Apache - Boomtown Gems

There are very few bands that I like that considered "punk". Vibrators, Buzzcocks, Bad Brains, Ramones, and maybe a couple more. Proto-punk is more my style but whatever you want to classify Johnny Thunders and New York Dolls under, then put Apache right there with them. One part punk, one part glam, one part attitude and one part partying. There were times when I was first listening to this album that I thought the song could have been a cover of one of these classic bands but it's all Apache, all original. They formed from the ashes of former bands The Cuts and Genghis Khan and they were signed before even learning a song and having broken limbs. This is good rock'n'roll for your trip across the country or for your dance party.
For Fans Of: Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls, Iggy/The Stooges, getting down


Get the album HERE.

http://www.myspace.com/sfapache
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H89bVj6r3s

Black Skies

Another great local band in the Piedmont of NC. Black Skies play some seriously great metal and have opened for the likes of Boris, Valient Thorr, Big Business, Kylesa, RTX, etc etc. They get the spots because of how fucking awesome they are. They have a new EP out, Hexagon, and it captures their sound greatly for a self-released record. Doomy riffs, intense vocals, galloping rhythm section and brooding lyrics about the apocalypse. It all fits together so well.
For Fans Of: The Sword, High On Fire, Kylesa, Black Sabbath

Get the new EP HERE.

http://www.myspace.com/losblackskies
http://www.blackskies.us
http://www.myspace.com/sirenadiscos

Got Live If You Want It!

After seeing Dead Meadow live I had to get this album. It is them in full force, good jams, serious power altogether. There's nothing more to really say about Dead Meadow other than they are one of the best "retro" sounding bands out there right now, it's for fans of the psychedelic pop/rock and stoner rock alike.
For Fans Of: Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Zeppelin, Spiritualized, Kinski, Nebula

You can get the album HERE. (the files are .wma but most players convert them.)

www.myspace.com/deadmeadow
www.deadmeadow.com

It's the summer.

Kind of. Yet I am more out of the loop on this thing than I ever have been so let's get rolling and try to get a little more consistent. I need to make some blog friends so I can have a good network and more hits/comments but that is something I need to do on my own. Anyways, first post of the summer.


The Black Diamond Heavies play some of the dirtiest blues around. Just an organ and drums, they have some of the most soulful songs I've heard in a long time. The lead singer sounds a hell of a lot like Tom Waits and some of the songs even have longtime Waits collaborator Ralph Carney contributing some horn work. The album includes a Tina Turner cover and a Nina Simone one too. Overall it's a great work, the only question that I can't answer for myself is if this album is better than their first. As of right now, I feel both are equal but I haven't had the time to listen to this one as much. This one is funkier and has some better jams but that doesn't mean it's overall better. Thanks to Alive for putting out some seriously amazing records.

www.blackdiamondheavies.com
www.myspace.com/blackdiamondheavies
www.alivenergy.com/

Get the new album, A Touch Of Someone Else's Class, HERE.

Death

These songs were taken from chunklet.com who received them from Ben Blackwell, drummer for the Dirtbombs and Jack White's nephew. A little about Death and these 2 songs:


"Recorded in 1974, released in 1976. Three African-American brothers from the east side of Detroit who were Jehovah's Witnesses. They later went on to do Christian psych music as The Fourth Movement, and two of the brothers are now in a reggae band in Vermont."

A little bit ahead of their time, methinks.

For Fans Of: Bad Brains, Jimi Hendrix (slightly), proto-punk

Get the songs HERE.

They are definitely the Gods of something.

The Sword are this generations masters of doom metal. They might as well be our Black Sabbath. Their latest album improves upon Ages of Winter quadruple fold with a bigger sound, bigger riffs, more mystifying lyrics, and more hooks. I knew from their new tracks on their split EP with Witchcraft that the guys were definitely bringing it harder than ever before but this is ridiculous. The titles of the songs pretty much explain how awesome they truly are. With titles like The Frost Giant's Daughter and Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians, how could this band not be one of the greatest metal bands of the past 30 years. The song How Heavy This Axe really is THAT heavy. Mind crushing. They are on tour with Torche and Stinking Lizaveta through May on the East Coast. The tour is making sure to demolish your ear drums within a matter of seconds. This is the soundtrack to a war of the Gods and whoever's side The Sword is on will win for sure. Thunderous.


Get the album HERE.

www.myspace.com/thesword
www.swordofdoom.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqOxYDGF_Co

Straight from Isriffrael.

Monotonix are banned from most places in Tel Aviv. They have 3 members but only 2 instruments. They have sick as fuck riffs and call on bands like Black Sabbath and The Sonics as their influences. They were just signed to Drag City and put out this new EP which is awesome. They were produced by Tim Green of the Fucking Champs so you know they fucking rock to some extent. Bluesy proto metal riffs galore with a good dose of attitude, a reputation for being possibly the best live band ever and you have a definite rock'n'roll band.

Their new EP is HERE.

www.monotonix.com
www.myspace.com/monotonix
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BC-pJMA_n0