Journal sielwolf's Journal: Deus Dies 2
Blessed be the Britons. Not for the cultural significance, the mutual support of wartime or the taste in fine comedy. Fuck that shit. No, the UK finally got me my copy of Dopplereffekt's Gesamtkunstwerk for 15 bucks total. Shit, this disc I tried to order from two other distributors on two continental retailers (one in the Netherlands, one in Germany) both whom put me on the dreaded "Back Order" before finally finding myself to Action Records in London. Not only that but the first two were going to charge me 52 and 28 dollars respectively for this cd. In this time of economic uncertainty, I'm glad to give my coinage to our allies.
Otherwise, the terrorists might win, yes? As the cd wound its way across the Atlantic, I was given time to ruminate on my other Drexciya related releases. I panned the most recent Dopplereffekt, Linear Accelerator, for being too minimal to the point of absent. Now the cd is growing on me. Being able to juxtapose it against the classical electro fare of Japanese Telecom and Arpanet, I can see the subtleties emerging. I still think the three 15+ minute tracks are a bit much but the outro, "Higgs-Mechanism" is a wonderfully wavering ambient piece.
And Gesamtkunstwerk proves to be something of a Rhubicon in Rudolf's musical road. "Biological Socialism Leads toward Victory" and a sickle + hammer on the cover give you that same paranoid Stasirock flair of Adult. And much of the same electro '84 assault there and in J-Telecom. But through listens vital differences appear.
In the album's 17 tracks, a brusk urgency appears. Instead of classical 5 minute singles and minute long interludes, this early Dopplereffekt is flush with necessity. Quickly passed messages between agents on a cold Cologne night. Sure, the same sort of ratta-tat-tat dancehall funk permiates. "Cellular Phone", "Speak & Spell" and "Denki no Zuno" all slam with that same electronic boom-bap. Now the mean track length is in the high 3 minute range, many going for the spartan punk rock span of 2 minutes or so. In the same way where Linear Accelerator is sparse in its apprasal of technology, but replacing wide open spaces with curt messages.
Vocals now make a prominant appearance, most voiced by Rudolf in vocorder guise or the mysterious Nhan Le Thi. She who rotely entones about wanting to watch adult movies ("Porno Viewer") or visions of porno film stardom ("Pornoactress"). These are counterpointed with Klorzeiger's mechanical moan ('Watching you on the screeen'). Never do the vocals stray from info kiosk simplicity. 'I am. A scientist' or 'Satellites. Hovering over the Earth.' Nhan's voice is hyperreal; studied to that of being more English than the native speakers.
Repetition plays a part. The fuck-funk masterpiece, "Plastiphilia" with its chorus of 'I want to make love. To a manniquin. I want to suck it. I want to fuck it.' Is followed by the nigh identical "Plastiphila 2" which is the same save an additional break outro. "Scientist" ('Sitting in the Laboratory...') is booked next "Rocket Scientist".
All of this leads to an imposing and naive assessment of... something. Society? Morals? I never get a notion of cyncism so I can't really tell. For all of its 808 drone, there is passion here. Is this our new future longing? To a simpler technology? A primitive digital? The penultimate track "Sterilization" only states 'We had to sterilize. The population.' I think of McLuhan who illuminated that we can only perceive the past. And that is why there is constant retro revival. As if we are intentionally ignorant of the media around us, shaping us. Afraid of their transformative power.
Yes, this cd is good enough to make me get post-modern on a motherfucker. Well worth every penny and thirsty for the rest of the catalog.
What didn't live up to this potential was *sigh* Viktor Vaughn Venomous Villain. Damn. I knew I should've been worried when this dropped in less than a year's time (with MF Doom pushing out a Madvillian release last spring and MMM Food... this fall). Yes he's busy and, yes, he's talented. But the last MC I knew to do such a feat was DMX and, c'mon. I love Earl but there ain't much to what the man does. And a cultural bellwether he ain't.
And then there was the warning that Doom only appears on here for just under 10 minutes. Granted, the EP's 12 tracks bearly break 30 minutes.
Well... the doomsayers were wrong. But the hype was indeed more than Venomous Villain could handle. The problem is that this feels more like a fan-boy release. A musical Jason v. Freddy. There's the filler such as "Doom on Vik" which is just that: Doom talking about his Viktor Vaughn personality. Or then there's the remix of "Pop Quiz". Save Kool Keith making the adequate appearance on "Doper Skiller", not a single guest MC of note. No RJD2 to push a "Saliva". And a half dozen wanna be J Dilla's and Dooms.
When there's an interesting beat (the second half of "Back End" with its nice guitar break with delay effect) Doom seems ready to drop a half-assed freestyle. Or the inspired "Fall Back/Titty Fat" has a basic sound that does nothing to break from the white boy sci-fi nerd rap ghetto. And, uh, none of the guests other than Keith are worth mention... or a deal... ever. I'm sorry, but Louis Logic and Apani B-Fly are actual MCs. These assholes are just worthless. And when the Exec Producer ("Iz-real") shows up on two of the cuts... sorry, you are a Berlin sample away from being Puff Daddy.
Not to say this CD isn't worth it. Doom finds the center of the break several times. Like the nice "Dope Skill" (and the previously mentioned "Doper Skiller"). And "Ode to Road Rage" finds the first semblance of thematic storytelling from the first Vaughn release (and the horrorcore boo-boo soft taps is a nice beat). Venomous Villain suffers from too much of A Good Idea. No one thought of putting in the effort of making a hot disc. Instead it suffers us with four interludes (out of 12 tracks?!?), lack of motif and a basic B-side effort. Marketted as that? I'd've felt a bit better. As is... for completists only.
Of course if I was smart I would've bought it for 7 bucks at the Sound Garden from the used bin. Really, there is some hipster with good taste in Ballmer 'cause I saw both Venomous Villain and Kool Keith's Diesel Truckers in the used bin there the Saturday after release (the classic, buy, burn and resell. Which works if you have something approaching a tolerably diverse taste in music). The first I already had on order but the second, ahhh.
Diesel Truckers finds Keith back with Kutmaster Kurt. Together they produced such masterpieces as Sex Style and the Dr Dooom LP. Now Kurt is no Automator. His beats seem to be the classical MPC production. A very splatty four on the floor. Nothing eccentric. Interesting but enough to keep an MC on point. This is especially important for an artist like Kool Keith who has an ability to get... caught up... in his raps. Dooom was the last release where his oblique word architectures contraposed against the beat worked. Of course then Keith got angry at the media his producers were getting for his success and started to self-produce.
This is what we call a Dark Age. The sort of thing that makes people say "Well, his creative years are behind him." Spankmaster, Matthew both sucked such fat dick, were so self-centered and insulting to his fan base, it is a surprise Keith still get's record deals.
But Mr Thorton must've realized this. After some seperation, he's back with the Kutmaster to produce Diesel Truckers. If you can ignore the wacky theme (Truckers? Is rap so bourgeoise now that rappers are pretending to be low-wage union workers?) this cd is a good return to form for Kool Keith.
The intro eponymous cut is the same spazmolytic style but soon a rap-on-beat style is rediscovered on "The Orchestrators". What is also nice is the appearance of actual good scratching on something other than a nu-metal cd.
Keith finds himself back on his classic themes of lyrical acumen (without sounding like one of them nursing home passe MCs), girls, and back in the day.
Kutmasta's beats are nices when he appropriates the shackalakalaka snare-high hat shake of the West Coast. "Mane" is classic with it's A-A-A-A rhyming scheme. Of course the word is usually spelt "Mayne" (ala Kenny Mayne on Sportcenter). Give's you that Tony Montana nee Freeway sound when you give it that nasally drop at the end. Also any cut that mentions E-40 gets some consideration. "Game" reiterates the same track (with "Mane" strategically replaced with "Game". Huh, who would've thought of that?) as the outro.
"I Drop Money", "Can I Buy You a Drink" and "Break U Off" all give that shoulder dropping snap. Classic Keith here with such rhymes as: "Make his beard grow! Make 'is make 'is beard grow!" Even the 'Ima Champ!' tracks like "Orchestrators" and "Bamboozled" all come with that approach of nodding respectibility. This isn't hip-hop social security.
Of course there are some average cuts. "Takin it Back" with its nice reference to hip-hop's origins just can't make me think of anything more than an aural history lesson. Likewise the faux romantic "I love you Nancy" just can't escape the seek button. Luckily the guests are rare ("Mental Side Effects" is deserved one listen for the WTF factor). Still, if you're looking for an underground album that's more than lyrical display but more than a headless anthem such as "White Teez", Diesel Truckers is your thing.
Like Dopplereffekt, Tamion 12 Inch does the Two-Tracks-In-A-Row-That-Are-Basically-The-Same-Song thing. "The Devil Was Right Pt. 1" is a cave dwelling threat wrapped in a child's nursery rhyme. As it exits, a thick keyboard drum kick comes in. Once more the song is repeated, as "Pt. 2". It would be idiotic if the song itself wasn't so winning. One of those hyperviolent childhood songs about the devil's wife coming and taking your head as you lie shivering under the covers.
Blasting off of that you come face to face with the kick of "Phone in Fall". Its shrill guitar, danceable bassline and girly vibrado chorus with it's "Na na na na!" and you know Tamion is something different. Or maybe not. "Phone in Fall" would be your classic dance-punk. Kerry Biernott's over-the-top delivery is every part Siouxie Sioux. And evoking that early post-punk pre-goth era is what Let's Suffer intends to accomplish. As "Phone in Fall" exits with a quick shift to a morbund piano touch, you've got that feeling.
Now, maybe its because this boy has seen many girls like this. Maybe because the girl I know who saw Tamion in concert dismissed their music as "A girl who wants too much attention". Maybe its because this boy knows many girls like this; all girls like this (any girl who is getting something of a spotlight might be getting too much attention in some girl's eyes). All the Trapper Keeper romance. The emotions that are more Tennessee Williams than anything that a normal person feels or anything else. Maybe this boy has attracted his share of women like this.
Or maybe it's he; he who is attracted to them. The very very serious gravity of theirs. That porcelain aggression with the very prominant crack worn face out. All those things that say "Watch out. This lamb is... dangerous."
This drama might not exist if it didn't work. "Heart for Creeps" and its high toned pine for another damn boy who does all those things boys are rotten for. And goddamn us for loving them so much. Of course this isn't the fast dancefloor of "Phone" but a slow rolling weep.
Let's Suffer is all over the map. The baroque noise of "S.K.U.T.Z." and the coughing Mike Patton phlegm in "Sisters" find Kerry riding the edge of her voice. When contrasted to something other than velvet and Skinny Puppy posters, the yelps approach something of a Prince-level ridiculousness. Funny... but damn, is this girl serious?
"People Call the Dead" beeps and... what is this about 'My coffin doesn't have a telephone' shit? Where did that come from? Shit... think think... did I forget our three month anniversary? Is she on cycle now? Fuck. Ok, calm down. What would Cosmo tell them what they should think you should do? Uh oh... she's really getting into it now. Damn. I think we might have to take the bullet and ask her what's wrong. 'Course she's going to get all "What do you mean what's wrong? Like you don't know?!?" Sorry boy, I don't see any good way out of this... and all I came over here for was that Peruvian blend she got down market yesterday...
After the emotional rollercoaster, Let's Suffer blows out on "Mix Mix Mix" (or as the owners of the Tamion EP would know it, "Do the Devil Dance"). A rousing, headwhipping uptempo four by four. Snare smash, bass boom and a girl whipping up a froth to "Dark dance, baby/Do the devil dance!" Howl and bellow. And you remember why you put up with all this pain and suffering as you spin away in a lower orbit... yeah, baby...
So now we've touched on the electro, hip-hop, and dance punk. "Goddamn," your boy says. "When was the last time I bought a metal cd?" Really, its been a while. Now maybe it was the whole nu metal era that got me away from the pleading weakness. Or the fact that it sundered metal into the extremes that never turned my wheel in the first place.
Yeah yeah, I watch a little Headbanger's Ball. Ok, Lacuna Coil isn't any different than Evanescence save the chick is less junior high and the outfits are a bit more expensive. Otep? No. Shadows Fall? No. Damn. It seems all the genres that I don't care for (emo, etc) are all playing in on the metal thing making these niche brands that have nothing in it for me.
Hey, check it out. That guy's rocking the devilock. Hmmm, this is pretty damn good. You see, I grew up on that speed/thrash tip. To me, Slayer and Pantera kind of gave that bleeding edge of metal carnage. Whenever metal got too technical or theatrical I lost interest. I guess its that hardcore DIY grounding that always made it feel less affected. Of course since "more" is kind of in the metal byline, the temptation to go running off to the theater tip is strong.
So it might explain why Lamb of God's As the Palaces Burn really got my goat (also the benefit of three of their singles getting rotation so I could assure myself this is something I'd like). When another group would see the last 15 seconds of "Purified" as a good place to demonstrate their finger dexterity, Lamb of God just let's the motherfucker get low to the ground and thrash around on all fours. Yes, this is definitely my thing.
Ok, so the howl, bear-talking isn't really my ish. I always appreciated the classical metal edge of Phil Anselmo. That he could ratchet up a "Cemetery Gates" or a Down disc that touched back on those blues roots. But when "Ruin" detonates with Chris giving his best finger on chalkboard keen, I find myself drawn more to the verse. Ok, I got no idea what this guy's going on about. The liner notes has some standard societal apocolypse. But what I notice is the way he'll let his voice tick on the beat like a metronome. Fuck, the man understands how to rock! It isn't just about the message (which, hate to say, isn't easy to get) but retaining the musicality. The same as an MC who let's his rhyme scheme get away from staying on the beat. The voice dips and snarls all around.
Meanwhile the guitars and double bass blast away. I heard folks complaining that this As the Palaces Burn lacked a bottom end. Well, the intelligence of this cd is to know that metal works by treating the wall of guitar as a larger percussive instrument. Grab about three octaves and just hammer away and, shit, you got a tidal wave beating away on the dikes. "A Devil in God's Country" and "In Defense of Our Good Name" both show a leaning to message for those who are willing to look deeper.
The true stand out track, for the simple fact it is a good 20 BPM slower than all the others (at least to start) is the closer, "Vigil". It provides a good bookend to a stellar release. I knew when I heard Devin Townsend produced this that this'd probably be for me. I got my Strapping Young Lad and really think Hard-wired is one of FLA's best. And he keeps his production effects out of the way, on the edges, like serifs. They only accent the existing brutal core of this release. You take the mixer away from Lamb of God and it'd do little to reduce the whole package.
What we have here is an album content on just threshing the field with wide brutal sweeps. The drums kick and blow. Very good, and that's saying a bit for someone who this is not usually his thing. I prefer my metal to have a slow menace to it. Godflesh ringing for 20 minutes at the end of a disc. This is metal on the left of the spectrum: the spartan, hard, fast. 38 minutes, 11 tracks. No foreplay with this. Straight to the asskickings and bloody shins. Maybe not the best for the body of your musical arsenal, but important to have a few stocked here and there when you need them. What else would you expect from five good boys from Richmond, VA?
Dopplereffekt Gesamtkunstwerk ****1/2
Viktor Vaughn Venomous Villain **1/2
Kool Keith Diesel Truckers ***1/2
Tamion 12 Inch Let's Suffer ****
Lamb of God As the Palaces Burn ****
As per usual... (Score:1)
On another note: I had all but forgotten about Godflesh (passing mention in the last paragraph), Street Cleaner was in heavy rotation in high school. Will have to reacquire that... LOCUST!!!
Re:As per usual... (Score:2)
LOCUST!!!
Furnace.