thinking about coming up with a few tunes that would be very much in the spirit of the LIVE AT POMPEII film, put through my own TSTAT-filter, of course. What you have are 3 songs that borrow (steal) heavily from several different PF songs. It's basically something to fill the gap until whenever I can get into the studio and get my next full-length finished. Hopefully, it'll be ready for release early next year but who knows! I've been sitting on completed demos since the summer! Nevertheless, here is LIVE AT POMPEII for your enjoyment, please download for free and check it on out.

Having fun with my fairly new radio show THEN & NOW. I recently created a Soundcloud page to archive the episodes which means people can enjoy it whenever they feel like it. Check out them archives HERE!

Finally, an interview I did about 2 years ago that just recently got posted. So pretend it's 2013 and enjoy! HERE!

MERDARAHTA LIVE in QUEBEC CITY

To say I've been quiet this year would be putting it mildly. Quiet does not equal inactive though, no-sir-ee. I've basically spent the past 9 months putting together the 17 songs that will make up my next release. Pre-prod demos are all done, vocals are done, lyrics are done, all the songs are in the correct running order and even fade in and out when they're supposed to. Next is drum tracking and guitar re-amping. But yeah, didn't have much to report during the entirety of that creatively fruitful time period. "Hey guys! Just put another song to bed! I'm cruising now!" "Sup! Just wrote some more lyrics! Wow, I sure do hate doing that! Peace!" No thanks. Nevertheless, the album is shaping up to be pretty cool and I'm hoping for an early 2016 release.

In the meantime, please check out a few other things of mine. First off, a new band I started called HAMN, in which I play the guitar and sing. It's not metal but it's pretty heavy. Check out a demo here. We're gunning for an EP to be completed and released before the year is out. We're also opening for KEN mode in less than a month's time. Pretty cool! Here's the DEMO!

Also, I've very recently started producing a radio show for CHUO 89.1FM (the Ottawa University station) called THEN AND NOW. It's much more of a podcast than it is a radio show, in that I produce it at home rather than broadcast myself live from the station's studio. It's on every Wednesday at 3pm but the archives can be streamed via the station's website (another podcast similarity) which is how I imagine most people would prefer to check it out. So yeah, check out them archives HERE!

Finally, this video of a MERDARAHTA Quebec City gig from last November was recently uploaded. It sees us running through what I believe to be quite a decent version of our AS THE DARK CLOUDS SWEPT AWAY WE COULD SEE THE SUNSET piece of music. Please enjoy in particular at about the 11 minute mark where a gentleman has beer poured all over his head of hair. This was the first of many beers this poor soul was to be drenched with throughout the remainder of the evening in question. It was both delightful and horrifying for us to witness. Quebec City is weird.

 

TAKER WIDE, EH?!

I had the good fortune to be asked on as a guest on the TAKER WIDE podcast! Created and hosted by the superbly talented and all-around chill dude STEVE VARGAS (BIIPIIGWAN, THE GREAT SABATINI, GREBER) and often co-hosted by MSKWAANKWAD MNOOMNII aka MUSKY RICE (BIIPIIGWAN). We get into many meaty topics such as band stuff, rocker dad stuff....that's actually about it but we had fun doing it! Check it on out right HERE!

2015 SO FAR....

First day of spring yesterday, although still no signs of winter fucking off for good. That's usually the way it goes until about the middle of April or so. That's why Summer is the best season - it's the only one that's good ALL the way through. Lots of people bitched like crazy about this past Canadian winter, like it was drastically different from any other. It was cold, fucking cold. Cold for weeks on end. Business as usual, in other words. Several layers of clothing and the stoicism of a sea captain are the best solution.

My hype-infused lead-up to the MERDARAHTA full-length release was quite well done. Unfortunately, I ran out of blogging gas once the album actually hit. So no posts about that during the relevant time period! Oh well, maybe it's time to breathe a second life into the thing?! Yeah, that's what's happening here. So please, do check out AS THE DARK CLOUDS SWEPT AWAY WE COULD SEE THE SUNSET. You can get yourself a CD/Digital Download for a cool 5 bucks or just a DD for a DOLLAR. Seriously, if you can't pitch in a dollar for a download, you are kind of a complete dick. We also have a sweet T-shirt/CD/Download bundle available for 15 bucks. Something for the kings, queens and all aristocrats various and sundry to enjoy. No other MERDARAHTA activity to speak of as of late due to FUCK THE FACTS switching into total GO mode these days (which is awesome). Hopefully there will be some live MERDARAHTA opportunities later this year.

These past few months have seen me in quite a productive state, churning out pre-prod demos for my next release. It will be a full-length album but I'm maybe toying with the idea of fleshing it out into 2 EPs and a single, depending on how lengthy it all turns out. Details to be locked down at a later date. For now, it's all about these pesky songs. 13 of the 17 are finished, musically at least. Not a lot of vocals yet and zero lyrics (lyrics..........urrrrrrrrrrgggghhh!!!!). Fortunately, I haven't any ridiculous undertakings (ie: recording one cover song a month) to distract me from my goal so the songs have been coming together pretty quickly (I only had one finished at the start of January). Lots of shorter songs, lots of general weirdness. Anyone who found my last full-length to be a bit of a pain in the ass will definitely hate this shit.

Oh, back to MERDARAHTA. Here's a video from our CD-release show that we played in January. It features me playing this song way too fast. Enjoy.

COMING SOON: MERDARAHTA

I'm pretty excited about the new MERDARAHTA album "AS THE DARK CLOUDS SWEPT AWAY WE COULD SEE THE SUNSET" that will see it's way to availability this January 20. My bandmates have been releasing lots of tasty previews to get everyone good and pumped (with the help of several blogs dedicated to the hype of heavy metal music).

One such music blog, SLUDGELORD, has been good enough to host one of the tracks, "WOUNDED" on their Soundcloud page. CLICK HERE!

We've also got another track "THE DARK CLOUDS" available for streaming directly from our Bandcamp page. CLICK HERE



We've also got some videos from the recording sessions up on Youtube:

Pay no mind to the fatass on drums.

Finally, we'll be formally releasing the album at an upcoming show on January 22 at the most amazing Ottawa venue HOUSE OF TARG. Come on out if you happen to live in the area.

MY FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF 2014

These are my favourite releases of 2014, just like it says up there in the title.

For me, 2014 ended up being pretty decent as far as releasing music into the world goes. Let's start with that list, ok?

THE SUN THROUGH A TELESCOPE - UNNATURAL CRUCIFORM ON A MOSS COVERED ROCK
THE SUN THROUGH A TELESCOPE - 12 moths
STREET MEAT - TACO NIGHT
MERDARAHTA - SOLAR PULSE
DEAD POPE SOCIETY - REDBULL WITHOUT A CAUSE
UNCLE PHIL AND FRIENDS - HIGH AS A KITE

Not too shabby. Another MERDARAHTA release is set for January of 2015. I'm also planning another TSTAT full-length for, if all goes to plan, sometime in the fall. I've gotta get started on that ASAP if I want that to happen (I've already got one song done so it's basically in the can at this point).

Anyways, onto the list. I'll take a cue from my distinguished colleague TOPON DAS and the list of local talent he provided us internet cruisers (check it out HERE) and start with all the releases from bands and artists that I pal around with from time to time. So, as per usual, these are in no particular order whatsoever other than the first part of the list will be known as....

I HAVE A LOT OF SUPER-TALENTED FRIENDS OF 2014 LIST

1) ALASKAN - DESPAIR, EROSION, LOSS "These guys have chosen a very predictable career path in that they get better and better with every release. How original. Also, where their live show in concerned, they seem to actually be devolving into cavemen, which I think is pretty cool. Cavemen with the best haircuts in town, mind you."

2) GARBAGEFACE - OBDURACY "I finally figured out what a 'mix-tape' actually is, thanks to this release (it ain't the pathetic attempt at winning my high school girlfriend back with a bunch of THE CURE and CONCRETE BLONDE songs on a blank MEMOREX like I thought it was). This guy is funny, intense and relentless."

3) SHAHMAN - DEMISE OF A BODY "A very intense and personal release from this Toronto-based duo. Anyone who has ever lost someone close to them can most certainly relate."

4) MAJOR ENTERTAINER MIKE H - T SHIRTS FOR SALE / OPENING ACT 7 INCH "Give this guy a chance, will ya? His sideways take on classic rock and weirdo pop is second to none!"

5) THOSE GULLS - FOREVERMORE "For me, my idea of 'alt-rock' would be something like 'pop music infused with enough weird ideas as to simultaneously narrow its appeal and broaden its likeability' and not so much 'bluesy/folky rock but with jaunty hats, funny sweaters and beardy haircuts'. This band is a shining example of the former."

6) FLYING FORTRESS - DIRTY RAIN "This bass/drums duo takes MOTORHEAD, VENOM, CLIFF BURTON and CHEAP TRICK and make a heavy rock smoothie outta that shit."

7) FUCK THE FACTS - ABANDONED "These awesome assholes can achieve in just 3 songs what most of their peers couldn't possibly in 10 or 12 or 20 or whatever."

8) GREBER - KILN HARDENED PSALMS "Another bass/drums duo (lots of those on my list!), these two infuse grind and sludge, the results of which are truly volatile. Also, let it be known that STEVE VARGAS is my drumming spirit animal."

THE REST OF THE ALBUMS BY PEOPLE I DON'T PERSONALLY KNOW OF 2014 LIST

9) HELMS ALEE - SLEEPWALKING SAILORS "I have to admit, I liked their last album much better than this one (even in lieu of that one rap-metal part in that one song that we all pretended to hate but all secretly enjoyed). Not sure what it is, maybe too much singing from the dude this time? I dunno. Me, I like a blend. Still, in and of itself, this album is gorgeous."

10) LORD MANTIS - DEATH MASK "Terrifying in all it's ladycorpsewithapenis glory (check out the album art if you doubt me)."

11) THOU / THE BODY - RELEASED FROM LOVE "Heavy, ugly and gross."

12) EARTH - PRIMITIVE AND DEADLY "EARTH has always worked in many different incarnations. Turns out you can add 'traditional heavy rock combo' to that list."

13) HENRY BLACKER - HUNGRY DOGS WILL EAT DIRTY PUDDINGS "Ugly riffs, even uglier vocals and a very weird, almost claustrophobic production value sets this release apart from your typical sludgey/doom affair."

14) AMEN DUNES - LOVE "I got to see this guy live earlier this year. He soundchecked for almost an hour. I was ok with it."

15) BITCHIN BAJAS - BITCHIN BAJAS "Just finding out about these guys. I know it's not written, recorded and released specifically for me. It's just that if it was, not much would be different about it."

16) ELECTRIC WIZARD - TIME TO DIE "I loved WITCHCULT TODAY. BLACK MASSES, I was not so hot on. This, however, is probably the best thing since the mighty DOPETHRONE. Big words."

17) PYRRHON - THE MOTHER OF VIRTUES "The weirdest take on technical death metal I've ever heard (and I don't just mean that it's interesting at all, although that is a pretty weird thing for technical death metal)."

18) PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND - LOWGAZERS "There are many different flavours of black metal. I tend to lean towards the "relentless nightmare" variety, like the way these guys do it."

19) HTRK - PSYCHIC 9-5 CLUB "Indie-rock/dreampop through a sad quaalude filter. I wish I played in a band like this (I'm not young and / or skinny enough so it's a no-go)."

20) WIZARD RIFLE - HERE IN THE DEADLIGHTS "More weirdo noise/sludge/doom courtesy of a duo. I guess there's something about having a band comprised of only two people that makes it inherently unique. I mean, you have to be creative right from the jump in order to make things work."

21) HAVE A NICE LIFE - THE UNNATURAL WORLD "An avant-grade / black metal version of TEARS FOR FEARS? (seriously, they even used practically the same font as THE HURTING album cover) That was totally my idea first even though I've yet to carry it out in any way, shape or form."

22) TOBACCO - ULTIMA II MASSAGE "What we've got here is a solo album from one of the BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW guys. So, like BMSR only weirder (if that's possible)."

23) GROUPER - RUINS "More haunting loveliness from LIZ HARRIS. The world is a better and far-more reverb-drenched place with weirdos like her in it."

24) TODAY IS THE DAY - ANIMAL MOTHER "This release takes things back to the spartan, self-produced quality that most TITD albums have (a sharp contrast to 2011's PAIN IS A WARNING). It was cool to hear a high-quality version of STEVE AUSTIN's madness but this really is the way I think this band should sound (ie: like it was created with many odds working against it).

25) PRIZEHOG - RE-UNVENT THE WHOOL "Yet another weird, weirdo doom/sludge metal album. There's a lot of that going around these days (and almost all of it is from Portland)."

26) BORIS - NOISE "I've got an arrangement with this band: They put an album out and I love it. So far, neither party has reneged on the conditions of said contract."

27) ALRAUNE - THE PROCESS OF SELF-IMMOLATION "More black metal that sits in the 'feral, vicious, oh-man-is-this-being-played-by-humans?' cadence (which is oh-so-preferable to the 'symphonic-crybaby-machine' variety)."

28) MONTIBUS COMMUNITAS - THE PILGRIM TO THE ABSOLUTE "This is like ambient music said 'It's such a nice day, let's have class outside!'."

29) MELVINS - HOLD IT IN "The aforementioned BORIS agreement also holds true with MELVINS. In this case, however, what they've got on offer is a real dark and ugly gut-churner of an album. It demands multiple listens."

30) PHARMAKON - BESTIAL BURDEN "There's an abundance of seemingly likeable music that I, in turn, hate for one reason or several. Where BESTIAL BURDEN is concerned, however, it may actually be the first case of me liking music that, in turn, hates my fucking guts and wants me to die for real."

31) ANTHROPHROPPH - OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE "An excellent and totally bizarre take on the psychedelic/space rock/krautrock sounds of yesteryear."

32) GODFLESH - A WORLD LIT ONLY BY FIRE "How many bands can remain inactive for over a decade and not miss a beat? The production value may be a little cleaner but, other than that, all the crucial elements are here."

33) APHEX TWIN - SYRO "I've listened to this album several times and can still barely remember one note of music from it. That it exists at all (let alone the fact that it is unthinkably dense with every colour in the sonic rainbow) is enough to make it amazing. Wishing that it measured up to his earlier stuff just seems selfish."

HONOURABLE MENTIONS OF 2014 LIST

NOTHING - GUILTY OF EVERYTHING
TEITANBLOOD - DEATH
YOUNG WIDOWS - EASY PAIN
IRON REAGAN - THE TYRANNY OF THE WILL / SPOILED IDENTITY EP
EYEHATEGOD - S/T
LIGHTS - LITTLE MACHINES
ALCEST - SHELTER
OVERKILL - WHITE DEVIL ARMORY
OLD MAN GLOOM - THE APE OF GOD
ABYSSAL - NOVIT ENIM DOMINUS QUI SUNT EIUS
TOWERS - II
THOU - HEATHEN
GENERATION OF VIPERS - COFFIN WISDOM
SZA - Z
CHROME - FEEL IT LIKE A SCIENTIST
KING BUZZO - THIS MACHINE KILLS ARTISTS

BONUS TOP-TEN TOP 40/RADIO FRIENDLY ALT-ROCK TRACKS OF 2014 LIST

1) DEAR ROUGE - BEST LOOK LATELY
2) BIG DATA - DANGEROUS
3) TOVE LO - STAY HIGH
4) TOKYO POLICE CLUB - HOT TONIGHT
5) ARKELLS - LEATHER JACKET
6) USS - SHIPWRECK
7) NICO AND VINS - AM I WRONG
8) LIGHTS - UP WE GO
9) NICK JONAS - JEALOUS

That's the closest I've come to actually having 10 songs in the Top Ten of what dumb dumbs would call guilty pleasures list (of 2014). I have a 9-year old daughter so I'm exposed to a lot of that shit, what can I say? Oh, I'll say that if the tastemakers over at Pitchfork Magazine stopped gleefully hailing TAYLOR SWIFT as the savour of music, they should take a sec to realize that both LIGHTS and SZA do that shit a billion times better. The hipster equivalent of "edgey" these days seems to be rooted in Top-40 R&B type shit (replacing past hipster endevours such as 'anything black metal' and 'anything to do with any dead rapper').

Happy New Year.