Crust Cake guest blog

Bone Awl

Recently, I submitted a video response to Crust Cake's weekly column Crusty Clip. Surprisingly, I was able to find footage from a show that I went to in June 2009 at a decaying house venue in South Philly. The show was a barbaric montage of fuzzy, low-fi black metal, to say the least. You can view the video and read my response here. To view other Crusty Clip submissions, go here.

"True black metal shows are hard to come by. This is especially true of ones that exhibit black metal's wildest species in their natural habitat. Take this one for example, held at Philadelphia's now extinct house venue Disgraceland. I'm pleased to prove I made it out alive. The night featured barbaric, primitive acts Volahn, Ashdautus and Bone Awl. Spikes. Leather. Boots. Kvlt..."

To view the rest of this submission, click HERE. This article was published on Crust Cake's Web site on 9/2/09.

Deciblog screamo cover elimination bracket

Decibel friends are all about uniting in cynical camaraderie. So it's no surprise that writer Nick Green thought up the idea to have an elimination bracket dedicated to criticizing screamo's worst cover songs to-date. I was asked to participate, and like many other contributors, was hesitant to even garnish these dime-a-minute pushovers with more attention than they deserve. Ok, fine, it was a blast. I responded to Surrender the Dance Floor's cover of "Just Dance" (Lady Gaga) and Confide's cover of "From Such Great Heights" (The Postal Service). Suffice to say, it was hard to choose a "winner" of the two. Follow the bracket from the beginning here or view the rest of my and Nick Green's posts here.

To view the rest of the blog post, click HERE. This article was published on Decibel Magazine's Web site on 8/31/09.

A Better Tomorrow 03

Illustration by Nagawika

This episode focuses on low-fi, "primitive" black metal. Within my third installment of A Better Tomorrow 03, I hold a contest that declares a winner (a master of blackened desecration, if you will) among bands Archgoat, Beherit, Black Witchery, Blasphemy, Bone Awl, Ildjarn and Von. Although there are no interviews included, I provided adequate voices for the musicians. Most don't like it, but a few do. Check it out and see for yourself.

Click HERE to listen or download the podcast. A Better Tomorrow 01 was published on the site on 8/28/09. For more information, visit Invisible Oranges.

Philly, take four

First Friday in Philly is a bit ironic for me. You see, my first First Friday adventure is ultimately my last. Let's hope not. While I pack my bags to return to the desolate Midwest, I'm cramming last-minute must-sees and must-dos in Philly. This is usually how my short-lived relationships go with various cities. However, there's an acute charm about Philly on which I can't quite pinpoint. Where this appealing essence resonates, I'm not quite sure. Part of me believes it accumulates from all these delicate qualities, like the relatively cheap cost of living, the accessible transportation on foot or public transit, or perhaps the quaint neighborhoods. The First Friday event definitely contributes to this pros cluster. But then again, perhaps my stroll through Old City last Friday equated with a more sentimental value than if I were staying here...for good.

Mapping out several short visits through art galleries like Muse and the Clay Studio, the monthly event attracts busy foot traffic. There was little money exchange, testament to a burning economy of 9.4 percent unemployment. (The overstocked coffee shops of 20-, 30-something young professionals throughout a given weekday I believe is another tall-tale sign). However, I feel rather good about my participation in local Philly art. The exchange from unpaid intern to straggling artist was more heartwarming than hilarious. After all, my $12 handmade earings also came with all smiles and a hug from recent high school graduate Virginia Smith. There's plenty more from where that came from. Wish I could stick around for some more.

Church of Misery feature

Church of Misery party like it’s 1979. So says their bell-bottoms, long hair and strange obsession with infamous serial killers. While they devote every album, song and lyric to characters like Richard Ramirez and Richard Trenton Chase, guitarist Tom Sutton claims his band doesn’t waste every waking hour drooling over the next big psychopath...

To view the rest of the blog post, click HERE. This article was published in Decibel Magazine (Issue No. 59) and on the Web site on 8/09.

Harvey Milk—Anthem DVD

Bottling the coffee-and-cigarette grit of Harvey Milk isn't easy. Graphic designer Stephen O'Malley proves so on a brown digipak with Khanate artwork. But Chunklet editor/publisher Henry H. Owings prevails after four years of compiling material from Athens, GA's bluesy trio. He doesn't hesitate to brag about the process — the liner notes push past 1000 words. The footage dates from '93 to '06, including 44 songs in under four hours...

To view the rest of the article, click HERE. This article was published on Invisible Oranges on 8/6/09.

Tastu Mikami's [Church of Misery] Favorite Serial Killers

Japan's Church of Misery never met a serial killer they didn't like. But they do have a few favorites who take precedence over others. Bassist Tatsu Mikami keeps numbers on who has been naughty and, well, extra naughty. Church explore perspectives from blood-sucking freaks, night stalkers and cannibals, all of which appropriately fit their '70s Black Sabbath worship groove...

To view the rest of the blog post, click HERE. This article was published on Decibel Magazine's Web site on 8/3/09.

A Better Tomorrow 02

Hewhocorrupts photo by Barclay Lewis

My second installment of A Better Tomorrow was posted today on Invisible Oranges. This episode is dedicated to Indianapolis' Dude Fest, a three-day music festival mainly dedicated to hardcore and grindcore acts. My favorites from this year included Harvey Milk, Mammoth Grinder, Magrudergrind, Kill the Client, Gaza and Weekend Nachos, just to name a few. Most of these are featured on the second episode of my podcast.

Click HERE to listen or download the podcast. A Better Tomorrow 01 was published on the site on 7/31/09. For more information, visit Invisible Oranges.

Pig Destroyer feature

Decibel Magazine Editor-in-Chief Albert Mudrian is out with a new book: Precious Metal: 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces. It's a compilation of the more renowned Decibel Hall of Fame inductees to date with extended interviews and other features. Although the official release date was July 15th, the kick-off is really happening tomorrow tonight at Brooklyn's Masonic Temple. Tomorrow evening features Pig Destroyer, Brutal Truth and Repulsion, three bands that are very near and dear to Mudrian's heart.


Decibel is gearing up with Adam Shore's The Blackened Music Series to help book and promote various shows throughout the Northeast. Decibel will be packaging a condensced, free Decibill [note: not Decibel] publication for each show, which will feature profile pieces of each performing act. The first Decibill installment is by me and Decibel Magazine's J. Bennett. My feature is about Pig Destroyer. This article was featured in the premiere issue of Decibill in July 2009. To read the article, click on the JPEGs below or view the entire Decibill issue HERE.

Decibill July 2009 Cover

Pig Destroyer Article

Alicia Morgan [13] Interviewed

Alicia Morgan, a.k.a. Alicia 13, is putting her guttural vengeance back in business. After a hard-hitting hiatus of drugs, a hurricane and loss of a friend, Morgan is remembering what it’s like to wow doom fanatics. When she’s not stuffing shelves at her local public library, she’s sharing studios with Boston’s Morne and UK’s Lazarus Blackstar. In the last decade, she’s taken a break from the fast-changing music industry. Returning with fresh ears and a voice that’s descended several octaves since her younger years in Insurgence, she’s realizing life after doom act 13 is remarkably positive...

To view the rest of the blog post, click HERE. This article was published on Decibel Magazine's Web site on 7/23/09.