Abort Magazine - Issue 6

Our monthly chart compiled from th e Blood, Sweat & Fears of our staff.

ABORT™ Magazine Canada’s Counter Culture

Issue 6 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief E.S. Day

Staff Photographers Sarah Hamilton, Chris Webber, Jordana Meilleur, Grimm Culhane, Jordana Hovis, Paul Michalowski. Web Design/Graphics John Allan –www.johnallan.ca

Hip-Hop Editor Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Contributors: Mike Gilbert, FINK, Emmylou Benson, Justin K. Hughes, PaperMonster, Kyle M. Close, , Kevin Daley, Ben Carlin, Darryl Whetung, Mark Boucher, Denis Maile , Ajani Charles, Kalmplex Seen, Dave Nelson, Jeffrey Chan Tin

Art Director/Layout Christina Thiele/Rheanna Fancypants

Intern Alexandria Lee

Photo Editors E.S. Day/Grimm Culhane/Sarah Hamilton

Cover Artwork By Mike Gilbert [email protected]

Senior Editor Grimm Culhane

Review Editor Grimm Culhane Staff Writers Grimm Culhane, E.S. Day, Dave “Corvid” McCallum, Amalia Nickel, Jimmy Lynch (Toronto), William “Moose” Roberts, Derrick Beckles (New York), Calder Fertig (Calgary), .ninjoelspy., Alxs Ness, Russ Foxx Senior Photographer Sarah Hamilton Photo - By Armene (Voronezh, Russia)

General Info: [email protected] www.abortmag.com www.abortmagazine.com www.abort.tv DEPARTMENTS Advertising [email protected] Marketing/Promotions [email protected] Employment Opportunities [email protected]

Tales From The Eastside™ contains pictures of people who have given consent and/or been compensated by ABORT™ Magazine, AbortCast™, ABORT TV ™ and AMP Corp for use of their likeness and comments The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of ABORT Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) ISSN 1918-0594

Cover Design and Concept Mike Gilbert and E.S. Day

ABORT MAGAZINE is owned and operated by: Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) 1140 Comox St. Ste 203 Vancouver, BC Canada, V6E 1K5 778.330.7575 Fuck The Fax

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ABORT Magazine is A Canadian Publication Copyright © 2004-2008 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Ugly – Fishbone (SonyBMG) Phantom Pt. II – Justice (Ed Banger) Lost Your Mind – Aceyalone (Decon Inc.) Club Thing-Yoav (UMG) It’s Like That –Redman (Def Jam/UMG) After The Flesh – MLWTTKK (Rykodisc) Fire Down Under - Riot (Metalblade/KOCH) Folsom Prison Blues - Everlast (Martyr Inc.) Stuff - Dyke & The Blazers (Collectables) Precious - The Pretenders (Chrysalis/UMG)

ABORT’S latest list of interview requests, and the people who told us to go fuck ourselves

M.I.A. Sassy, crassy, M.I.A., goes M.I.A on us not once, not twice … but thrice times!, including us flying to Montreal to do the second interview, she recently announced her last live performance onstage, to an unsuspecting audience and has now fucked up our chances for any form of an interview... But we still love her. `

Iron Maiden After our Editor had already had Tea & Scones with the“Bruce-ster”, it seems label and management thought it be best that they leave out the “little” publications to make way for the big bulky dailies who have no interest in the gracefully aging metal mongers. We even offered 4 pairs of socks and one cucumber to help Bruce keep his “stage package” in check. Where the fuck is Eddie when you need him?

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21 & under with ...

Grimm: We have a pretty good-sized Chinatown which is like two blocks away from that area we are talking about right now. Kyle: So, its a kind of gnarly scene?

by Grimm Culhane

Grimm: Oh cool. We are in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Kyle: Awesome. I was just hanging out with those Black Mountain dudes. Grimm: Were you really? Kyle: Yeah, we played a show with them. Grimm: With Steve McBean and them? Oh that’s right, I saw a poster for that show on your website. Kyle: Yeah, they were awesome. Grimm: Probably one of the better Vancouver bands right now. Kyle: Yeah, I hadn’t really heard of them before that, but it was really good. Grimm: Good to hear. How are things with Witch? Kyle: They’re great. Grimm: You guys are heading to Austin pretty quick, I understand?

(for SXSW) Kyle: Yeah things are starting to get going again. We took kind of a long hiatus. Well… not really a hiatus, but we just didn’t play for like a year, so its nice to be playing again. Grimm: Were you busy in the studio at that time? Kyle: No, not really. I actually didn’t know if we were going to be playing or not. It was kind of just like... we were having trouble finding somebody who wanted to play live, like second guitar live, because Ace our other guitar player doesn’t really like going on tour or anything. We had some trouble with that. We started recording again in the fall though, but once we started recording we weren’t in the studio for very long. We played for some kind of weird party for this website called “The Virtual Lower Eastside.” Heard of it? Grimm: The Virtual Lower Eastside, no. Kyle: Yeah, its a virtual replica of the lower eastside of New York City. You can like walk around and go to shows with your little video gig character. Grimm: The Eastside of Vancouver is … I don’t know if you’re familiar with that area, it’s got some press from Dan Rather recently because it’s where all the junkies and dealers hang out. Kyle: In Vancouver? Grimm: That’s right. Kyle: I hear you guys have a pretty big Chinatown?

www.myspace.com/witchofficial

Grimm Culhane: Hi Kyle, this is Grimm Culhane from ABORT Magazine. How are you doing? Kyle Thomas: Pretty good, how are you? Grimm: I’m excellent. You sound like you’re just across the street (laughs) Kyle: I am.... Grimm: (Laughs) Sounds like. Kyle: Umm... well I’m in Vermont.

Grimm: It’s an extremely gnarly scene, very sad actually. It’s tragic to see the sort of human waste of potential that’s going on there. Anyway … Witch, let’s talk about Witch. I was just listening to your new album “Paralyzed” and I was remembering back to when I first got your first album. I loved it. It doesn’t sound too derivative or similar to anyone else. Now you’re the song writer, is that correct? Kyle: Me and Ace, the other guitar player. Grimm: How long has Witch been together? Kyle: Let’s see... I think our first album came out in 2006. So, probably like 3 years. Grimm: How did you get involved? Kyle: Well Dave (Sweetapple), the bass player, and Jay (Mascis) were friends and they had just been joking about starting a band. So I had known Dave for a long time and I was just kind of a kid from town. He was just like, “you want to start a band?” I mean I had another band, “Feather,” which is pretty much the opposite of what Witch is, so I jumped at the chance to do something different. Grimm: Would you call yourselves a “psychedelic” band? Kyle: I mean that’s such a broad term. You can really call a lot of things that. A lot of stuff gets called psychedelic these days which I don’t think is psychedelic. There are aspects of that to it, like the solos and stuff are fairly psychedelic. Grimm: Absolutely, the fuzz. Kyle: I would say it’s more psychedelic then it is straight. Grimm: And would you say you’re metal in any regard? Kyle: I mean there’s definitely a lot of metal influence, there’s also punk influence. I usually just say we are a rock band. It’s usually the easiest way out, maybe kind of boring, but whatever. Grimm: All encompassing. Kyle: Yeah. Grimm: Now with “Paralyzed” it seems to me that you’ve taken everything from your first album and blew it up. Everything is faster, it’s fuller, it’s still got that Witch sound, but it seems like everything’s been pumped up. Kyle: I think that a few of the songs are a lot faster then they were written. I just really wanted to take it a step further and in a different direction. This album has a lot more variety to it were as the first album had kind of the same kind of tone to it the whole way. This one is all over the place really. Grimm: Yes it is... you go from songs like “Gone” which is heavy and fast. Then you’ve got “Sweet Sue,” which is more laid back… and then “Psychotic Rock.” Now, I’ve been listening to that song and I have to tell you, its reminds me of Alice Donut. Kyle: Awesome. I’ve never really listen to Alice Donut, but I have always thought they sounded like a cool band.

Grimm: They are excellent. You and Tom (Antona) sound almost identical for some reason, on “Psychotic Rock” especially. I keep thinking every time it comes on that my iPod has gone to shuffle and that I’m listening to an Alice Donut song. Kyle: That’s awesome. Yeah that’s probably one of my favourite songs on the album. Grimm: You’ve got South by Southwest coming up in the next couple of weeks. Then it looks like your hitting the road after that. Kyle: Yeah we are doing a couple of shows after that with Graveyard, from Sweden. Just like shows out here in New York then Western Massachusetts. And then we are going to go to Europe for three weeks. Yeah, we haven’t done much touring so it’s going to be good to get out there. Grimm: It’s the place to be. When are you going to get to Canada? Kyle: In my dreams (laughs). Grimm: In your dreams, oh come on... Kyle: You know Dave is from Newfoundland. We always talk about wanting to play out there. I love Canada, and I’ve never been to Vancouver either. Grimm: Could it have something to do with the border? Have you ever had problems getting over the boarder? Kyle: No, surprisingly. When we did “Feathers” tours up there, we had a van full of eight really weird looking people and a bunch of weird shit in the van. We didn’t have any problems, ever. Grimm: Marijuana: menace or marvel? Kyle: To me? Personally? Umm, I think it’s a marvelous menace. Grimm: A marvelous menace, good answer. Kyle: I’ve had my days of smoking tons of weed, but I haven’t really been doing it much recently. It kinda makes me crazy. I imagine once I get over to Amsterdam it’s gonna be pretty hard to avoid. Grimm: Yes indeed, it certainly will. I tell you, there’s nothing in the world like smoking a joint inside a McDonalds. Kyle: (Laughs) Just has to be done I guess. Grimm: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s trippy man, you really go through the fries after that. Kyle: (Laughs) Yeah. Grimm: What else do you do? Kyle: I do a lot of art, artwork. I do a lot of painting, I do album covers and t-shirt designs sometimes. I do all kinds of stuff. Grimm: And your day job? Kyle: It’s pretty much that (laughs). Grimm: (Laughs) Excellent, good to hear. Kyle: You know, I live in my parents’ house, I rent an art studio and just kinda hang out. I sell records on eBay sometimes too. Grimm: I see, diverse, a man of many talents. Kyle: Pretty deep. (laughs) Grimm: (Laughs) Well I certainly appreciate you taking the time to chat today Kyle. Kyle: Yeah, it was fun. Grimm: So we’ll watch for you in Vancouver soon? Kyle: Yeah, I hope so.

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to the point:

LOUD Records CEO Steve Rifkind O

n the brink of brand name destruction, LOUD/SRC Founder and CEO Steve Rifkind has found a way to dodge the haters, embrace the critics and bounce back with a rejuvenated (not that he needed it) corporate umbrella that keeps his world dry from a rainstorm of mediocrity that overshadows today’s music industry.

“These records are making me thirsty” E.S. Day: We’re just going to jump into the Loud Beverages thing. With Loud Beverages, is it safe to say that an energy drink targeted at the hip-hop culture is merely just a safer alternative to alcohol, and does that cut the competition factor in half? Steve Rifkind: I don’t know if it cuts the competition in half. I mean, there’s still a lot of competition out there It’s almost a health drink. I have what’s called a chronic migraine. You don’t get a lot of oxygen in the brain and you just get incredible headaches. Somebody said that you should try to drink as much caffeine as possible, so I took some Advil with it and to make a long story short, this Loud Energy Drink got rid of my headaches. I’m not a doctor, I’m not a scientist, but I’m trying to figure out what we can do now with a pharmaceutical company with this drink. E.S. Day: On that note, what are we looking at ingredients wise? I’m assuming caffeine plays a major role! [laughs] Steve Rifkind: It definitely plays a role, but unfortunately I don’t have the ingredients on me. E.S. Day: No, but I was assuming the major player in the drink was caffeine, am I wrong?

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With the Wu-Tang Clan release - 8 Diagrams, his new line of energy drinks and his infamous guerrilla street marketing tactics, Steve Rifkind will prevail and maybe help other industry cats lead instead of follow.

Steve Rifkind: Caffeine and a lot of Vitamin B. E.S. Day: Is this product ever going to come to Canada, and if not, why? Steve Rifkind: I think it is coming into Canada. Right now we’re in negotiations with a distributor. Plus Ron Urban is who we’re talking to right now. E.S. Day: How’s music going to play a role in the marketing of this? Steve Rifkind: Everything that we do is always driven by music. E.S. Day: Right, and so it should be. Steve Rifkind: We sell it in record stores, and it’s going to be music driven. We have marketing plans for the world-wide market, and I promise you this: music will be a key ingredient.

E.S. Day: What I meant is that you’re not gonna go into HMV, buy the new Wu-Tang, and get a free can of Loud Energy Drink. It’s not going to go to that extent, is it? Steve Rifkind: Honestly, I wish it would! [laughs] loudbev.com loud.com By E.S. Day

21 and under with ... E.S. Day: Yeah okay. We haven’t heard anything yet. We are dying to hear it, can’t wait to get a copy and get that going. Everlast: Yeah, we are getting it out this week hopefully.

E.S. Day: I’ll try and make this quick. First of all, how are you doing? Everlast: I’m doing well. E.S. Day: Good, good. Getting ready for the new album coming out, is there a tentative date for this yet? Everlast: September 23rd, I believe. E.S. Day: September 23rd. Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, Correct? Everlast: Yeah. E.S. Day: Okay. I’m going to ask some typical questions, the first of which first being: The Ghost of Whitey Ford, did Whitey Ford Die? What’s going on here and is this a new incarnation of Everlast again? or what are we going to expect this time round? Everlast: Um, the sound is pretty different. I used a lot of different instrumentation. As far as the Ghost of Whitey Ford it’s just kind of like, I like playing with people. E.S. Day: Good and so you should (ha-ha). There’s nothing wrong with that. When you say more instrumentation, are we talking about literally more instruments? I mean are you going to bring more beats back, is what I’m asking. Everlast: Well, there’s beats on the record, but it’s not exactly a Hip-Hop album. But yeah, everything I feel has to have some kind of beat under it. E.S. Day: Of course. Everlast: Mostly live drumming. A lot of different keyboards. I didn’t rely so heavily on the acoustic sound. E.S. Day: Yeah, I was going to kind of ask, have you strayed away a bit from that or is that still your vibe. I mean, as opposed to giving people what they expect. Give them something that’s coming from your inside as opposed to trying to please a record label, let’s say. Everlast: The good news is I already started my own label. E.S. Day: That’s true, it’s Martyr Inc, that’s correct? Everlast: Yes, yes. As far as like why I would not use the acoustic sounds as much. I just felt like I did my last three records with a heavy acoustic sound. E.S. Day: True, fair enough. Your going to have to forgive me for a couple of questions. I am forty years old and I grew up with the original Everlast (ha-ha). So, I’m going to ask a few things. First off, any old collabo’s coming up? on the side, and I mean old collabo’s like when you did that thing with, “ Rhyme Syndicate, with Ice-T? “ I mean, I still listen to that stuff believe it or not. Can we see you going back in to the crates and pulling out some of the old stuff or maybe doing some collabo’s with some of the cats back in the day, just for fun or touring wise? Everlast: That’s all relative on who wants to do it. I mean, Ice gave my first break back in the day. If he asked me to do anything, I would more likely do it. E.S. Day: How about for a couple of our... We feature a lot... We are not entirely all music, but when it does come to music, we have a huge older reader and listenership. And a lot of them still really like a lot of old hardcore Hip-hop and old Metal fused together. I dunno whatever, “ Public Enemy/Anthrax, Onyx/Biohazard,” But when you guys did all that shit... Butch Vig did a remix. When you were doing House of Pain of, “ Shamrocks and Shenanigans.” That was fucking heavy as hell that blew people away. Would you be up to doing maybe a hardcore remixes off your current repertoire? Everlast: Yeah, that would all just be on how good the remixes are.

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E.S. Day: A quick break down for our listeners, viewers and readers for your connection with La Coka Nostra, and are you going to be doing a lot more with that once you tour and work this album? Oh and speaking of that any tour(s) coming up for the new album? Everlast: Dates yet, no, we are just finished the record. E.S. Day: Okay, fair enough. But yeah La Coka Nostra is that going to be a permanent side thing for you? Everlast: Yeah I mean, me and they guys...I mean that’s kind of like... for years people have been asking me like “what’s up with House of Pain?” And you know I’ve just never been the type to go backwards. E.S. Day: Of course not, that’s why I haven’t really been asking about House of Pain, I was more asking about the La Coka Nostra thing. Everlast: Exactly, the way that came about was, Danny Boy, my old partner, had put that together with Ill Bill. E.S. Day: Yeah all that, wicked. Everlast: And like, when I came on-board it was like natural, and it is all the guys from House of Pain—and we are having a blast. It gives me an outlet to just do that straight hardcore Hip-Hops tuff that doesn’t always fit in with the album. E.S. Day: Sure okay. Everlast: But yeah I plan on being apart of it for awhile. E.S. Day: Cool, alright. guest appearances on this album, musician-wise, not vocally? Everlast: Yeah there are no vocal guests really. The only couple of musical guests are like I dunno if your familiar with Jimmy Kiltiner is. He’s famous for (can’t hear) played with a lot of the beats. Then, Billy Gibbons, played... E.S. Day: No way, from Z Z Top? Everlast: Yeah, we are good friends. E.S. Day: Get the fuck outta here... Oh my god, those guys are great, I met ZZ Top at the Zanzibar Tavern (Strip Club in Toronto) and they stole a “Do Not Wear Harley Davidson Attire” sign, right off the wall. Walked right out with it. Great guys, really good guys. That’s incredible, how did that come about? You just said you were friends right? Everlast: Yeah, me and Billy are friends right. And I might be collaborating on his, he’s got a solo record coming out right now. E.S. Day: Anyone else? Everlast: No, not really. Just some local guys that are friends of mine. That have played with me over the years. E.S. Day: Okay. Speaking of local, anybody we should be looking out for. Everlast recommendation up and coming unsigned, from your hometown. Anyone you want to show some love too? Everlast: I don’t know about my hometown. E.S. Day: Well not from your hometown, but from where you’re based now. You’re in L.A. right? Everlast: I don’t know if they’re undiscovered or not , but I just recently just kind of go put on to a group called the “ Dead String Brother.” And they are out of Detroit. They are pretty wicked. E.S. Day: Okay, interesting. And there’s Myspace for that right? Everlast: I believe so. E.S. Day: Okay enough about that. Getting back to the album (production wise). What are we looking at, was it mostly you? Everlast: And my partner, Keith Ciancia playing keyboards with my band for quite a few years. We started co-writing some stuff and I guess he’s had a reject with his wife for a few years and there was like this sound quality about it that I just loved. And I’m thrilled with the outcome. E.S. Day: Great. Do you think possibly the state of music today, everything that’s going on. There is a lot of ignorant people out there when it comes to trying to adapt to an artist, a Hip-hop artist, in their minds. Crossing over in to lock and vice-versa and back and forth. Putting the two together. I mean, I thrive on that but for some reason I still get a lot of turned-up noses. Are you finding you still run into that, when you have your ear to the streets, so to speak. Everlast: Occasionally you know, you get that, But what I do musically... I’ve never been the dude that chased the money. E.S. Day: No, you didn’t. You never pick and choose. You just do what you do. I noticed that and props to you for sure. Everlast: Don’t get me wrong, money’s money.

E.S. Day: Exactly, yeah, yeah. You’d be open to that? Everlast: If they make the remixes, I don’t tell them what to do.

E.S. Day: Of course right, you’ve got to eat. Everlast: But yeah, when I make the records, I’m trying to please myself, impress myself and walk away from the project saying I challenged myself.

E.S. Day: No. of course not. But I mean the fusion of heavy guitar on top of beats and stuff again. That wouldn’t be a thumbs down idea. Everlast: No, it sounds good.

E.S. Day: That’s so great to hear. You don’t hear a lot of artists say that. E.S. Day: Thanks. Everlast: Thank you.

www.myspace.com/theofficialeverlast

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Aceyalone:

a world according to aceyalone

BY AMALIA NICKEL | PHOTO BY CHRIS WEBBER

Aceyalone shrugs, and credits the use of binary images in his lyrics to being a Libra. His sheepish response seems odd given that his music has been pushing the boundaries of hip-hop for nearly 2 decades – breaking convention doesn’t happen by accident and it seems to me that his creative process is divided between mind and man. The Mind creates rhymes about burning the “vanity affair” that is L.A. while the Man supports capitalism so long as people aren’t dogmatic about it. He raps, “I do it all for you” but when the issue of CD pirating is brought up he gets irritated; “do you think I do this all for you?” He has a water bottle filled with rum, a beer stain on his lightning-bolt shirt from the night before and some of the most transcendent rhymes to enter the literary canon. Breaking convention, pushing boundaries, embracing binaries: Aceyalone is a poet in the most classical sense. Formerly known as Eddie Hayes, Aceyalone was instrumental in the creative and intellectual progression of hip-hop in the 90s. At a time when gangsta rap was promoting controversy and gaining popularity Ace One was spearheading the West Coast freestyle and jazz movement with The Freestyle Fellowship. To this day the conscious underground follows their lead in musical experimentation and introspective poetry. Ace recalls being part of hip-hop’s growth in those days, a time when “hip-hop was a young form of music and was still maturing.” He feels that he helped bring hip-hop through its adolescent years by offering his artistic style and bringing it closer to poetry. “The art form is not just rhymes, not just technical. We challenged the techniques, like rhyming in different time signatures, 6/8 or 5/7, different dynamic rhythms.” He confronted the very essence of hip-hop, stoking the fire to help it grow: without contraries, there is no progression. According to Aceyalone, the polarities of life already exist in the conscious and subconscious minds of all people—he simply brings

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the themes to light through introspective lyricism. “We all have to deal,” he says, “to balance out both love and hate, good and evil, high and low.” These are his binaries, his way to “reflect a worldly balance.” These days, the 37-year-old rapper is still pushing the genre’s limitations with a series of musically-themed hiphop albums. The first of several, “Lightning Strikes” offers layer upon layer of reggae styles pulled from the archives of musical history. Aceyalone feels that “dancehall has a rhythmic form not often applied to hip-hop” and he respects it. But as a lyricist, the beats are a backdrop to his poetry and he can interpret other musical genres equally well. “Rhythms belong to one source of nature from god,” he claims, so he can also respectfully delve into classical, blues or jazz. “Hip-hop takes samples … this just takes it a step further.” Through recovering “lost techniques” instead of simply using samples the art remains connected to its original source, the tensions of life. Lightning is a symbolic representation of divine imagination. It strikes from the heavens and manifests itself through the artist in order to challenge the norms of thought and produce change. “Lightning Strikes” is saturated with the imagery of natural tensions: “first the thunder, then the lightning,” of “Shango,” or the burning fires cast upon shallow lifestyles in “Jungle Muzik.” However, Ace claims that the light imagery in his lyrics is not a conscious attempt on his part; the very action of bringing his ideas to light organically integrates the natural symbols of knowledge.

about, why box it in when all the world are tools to use?” He finds subject matter in the cool, the funny, and the serious: “death, life, politics, girlfriends, fun…” he writes what he sees and experiences. As introverted as he is, he does not like to deconstruct his own creative process, “the writing is the editing,” he claims, “it is unrefined and instantaneous.” While he does not feel that his role is to make people comfortable he rejects the negative lyricism that “does nothing for your soul, and contributes to stunting our growth.” It’s not a matter of being preachy but instead putting himself into the lyrics as a way of “understand[ing] how people are…we’re all the same, all shallow, we all have self-esteem issues.”

He is, however, quite conscious of the metaphorical ideas of taking flight and soaring to higher heights which is another recurring pattern in his 17-year discography. He likes to explore the margins and reach outer limits, a risky human instinct. I reminded him of the classical Icarus myth, in which

the curious hero soars too high and the sun causes his wax wings to melt and he falls from the sky. When asked about the parallel Aceyalone reflects, “I haven’t soared that high yet.”

In pushing his own musical boundaries he also encourages others to not settle for comfort although “it’s easier now to accept cookie cutter music… anyone can buy a cookie cutter and make a hundred heart-shaped cookies.” Aceyalone places himself in a greater artistic context where he is responsible to give society “something that future generations

can respect, can be proud of as wise and conscious adults.” It seems that the key to tapping into human emotion is to take influences from every aspect of life: “Anyone can find cool beats but you’ve got to challenge yourself; there are infinite things to talk

Aceyalone likes to be admired. He has little patience for critics and reacts sensitively to negative responses to his music. When challenged about some of the inevitable misses of his long career, he becomes defensive. Although he is not yet bored with the fans and the tours he sees two scenes happening: “the positive or neutral fans who are there to enjoy the shows,” and “the critics,” which he spits out like a dirty word. His music may push for change but the man himself enjoys the comfort he condemns, the dichotomy of the artist is evident in the discrepancy between his music and his lifestyle. Powerful and socially conscious, few could live up to Aceyalone’s prophetic statements and the artist recognizes this discord: “We’re all works in progress,” he admits. In writing lyrics Aceyalone channels what he calls his “higher self” and recognizes that the next step is to “live up to the lyrics” which is a difficult process. Perhaps this is where the man and the mind come together. The experiences of the man and the mind’s imagination form a tension, which in turn creates a flash of illuminated artistry. Lightning strikes.

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a r t i s t

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TYRONE McCARTHY

rank and file

ABORTIST

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Since graduating form OCAD, Tyrone has been busy with Illustration work and self publishing his comic Corduroy High. His clients include: Wall Street Journal Washington Times Owl Magazine The Canadian Sportsman Thomson/Nelson Today’s Parent US Banker Golf Canada Draft Toronto Designer’s Collective Pearson Education Harbinger Communications Inc. Response Innovations Revolver Film Company / The Partners’ Film Company BlackWalk Productions Theatre by the Bay Game Developer Magazine Fuel Magazine Verve Magazine 26

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t y r o n e @ t y r o n e m c c a r t h y. c o m

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FAN TA WHO: FANTA WHERE: Munich, Germany WHAT: Graffiti/Wall Murals WHERE: Berlin, Paris, Dublin, Palma de Mallorca, Roma, Milano, Brescia, Verona, Bergamo, Praha, Izmir and many more. Crews: TSM …since 1996 BDM …1997-2007 WCDIB …since 2004 Liveact on Jams: - Christmas Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2000 - Summer Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2001 - HipHop Reality Jam [Biehl/Swizerland] 2001 - Spring Jam München [Muenchen/Germany] 2001 - HipHop Jam München [Muenchen/Germany] 2002 - Out to Burn Jam [Dublin/Ireland] 2003 - Chilling Prague Jam [Prague/Czech Republic] 2004 - Street Art Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2005 - Premium Pool Arts Jam [Feldkirch/Austria] 2005 - 10Years Streetart Munich Jam [Munich/Germany] 2007 - The Block Jam 07 [Munich/Germany] 2007 - HipHop Summit [Ansbach/Germany] 2007 - Peacecamp X-Mas Jam [München/Germany] 2007 - HipHop Connection Jam 2008 [Vienna/Austria] 2008

masterfanta.com myspace.com/wcdib

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21 & under with ...

Alxs: In regards to your upcoming tour schedule, any chance for some West Coast Canadian dates during your USA/Canada run this time around? Helmuth: Hails to thee! There is nothing confirmed yet. I only know that there will be about 33 dates throughout USA and Canada. We are still waiting to get specifics on the first dates. For me, it’s the best to play live, you know? We are always exited; each show is very special for us and a huge challenge. We did so many brutal concerts the last decade. I think that we are a band that live we definitely destroy and leave dust and ashes. We give the crowd the absolute musical massacre and we’ll shoot our hits into their heads. Preaching the blast-beat in a live situation is our mission man, we always concentrate on the high-speed tracks (laughs). We cannot wait to play new tracks of the Bondage Goat Zombie album over there; it was killer to tour Canada last year. Alxs: With the recent success of Bondage Goat Zombie in respect to its position on German and Austrian music charts as well as the positive reception with metal magazines and critics, do you feel that this album has achieved something musically that perhaps your previous albums have not? Helmuth: Things are going infernally man, but hey, I don’t compare albums. We talk about music, each time and album we give our best. I combine every album with a certain period of life. Hell yeah, Bondage Goat Zombie just crushed the German and Austrian top charts. I mean its not important to me, I don’t give a shit you know, cuz charts are for fashion... trendy assholes. But it definitely is a breakthrough for extreme metal in general. A triumph for the devil and a stigma for moralizers… an extra punch in their faces, especially in Germany were we had so many troubles with censorship the last decade. Alxs: How important is it for Belphegor to experiment with different dynamics in your songs; be it musical, lyrical or sample ideas? Helmuth: To become mightier, more intense with every opus has always

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been our aim since the end of 1992. We all have exercised a lot on our instruments the last years, to improve our playing and compositional abilities, raise intensity and dynamics, to just get better in all musical aspects. With each album we bring our sound onto the next level, the feeling, the production, the songs… it was amazing to create and record Bondage Goat Zombie. Our sound has never been so vital, dark and full of demonic passion. Anyways, the most important thing is, that when you play a Belphegor album/ song, you immediately recognize that it is Belphegor. Alxs: What inspired you to record a woman actually being flogged and to use this recording as a sample on “Der Rutenmarsch”? Helmuth: Its all about SEX, SATAN and ART! I really dig that kinda stuff man. First you have to realize the word “sadism” comes from Marquis de Sade’s name. I’m more than impressed since 1995/ 96 by De Sade as I get my hands on 120 Days of Sodom, Justine or Juliette etc. I really recommend these scripts, his work was a battlefield full of perverted sex, violence and humiliation, but on the other hand his writing is pure poetry. Also his life was very impressive. I used many of his original verses for the new album. He was a rebel and was in jail about 25 years for his art and ideals and he always refused to kneel down. Yeah, the flagellation at the end of Der Rutenmarsch is not fake and we used original verses from Donatien Marquis De Sade (1740-1814) and as always, one very important sentence from F.W. Nietzsche (1844-1900). Hecate, a break-core artist from the USA, recorded and enjoyed the flagellation by a whipper. She said that she is still in pain after a week and has bruises on her whole back. She totally liked it and wants to repeat it (laughs). It was a privilege to work with her again. The last spoken words “...drown me in your fukk, drown me in your fukk, drown me” are amazing and blackest poetry to me. Its supremely authentic and fits to the whole atmosphere of the album and the concept of the infamous De Sade. Alxs: Are there any possibilities for incorporating aspects of the S&M scene into your live performance?

Perhaps hiring performers to engage in BDSM while you perform? Helmuth: Yeah, we had some brainstorming sessions about it, but we all came to the decision that its better to concentrate on the music. We aren’t a show band you know. Let the music do the talking, its all about the music man. Alxs: What’s your reaction to the book (True Norwegian Black Metal) that seems to chastise Norwegian Black Metal bands and fans, and could there possibly be some sort of backlash stemming from the attention the book and genre are receiving through mainstream media (i.e. CNN discussing church-burners etc..) Helmuth: I never heard about it and I don’t give a shit... Alxs: Are there any musicians or artists with whom you could see yourselves doing future collaborations with? Or at least tour with? Helmuth: Ed Gein, Marquis De Sade, Sylvia Saint, Alister Crowley, Taylor Rain, Leatherface, Mozart, Klaus Kinski, Chuck Schuldiner.... Alxs:

Current endorsements?

Helmuth: Jackson Guitars USA. Alxs: Next big thing? (Unsigned Your recommendation) Helmuth: You’re asking the wrong person about that stuff. I don’t care about trends or the next big thing. You know, it seems like everyday there’s a new subgenre of metal. But while trends come and go, Death and Black metal are forever, real classic metal in general. I’ve seen so many trendy bands come and go the last 16 years, especially the overnight-hypesensations (laughs). I dig metal, I mean - guitar music in general. I see the extreme metal scene is growing again worldwide, so its a good time. Music = Religion! Alxs: Any last words for the ABORT readership? Helmuth: Thanks for the space Alxs, regards to your readership and all metal demons worldwide. Check out our new album Bondage Goat Zombie.

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BOOK REVIEW by Grimm Culhane

Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers An Illustrated History By Martin Popoff ECW Press

Martin Popoff, Canada’s (if not “The World’s”) premier heavy metal chronicler returns with yet another tome of doom, his twentieth in fact. Fuck me! When does this guy have time to sleep? This time around Judas Priest goes under the microscope with absolutely brilliant results. “Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers – An Illustrated History” is an unprecedented 380 pages of the history, the challenges, the grit and the grandeur of one of the most important metal bands of our time. Martin has definitely covered all bases with this beauty because even those of you who can’t read are gonna get something out of this sucker! Loaded with page after page of photos, ancient ticket stubs, magazine covers, newspaper clippings, gig shirts, posters and countless other sorts of memorabilia, this is THE definitive history of Judas Priest. Since their rudimentary beginnings in 1969 and right up to today, Judas Priest has been a going concern. From their earliest days in Birmingham, England, Martin brings to life what it took to make one of heavy metal’s most enduring bands last as long as they have. The millions of sold albums, the international legions of screaming fans, the studded leather fashion… ah the fashion. Perhaps that’s it! Perhaps all the metal studded, leather apparel Judas Priest made into a “fuck you if you don’t like it” fashion statement is actually a way of prolonging life? Trend setters, controversial figures (remember the two suicidal boneheads who’s families blamed their deaths on “supposed” subliminal messages found on Judas Priest albums?) and the bearers of truths some are unable to handle; now in 2007 its safe to say Judas Priest remains hell bent not only for leather, but for the annuls of heavy metal Godhood. “Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers – An Illustrated History” is easily amongst Martin’s best work and I could go on and on about it, but I won’t. I’ll let you discover it for yourself. In the mean time I’m gonna put on my studded wrist protectors, my motorcycle boots, my black leather jacket and my black leather officers cap and I’m gonna live forever!

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Photo by Christina Thiele

to the point with ...

Bay Area Thrash Legends Exodus have bounced back to sit upon the throne they so richly deserve since their ground breaking debut album – Bonded By Blood. Fresh off a world tour to support the latest Nuclear Blast release, The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A, ABORT’s Toronto correspondent Jimmy Lynch, checks in with Exodus Co –founder , Gary Holt. 1. Gary, first of all congrats on the smokin’ new album- You’ve always played by your own rules, refusing to follow trends, and ignoring the Commercialization of metal...unlike others. How are you able to maintain such a staunch nonconformist attitude despite overwhelming odds against you? Why fight the odds anyway? You are much better off staying true to yourself because it’s you who you have to answer to, no one else. If we tried to jump on some bandwagon we’d be crucified for it. I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror and not feel like I’ve let myself down. 2. You just completed an exhausting tour, with your current line up, was it just as much fun this time around, or more of a pay the bills type thing? Well, that was actually last December, so we’ve been home and off the road for a while. But we would never do this shit if it wasn’t fun, and sometimes it barely pays the bills anyway. And our level of fun is pretty much off the charts. 3. Do you have any remorse for all the chaotic violence you’ve created from doing live shows? Speaking of which, any problems during your recent stop in South America ? Were they “Too Receptive”? Remorse? Don’t know the meaning of the word! Fuck

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that, it’s what I live to see. And some of the fans in a couple of cities in South America apparently like to rip each others hair out, judging from the hundreds of chunks littering the floor in Chile and Columbia.

miss those days?

4. .How do you feel about rappers like Necro, writing about Exodus, Venom, and bands like that, for his Rap tribute to the infamous Combat Tour Back in the 80’s?

8. Rob Dukes was featured in our latest issue how’s he differ from prior Exodus vocalists

It’s cool with me for sure. I haven’t heard it myself, but if he wants to rap about it, go for it. At least he was there, where as some people might talk shit about him but weren’t around themselves. .5. You guys have always been a killer live act, it’s obviously something that you take pride in. How do you still have the energy to get it done? The crowd. The more insane they get, the more we get. But I do have to take better care of myself now. I work out every day to get my cardio going. 6. Can we cross our fingers for a “Nuclear Bay Area Blast:” Tour with you guys and Testament and Death Angel – That kind of thing? You never know! .7. . I caught your gig in Toronto in ‘93 with DRI and Body Count, outstanding set! On your solos, you looked like you were possessed. Are you still? In addition, do you

I am possessed! By who, I don’t know. But while those days were a blast, the most fun is to be had now.

He manages to capture the best of our sound on the old stuff, and also bring us into a whole new level of brutality with the new. And on stage, there is no one like him in metal, in my opinion. 9. The Bay Area has been a breeding ground of great music for some time now. What is up with that? Is there something in the water, air, the weather? Have you ever had to throw a crazed fan back in the mosh pit? and I don’t mean this in a funny way, but where it became a serious stage hazard? Hahaha! I have thrown MANY people back in the crowd, and still do quite often! And yes, it’s something in the water. .10. Any chance of Exodus playing in Vancouver or Toronto any time soon? I don’t know about this next tour, but I’m sure in the future we will make it back. Thanks for your time Gary By Jimmy Lynch

the cutting edge

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ith the ever-growing popularity and acceptance of body art in all of its forms, today we’re seeing more and more individuals grasping for a chance to get into the piercing & tattooing industry. This industry has been receiving an ever-growing amount of media attention as of late, with reality television shows featuring various tattooing studios glamorizing the creative eAxpression their art entails. We’re finding now that visible body art is not only found on rock stars and our favourite bands, but even mainstream celebrities and movie stars are proudly sporting their tattoos and piercings before the public eye. These days we’re closer than ever to everyone and their mother having a tattoo or a piercing without criticism. Even white collar jobs are becoming more open to body art. Really, what’s not to love about this industry? It’s got loads of sex appeal, and tattoo artists are becoming celebrities on TV. What many people don’t realize is that the majority of artists in the industry live financially comfortable at best. Most do it for the love of the art, not to get rich. It seems that many people don’t take this into consideration when attempting to get their foot in the door. This should be considered by all future-body-artists-to-be. It should also be realized that if the right approach isn’t taken when entering the industry, a new artist can be a very detrimental force on the industry as a whole. One can take the right path and set a good example or one can take the wrong path and lead many more behind them.

background art by Peter Goode

Some spend countless hours hanging around in studios, soaking up as much information as they possibly can and wait patiently for someone to throw them a bone. Some score counter jobs for no pay. Some push retail products in-shop to bring in money. Some seek out artists or studios that will take cash for “training”, to give them a quick start in the industry and a piece of paper to put on the wall. Some travel and put out cash to take seminars with one of an assortment of larger organizations to again, give them a piece of paper to put on the wall. Some even order piercing and/or tattoo kits from tattoo magazines and hack away at their friends at home. There are many reasons why these people are looking the wrong direction for their entry into tattooing or piercing fields. I’m going to take this opportunity to first explain how this industry has changed in the last decade or so and how an aspiring artist can follow the optimal path forward if they have the drive to do so. Let me touch base on a few aspects of the industry that need to be recognized. In the last 10-15 years this industry has become over-saturated with shops opening with minimal standards, minimal experience and minimal ethics in practice. Being the art-oriented industry that this is, governments don’t tend to carry much involvement in it’s regulations or educating new artists. There’s also a lack of knowledge in the general public about the industry, which makes it difficult for people to know where to go and where not to go. When you find a studio that will offer tattoos for $20 per hour and piercings with jewelry included for the same price, there is more than likely to be corners cut in quality and safety. Lastly, the federal and provincial health authorities’ minimal standards and guidelines allow studios to operate under conditions

that were acceptable 20 years ago. These points show that serious caution should be taken when looking for a studio to work in OR an artist to do your work. Many less reputable shops that use cheap equipment and cut corners in order to keep prices extremely low will come and go, but should always be watched. These shops hurt the industry in a big way by supporting sweat shops and outsourcing low quality studio supplies. Not to mention doing inexperienced and sometimes even dangerous work. This also draws uneducated clients away from reputable shops with cheap prices and then leaves a terrible impression of how the industry works. A solid artist with strong ethics will always strive to have you leave their studio educated enough to protect yourself from unethical and dangerous artists. So, let’s get back to brass tax, shall we? “What’s the best way to get into this industry”, you ask? First off, go take your first-aid and CPR training at a level 2. You’ll be ahead of a lot of already employed artists out there in that regard. Next, take some infectious diseases and bloodborne pathogens training. This can be done through a hospital or health department. Next, show some initiative and attend a seminar with the Association of Professional Piercers (www.safepiercing. org) or the Alliance of Professional Tattooists (www.safe-tattoos.com). These organizations have been put in place to stay up-to-date on all aspects of the industry from everything involving the arts themselves right up to anthropology and legislature. Get a slice of Russ at www.russfoxx.com

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brought to you by www.thefalltattooing.com

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my life with the thrill kill kult & noize tribe zero

left spine down

y r e l l a g g n i t o o h s

photos by jordana hovis

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e v i r l t in gh ighte y l a p d m n a o m he L ta t

buck 65 & cadence weapon

photos by chris webber

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photos by grimm culhane

the clicks and photos M.O.P. by ajaini charles

the birthday massacre

cradle to grave

photos by jordana meilleur

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gigantour 2008

mad professor

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tiger army without mercy

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D C v e r

Death Angel Killing Season

Nuclear Blast Records

s w ie Del the Funky Homosapien Eleventh Hour Definitive Jux

Desaster 666 - Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate Metal Blade Records

Gnarled grandfathers of black metal Desaster are back on the throne with their latest release on Metal Blade. This sixth album marks the band’s 19th anniversary of classic destruction and over the years their style hasn’t diverged much from the sound that made them famous. The current line up is the result of numerous changes over the years and now includes Sataniac, Tormentor, Odin, and the last remaining original member, Infernal. Regardless of the newer members, their style is the same– driven, intense, classic BM. The feel of the album is a little bit slower than some of their earlier work and Sataniac’s vocals are distinctly understandable. These may be nods to the bands roots, meant to assert their place in the traditions of metal and help them stand out from the speed metal and death metal that came after them. Nonetheless, they still rip it up in alliteration-loving tunes like Razor Ritual and Fate Forever Flesh and bring the slow grinds in songs like Tyrannizer.

While most Rap these days is based on fabrication, Del’s new disc Eleventh Hour emphasizes on truth and honesty. Laid back with his classic Oakland twang, he kills it over his own futuristic funk sounding beats. Most of the album is spent bouncing back and forth effortlessly between dissing bimbo’s and ripping wack mc’s to shreds. What makes this album particularly different from his others might be the aggression or resentment in his voice. You can tell he’s been going through some shit, maybe a bad break up? Whatever it was, it fueled the lyrics and beats to one of the best discs he’s released. He’s got a certain way of calling people out or talking on a deep issue, while still making your head nod. Who else performs songs dissing club chicks while making the whole club dance? Using rhyme patterns and flows nobody’s thought of using before, Del once again has proved he’s still evolving and always has something new to bring to the table. I think most people other than his ex-girlfriends will be feeling this one. By Dave Nelson

I had to step out of my regular role as Hip Hop editor when I saw this one come in. This takes me way back to ‘89, playing covers of “I’m Bored” and “Mistress of Pain” in a basement in Northern Ontario. Almost all-original line-up too, with Mark Osegueda’s still piercing shriek nailing the high notes. Genius drummer Andy Galeon (who was 14 when The Ultra-Violence was released) kicking a more groove oriented “thrash n roll” (their word) style with Dennis Pepa’s still funky and even fatter bass tone rumbling steadily along. Their newest “thrasterpiece” (again, their word), Killing Season is about “truth and freedom…pain and suffering” - yeah, yeah, as long as there’s no power ballads like “Room With a View” from Act III. Judging from the accompanying promo shot, Death Angel are now (if they haven’t always been) seriously blunted. This has resulted in a more stoner rock/thrash hybrid sound, like a stripped down Ultra Violence with less riffs per song and more serious subject matter. “Lord of Hate” kicks it off with some classic 80’s era thrash and Osegueda’s voice slicing through the mix. Things get all Cro-Mag style hardcore on “Sonic Beatdown.” “Dethroned” starts off with the eerie chorus guitars and kicks into socially righteous thrash. Closing track “Resurrection Machine” is the only instrumental and it seems Death Angel’s introspective moments are now more about dark atmosphere than the sensitive acoustic ballads on Act III, or the soul baring testimonies of Walk in the Park. I’m fucking stoked knowing these guys are still at it and have honed their sound through years of experimentation into something uniquely Old School, yet progressive and ever changing. I haven’t even kept up with metal since the 90’s, mainly because nothing has really caught my ear since then. Death Angel’s latest re-establishes their importance in the Metal hierarchy, from back when it was Metallica, Slayer and a bunch of skinny teenage cousins from the Bay Area who created Thrash Metal. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Emotionz East Van Mixtape FreshCoast

The latest mixtape CD from Freshcoast veteran Emotionz displays his wide range of styles and skills over beats by Moves and other solid EastVan producers like Obese Chief, Sichuan, and others. The years of repping East Van here and worldwide have honed his flow into a versatile voice for the hustling underbelly of a city that too often tries to conceal its criminal origins. The opener “Skytrain” nails the setting right off - everyone knows the sound of those bells, and I’ve constructed this beat in my head before as the doors open on Granville - “If you livin’ in my city then I know that you heard…” This flows right into the line - “EastVan motherfucker it stays hard” on “So many Battles In Life,” where Emotionz spits on the ever present conflicts of life, on and off the mic, and his eager willingness to face them head on. Guest MC Clockwork hits some soulful uplifting shit on “Hard Times,” and Emotionz follows with his own reflective, soul sample based tracks. Chance, ft. DeeOne kicks some double time crunk type shit to get the party bumpin again, and Onesix drops the stellar “Keep It Street” - a reflective rap on hard times and struggle with a killer hook. “Struggle and Rain” follows - a heavy anthem for wet winter days. “E+J” features Manik and Zes on some alcoholic party pimpin rap, and Manik drops the street hustler flow on Y’all Don’t Know. Emotionz ends it with “The Realest Shit That I could Rap” over a cinematic King Geedorah beat with the parting message that “Violence Kills” and a flow reminiscent of Talib Kweli in cadence and content. Overall, a solid effort with a good mix of party bangers and introspective flows over a range of styles and beats, the EastVan Mixtape is a forceful statement of this place and time - the realness of the street life and the rewards of steady hustling, all saturated with the sounds and flavours of Rain City. FreshCoast has always had the uniquely Vancouver sound, and it’s good to hear that it’s steadily evolving, grinding, and sharpening the skills. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

When music moves as fast as metal sometimes a particular style doesn’t get the full attention it deserves; with this album, Desaster shows that their particular brand of BM is not only relevant, but can compete with contemporary trends and still has a lot of new ground to cover. By Justin K. Hughes

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DeVotchKa

Eternal Lord Blessed be this Nightmare

A Mad & Faithful Telling ANTI Records

With the surge in popularity of Gypsy Punk and its conquering of dance floors across the globe, its not surprising to find ANTI- Records picking up the bouzouki and running with it. By signing Denver based band DeVotchKa, ANTI- Records has now given almost every genre a go, filling out its roster nicely in the process. Alongside label mates such as Neko Case, Man Man and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (not to mention Tom Waits, Bob Mould and fucking Merle Haggard even!), DeVotchKa has found a home for their cultured cabaret and are moving in. Previously nominated for a Grammy along with composer Mychael Danna for their work on the Little Miss Sunshine score, DeVotchKa returns with their new album, A Mad and Faithful Telling. Sporting more instruments than one person can pronounce, including theremin, guitar, bouzouki, piano, trumpet, violin, accordion, sousaphone, double bass, drums and piano, A Mad & Faithful Telling is some of the sweetest sorrow yet put to music. As diverse as the label they call home, not all of A Mad & Faithful Telling is strictly Gypsy Punk. The tracks Basso Profundo and Comrade Z are, to the degree of say Gogol Bordello or Zydepunks, but most of these songs are just as much at home in a sun lit café as they would be in a dark smoky club. For a band like DeVotchKa though, that’s just getting started. “Head Honcho” plays out like a Mexican cantina anthem while “Along the Way” conjures up the ghost of Marty Robbins himself. Then there’s the French café flavour of “Strizzalo,” (although what a French café actually tastes like I can’t say) and the mournful strains of “Undone,” this album has it all in its own darkly brilliant way. Distinct, diverse, divine, with A Mad and Faithful Telling DeVotchKa’s not only moving in, they’re gonna conquer the world. By Grimm Culhane

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reviews

Golf Records / Ferret Music

Red Ants Omega Point Urbnet

I knew from the cover that I was gonna love this one, and I took it along with me to Toronto just to help me pre-adjust mentally - I mean it has a picture of the CN tower snapped in fucking half on the cover! Very dusty, dirty, Def Jux influenced production by Vincent Price (best name ever!) with that extra grit that comes from winters spent in the Great Frozen North all paranoid on Jamaican ‘Cess. As one half of the original duo of Modulok and the now incarcerated Predaking, Modulok holds it down with a tortured, blunted flow full of the visceral nihilistic imagery of a pre-apocalyptic wasteland. A little slow in the intro, but that just gives one time to twist one, as VP’s scratchy digital soundscapes scrape the eardrums into a cold trance. When Modulok drops his first lines over the ghostly beat of “Amplification,” it’s MC devouring, tortured soul time all over again. “A Kind of Grim” is a polished anthem for self-loathing angst and the best candidate on the album for an anti-radio hit. Best of all is “Versus,” a profound meditation on the greatness of pleasure, pain, love and… well, nothing, that is worth listening to twice in quick succession just to really catch the meaning. “Psychic Dictatorship” and “Keep Your Satellites out of my Brain” rail at the all pervading mind control pollution of our electronic masters (and we aren’t talking science fiction bullshit either)! Decidedly uncharacteristic of Canadian styles or trends, Red Ants are a harbinger of new sounds on the horizon, produced by artists whose eyes and ears seem to be focused on the realities of our great and fucked up nation, not on an appropriated image of Hip Hop. The skyline of a bombed out T-dot with vegetation overgrowing the bones and ruins is a fairly succinct statement of the outlook of Red Ants. Omega Point is a place and time, here and now, end and beginning… and the weak are definitely eaten!

Kicking off strong, songs like “Hot To Trot” and “Get To Fuck” represent deathcore at its finest. They play on all sorts of contrast in the opening numbers, juxtaposing blastbeats with heavy breakdowns, high pitched screaming with growling and straightforward one-note rhythmic patterns with complex guitar harmonies. Just in case the listener is getting too comfortable though, there are ominous shadows of the lameness lurking around every corner. Every now and then a breakdown will settle into cymbal ripples and soft guitar melodies before cranking back into the good stuff. As the album moves along, the songs slow down and all but leave the death metal influences behind. Blastbeats disappear early in the album and beats on the faster side become less and less frequent. Growling all but dries up in favour of vocal styles reminiscent of screamo, they take the genre-mixing way too far with (what seems to be inspired by James Taylor) Amity, forsaking vox and decent drum work entirely in favour of a slow, self-indulgent guitar duet. That is the low point of the album, though, and things get mildly, if only mildly, better for the last three tunes. The style never quite picks up to where it was though. In short, pick up this album if you don’t mind a little harmonic in your deathcore; even if you do mind, the first couple of songs still kill and are worth checking out on their own. By Justin K. Hughes

Various Artists Fallin’ off the Reel II Truth & Soul

Truth & Soul Records presents this righteous collection of NYC funk, chronicling every T&S 45 single released since 2006 in chronological order. This is material so classic that it’s hard to tell it’s so recent, hearkening back as it does to an age when “people like Otis Redding… left microphones rusting with sweat and tears.” Bronx River Parkway begin the disc with “La Valla,” a Hip Hop flavoured Latin style tune (or vice versa), which flows right into Nora Se Va, some sweet and sultry salsa for the ladies. Funky Music Machine follows up with some 70’s freak funk that just smells of polyester suits, afros and sweat, while the lead vocalist tears himself to shreds over his angelic backup girls. Black Velvet brings it right down with some sweet sentimental soul on “Is it Me You Really Love?” and funks it up for “An Earthquake’s Coming.” El Michels Affair brings us back to the present with some mellow urban vibes and a dope collab with Raekwon the Chef on “P.J.’s,” a hypnotic narrative of hustler living, over live Hip Hop reminiscent of DJ Premier or The Roots. Lee Fields is fucking sublime on “My World” and “Love Comes and Goes,” proof that real Soul music is alive in it’s original form in an unbroken tradition passed down from the masters. Timothy McNealy drops the conscious vibes on a funked out “What’s Going On”? and The Fabulous Three take us out on the unreleased bonus track “Odyssey Revised,” a tight drum and bass groove with some dope horn arrangements over top. Very cool, soulful and fulfilling, Fallin’ Off the Reels II is the perfect comedown album after a night of hard partying, good for company and a sweet organic antidote to an overdose of modern electronic stress. It’s nice to know that these styles are intact in an honest form, and don’t sound derivative or played, just Truth & Soul for a cold world, full of love and longing and pain and beauty. This will definitely be on my playslist for weeks to come. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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Witch

Meshuggah

Paralyzed

Tee Pee Records

ObZen

Nuclear Blast The March of the year of eight and two thousand has birthed a rarity in modern aural craft. For those who seek enlightenment through music, close your eyes, soften your breath, and encounter obZen. Calculate not this work of mesmerism! For few sages of great merit can translate its complexity. Rather, one should take this piece in like they would a breath, without conscious reasoning, like it is a complex but unnoticed function of one’s own body, and absorb it without focal stress. Meshuggah have taken technicality and severity and used them to scrape a multitude of scattered frequencies together into abstract beauty. The lungs of this work often collapse into peaceful melodic lulls. As the need for oxygen inevitably returns, panic inducing diatribes proclaim with dueling whips of eight tails that the lungs will most certainly fill again. As the violent breath rushes in and the molecules absorb into the lung tissue, we witness the reclamation of life through the strength and evolution intrinsic to the music that is Meshuggah. A fluctuation of rage and recluse, obZen is a score for an epic journey to enlightenment. It offers us pieces of music that break down the human psyche, breakdowns that rush like the ocean. Water is a vast vessel of life that adapts to its surroundings just as one must adapt and evolve to life, and to the complex biotic entity that is obZen. With reference to the album concept, as explained by vocalist Jens Kidman, that mankind seeks enlightenment in the obscure and the obscene, I have found that one can likewise find enlightenment in obZen, should one possess the ability to dissociate oneself from one’s conscious process. Channel this record into your morning ch’i for euphoric results. By .ninjoelspy.

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reviews

Nasum Threat from Outer Space Bleed the Dying Elephant Konseptikon Records

Threat from Outer Space has drawn from a long musical tradition in creating ‘Bleeding the Dying Elephant,’ balancing the album somewhere between classic and cliché. The ideas presented are a little generic, but also universal. This makes the album a comfortable and catchy collection of watereddown social criticisms: “9/11 was an inside job”? Fucking groundbreaking. The members of Threat From Outer Space are individually and collectively talented, their music is fun, creative and meaningful. ‘Bleed the Dying Elephant’ is a solid album, good for both dancing and headphones alike. Classic rock and roll riffs, malleable horns and drawling vocals are individually very familiar, but the layered combinations of the sounds keep them from being boring. The inventive instrumentation brings a rich sound through classic hand clap beats, dub-style horns and understated bongos. At the same time, the musical busyness makes the album a little unfocused and draws away from its social themes. The songs are emotive but again there is tension between existential thought and the egocentric ponderings of an indulgent emcee. The album’s narrative is delivered in choppy but controlled phrases against subtly powerful instrumentals. Songs like “We Like to Fight” and “Fix You” are catchy and upbeat, while “5:40 AM” is slow, ethereal and reflective. There is a kind of bewildered innocence in the way the vocals are solemnly presented; shards of images reflect a mind still searching. On first listen the lyrics are a little simplistic, but now and then some gems come out: “Don’t be so callous like the bass player’s fingers” is one particularly enjoyable pun. Threat From Outer Space has recycled musical styles and made them their own. While theirs is not a revolutionary new sound, it is novel nonetheless. By Amalia Nickel

Doombringer Relapse

Hellbent on destruction, Sweden’s Nasum have brought forth the demons from hell (and all that other cliche shite) into a spectacular live album. Problem is, it’s spectacular due to the simple fact that the tracks clock in at under one minute each. I mean it. “We’re gonna take you back,” boasts the lead vocalist for the classic track “Mass Hypnosis.” Unfortunately the ‘Doom’ is brought and clocks in at under 48 seconds. Riddle me this: how the fuck is one supposed to get hypnotized in just over a half minute? Impressive! They must be the “Karnacks of Grindcore.” These guys have to get on Leno pronto! To the point, short and sweet and completely indecipherable. Recorded live in Japan, the whole album transpires in under 25 minutes – I’ll assume the Super Terrific Happy Nasum Limited Edition Extra Special Box set (8 CD’s) should round out at a full hour. I’d rather listen to the soundtrack from ‘Meatballs 4’ while shopping at Ikea. I’ll stick with the studio tracks if I need garbled Swede Metal. By E.S. Day

In 2006 Witch’s self titled debut album found its way into my MP3 player, nestling itself nicely between Wild Cherry and Wizards of Ooze. Day after day I listened with contented ears as Witch laid out a thick throwback of 70’s style musical mayhem. From the opening fuzzed out drone of ‘Seer’ to the last sustained note of ‘Isadora,’ here was an album of psychedelic gratification that defied comparison and returned my faith in a much maligned genre. Now in 2008 the boys in Witch are at it again with their sophomore release ‘Paralyzed.’ Singer/guitarist Kyle Thomas, bassist Dave Sweetapple, guitarist Kurt Weisman and drummer J Mascis (yes, that J Mascis) have taken what made their debut album so exceptional and expanded upon it in every conceivable way. This is an album both hard rock and psychedelic puritans can really sink their ears into. From the heavier than fuck rhythm section and nitro charged guitar solos to the soaring vocals and flashback inducing lyrics; ‘Paralyzed’ manages to leave an even larger dent in my primary auditory cortex like a crowbar caressing a Porsche’s front quarter panel. Not an easy feat considering how many brain cells I have left… or is that how few? Heavier, faster and far more expansive than their first album (if that’s possible!), ‘Paralyzed’ rises from the tar pits of today’s homogeneous goo called ‘modern music’ and makes its presence known with a mighty, reverberating roar. The infectious groove of ‘Gone,’ the guitar laden psych-out of ‘Disappear,’ the slamming beats of ‘Sweet Sue’ and the molten madness of ‘Psychotic Rock,’ (with vocals eerily reminiscent of Alice Donut frontman Tomas Antona); for a band that doesn’t practice and rarely plays live I’m thinking I should be smoking what these guys are smoking! By Grimm Culhane

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Without Mercy Left Spine Down Fighting For Voltage Synthetic Sounds

Vancouver’s Left Spine Down turn the right songs up on “Fighting for Voltage” their latest release through their own imprint - Synthetic Sounds. Right off the bat this 6 piece unit featuring former members of the legendary Front line Assembly and The Black Halos have disemboweled the current industrial/electro/goth state of mind and taken the entrails from its carcass to boil a pot of MashUp stew that puts the latest MSI album to shame. No to mention they have captured the old school vibe of what Ministry wishes they had on their current tour instead of flogging a dead horse. Produced by Chris Peterson who has knobbed tracks for Front Line Assembly, Decree and Noise Unit – Peterson has painstakingly honed his craft on this opus and should have his phone ringing off the hook from the major labels. Kudos to CP. Without a doubt, these gents have put in enough hard work in the studio and churned out a timeless classic. Intense and aurally corruptive – it’s borderline power metal persona gives way to straight hardcore industrial and a fresher, more vibrant kick, that oozes a much needed danceable form of aggression. By E.S. Day

All Else Fails Unsigned

There’s so much new music being made in Vancouver these days (metal and otherwise) that its almost impossible to check out a local gig without coming across some new act you haven’t heard of before. The sheer number of new bands in the local area is ever increasing and, like shit piled on a loonie, you really gotta dig to find the good stuff hidden beneath the surface. Why bother getting shit all over your hands when you need dig no further than All Else Fails, the four song EP released by local purveyors of metal Without Mercy. Alxs, DJ, Dallas and Matt have inserted a strong entry into the local metal landscape with this release. Reminiscent of Pantera, old Metallica and even Cannibal Corpse in their delivery and compositions, its hard not to pay attention to this release and its nods to the past. “Misery” kicks things off with plenty of energy and tasty riffs. Alxs’ vocals go to the extremes here, from deep growls to high pitch wails and back seamlessly. I mean fuck, this woman can really belt them out! “Isolation,” with it’s Korn (not a compliment) sounding intro, intricate strings and lung busting vocals, reaches out and grabs you like a vice grip grabs your nipple on the elevator ride to Hell. (Having been to Hell, I know of what I write). The only objection you may find yourself having listening to this disc is (like most great EPs) the damn thing is too short. Hopefully Without Mercy will release a full length disc soon, making it a bit easier to find that elusive loonie in the shit pile of local music. By Grimm “Shit-Sifter” Culhane

Belphegor Bondage Goat Zombie Nuclear Blast

CD 82

reviews

Austria’s own Blackened Death Metal slaughterhouse Belphegor has set the bar high with their seventh studio album Bondage Goat Zombie. The opening/title track begins with a brief intro followed by a relentless fury of hypnotizing guitar riffs and endless blast beats. The chorus, both hilarious and intriguing, is almost impossible not to sing along to. This track is the perfect introduction to the mesmerizing driving rhythms, epic head-bangable riffs and demon-invoking sing-alongs that form the framework of Bondage Goat Zombie. There are also a few surprises along the way including the melodic vocals found on “The Sukkubus Lustrate” and the tortured screams that close the album. Not to mention the brief bass and drum solo on “Chronicles of Crime.” This stand out track also offers some killer solos by guitarist Sigurd. Once again, Belphegor have created the perfect soundtrack by which to burn churches and engage in dismembered ass fuckings… and how! By Alxs Ness

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!! ANTI- Records

Long time fantasy boyfriends of women who cut themselves shaving… on purpose; Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds return with their fourteenth studio album entitled DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!! True musical innovators and one of the few groups to successfully span genres AND generations (my grandma digs them), Nick and the boys come from a decidedly less melancholy and more Grinderman garage like angle in their compositions here, while the vocals and lyrical content remain pure Nick Cave. Far be it for me to criticize one of the most upbeat albums Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have ever assembled, so I simply won’t. Instead I’ll mention the diverse and, in some instances, downright bizarre musical styles they employ here. This may not come as a shock and surprise to long time fans, but they use almost as many pot and pan sounding percussions, off key (but not off putting) string arrangements and poetic/preaching vocals than their label mate Tom Waits, and that’s saying a lot! The beauty of this album comes from the imagery you see inside your head as Nick sings about normal, everyday occurrence such as living in the branches of trees (title track “DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!”), having the jaw bone of an ass (“Today’s Lesson”), and psychotic episodes on dude ranches (“Albert Goes West”). All in an existentialist’s day’s work for Nick and the boys. Like some strange cross pollination between William S. Burroughs and P.J. Harvey, DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!! contains the most low-fi, yet upbeat oratories on god and death and murder and sex (the usual), set to industrial noises and the sweetest string sounds and stick swats you’re likely to hear coming out of Australia. I could go on and on about this album and the latest, greatest direction the band is taking, but I can hear it playing in the background so I’d better go make sure my grandma doesn’t cut herself shaving… again. By Grimm Culhane

Man Man Rabbit Habits ANTI- Records

Third times a charm for experimental rock artists Man Man as their latest release Rabbit Habits will attest to. With their inaugural releases The Man In a Blue Turban With a Face and Six Demon Bag, Man Man set out to impress audiences with their junkyard-rock style compositions. Songs that make you laugh, make you dance and make you think all at the same time. Scooped up by ANTI- Records in late 2007, Man Man are back for more manic-gypsy-jazz with a darker, moodier and much more cohesive album. While the humour and song writing styles remain intact, its the depths they go both musically and thematically that sets Rabbit Habits apart from its predecessors. Avant-garde artists like Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and Tom Waits show their influences on this latest disc, but Man Man stands apart from contemporary acts such as DeVotchKa and Gogol Bordello with their tongue in cheek lyrics, stilted beats and pure experimentation. Accompanying lead singer and pianist Honus Honus are band members Pow Pow, Critter Crat, Sergei Sogay and Chang Wang, who sing and play a wide variety of instruments. When I say wide variety I mean W-I-D-E variety. Squeak toys, chop sticks, cap guns, pots and pans and fruit all make musical appearances alongside the usual guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. You name the instrument and this band probably plays it. I defy you to find an album this year with a better xylophone solo. The music on Rabbit Habits is hard to define in terms of genres, for its crossover music almost to the extreme. “El Azteca” has a definite Glitch quality to it, with tasty synthesizer melodies woven in over tech head beats and samples. “Mister Jung Stuffed” takes the listener on a carnival ride through some subconscious Hell while “Big Trouble” is a New Orleans style funeral march complete with zombie wails, a horn section and pleads for death. Never too somber, never too trite, Man Man have looked deep inside themselves and struck a fitting balance with Rabbit Habits. An obvious choice for the ANTI- Records label, I expect Man Man will enjoy a lengthy and productive relationship there. In the long run the real winners will continue to be the listeners. By Grimm “Squeak Toy” Culhane

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Led Zeppelin Mothership Rhino/WMC

Given the ambiguity surrounding an apparent reunion tour and false festival promises, no true Zeppelin fanatic should be waiting with bated breath. In the meantime, do what everyone else does, throw on a Zep record and relax. Not to condone labels pumping out “McCompilations” at drive-thru speed, Rhino has managed to put out a classy little package that almost brings back the comforting feeling that accompanies opening up a gatefold record and reading liner notes whilst the minstrels strum in the background. Produced by Jimmy Page (of course), we have a remastered collection of the standard fare massaged into an adequate track listing that pries into the latter part of the Zep catalogue. Since I been Loving You and When The Levee Breaks fit snuggly into the mix. Lest we forget, disc 2 also has its its highlights including Trampled Under Foot, but the real gem has to be the DVD. Kicking off with We’re Gonna Groove from the underrated Coda album, it features Bonzo at his best. The footage is clear and crisp. The band eventually burst into flames as did the fated blimp that they named themselves after and we see the gents in fine form from beginning to end. You couldn’t have them any one way. The footage supersedes the definition of Supergroup. Detailed liners and the DVD alone, make this one worth having in the collection aside the rest of the Atlantic-issued compilations that are still available at thriving fine retailers…. Remember them? By E.S. Day

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reviews

In the Shadow of an Icon: a Tribute To Tupac

Joose 2nd Round Mixtape Killawatt Records

“Between us and Babylon it’s going down….” From T-Dot to VanCity, Joose represents one half of the Plazma Crew (along with Talksick), and their diverse sound bears the unmistakable stamp of the Dot and it’s heavy Caribbean influence. Joose bobs and weaves with an engaging sing-song flow and catchy hooks over Old School funk, gangsta and dancehall beats, managing to connect jabs to the Beast’s belly with sharply conscious lyrics delivered in his distinctively hype, gravelly tone. Talksick’s thick Jamaican slang flavours “The Don’t Like” with hustling intensity, over a beat characteristic of the new hybrid sounds of the Screwface Capital. “Fashion” is a great display of the chemistry of Plazma - tight rhymes with a purpose with Talksick’s Jamaican slang flow complementing Joose’s EastCoast flavoured rhyme style. “Education” is a revolutionary ABC that lays out the foundations of struggle one letter at a time. “VanCity” is an appropriately paranoid sounding introduction to our fair city, where natural beauty is eclipsed by human insanity. Fellow Killawat souljah Lamar Ashe drops the soulful hook on “Testify,” smoothly blending Joose’s political economic breakdown with a club friendly beat. Weighing in at over 20 tracks, with a great sample of the “Dread vs. Babylon” boxing match providing unity between tracks, Joose’s 2nd Round Mixtape is a diverse and entertaining disc, full of unique and engaging flows ranging from hardcore to dancehall to club bangers, with intelligent street level lyricism steadily dissecting the edifice of evil. Samples of commentary provide a serious discussion of global capitalism and genetic engineering, subjects usually too elevated for most rappers to deal with. Joose’s political dialectic is not didactic - he doesn’t preach or even vent his anger through ranting and raging, he lays out his principles in fluid rhyme, planting the seeds of mind evolution in heads that might not even realize it. To rap about the madness of the street life is nothing new, and Joose drops the hustler flows as good as any, but he takes it to the next level when he elevates the discussion to speaking on the real causes of the chaos and oppression - the bankers, politicians and overseers who profit from suffering. A welcome addition to our local Hip Hop community, Joose brings that much needed Toronto flavour to a city still searching for it’s own sound (and soul). Joose can be seen onstage rocking it with Red-1 and the Killawatt crew, solo, and guiding the youth through conscious Hip Hop education at a community center near you! By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Thug Life Army Records

Fat Ray and Black Milk The Set Up

Fat Beats Records Dirty Detroit sounds like it looks on this incredible inaugural release for Black Milk’s own label Music House. With Milk on the decks and trading sparkling gutter gems with fellow Motown MC Fat Ray, The Set Up is a sonic wasteland of blunted hustler flows from the land of strip bars and weed spots. The integrity of self and soul shines through the lyrically visceral rhymes and sets the duo apart from other similarly street focused artists. Opening track “Flawless” is based on a slamming ’70’s guitar and organ riff with Milk and Ray spitting hardcore hustler truths in vivid turns of phrase. “Bad Man” features Guilty Simpson and Scorpion with a Jamaican Patois “Shotta” style chorus. Epic and stuttery, the beat recalls D-town virtuoso Jay-Dilla at his gangsta best. “Take Control” is “that banger that’ll cause more anger,” a hardcore anthem with a surprising soul vocal on the chorus that leads from head nodding to head’s up upliftment. “When it Goes Down” moves into TrueSchool, Stone’s Throw type production, based on a jazzy Rhodes piano sample that bring the mood down to indigo. “Get Focus” flows over a digitized video game sound loop so lush it almost overwhelms the vocal, leaving me staring hypnotized at neon tracers that weren’t even there. The closer “Ugly,” built over a ponderous piano loop recalling vintage Mobb Deep is thick with hard won knowledge and pugilistic rhyme flow. The “Outro” just leaves one feeling even more ill, like staggering hungover through early morning fog. Like stars that shine through a sky thick with pollution and a vista of urban decay, Black Milk and Fat Ray are like enlightened hustlers staying true to knowledge of self, spinning tales of awareness, ambition and authenticity, thick with the experience of humanity’s brutal side. Street Hip Hop as it should be, rising from the wreckage and not dragging one’s mind down further into the abyss. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

I must admit, I was not expecting much from this tribute album. Between the picture of Tupac on the CD cover and the disclaimer that “this CD contains no music by Tupac Amaru Shakur” things did not look promising. I was pleasantly surprised. The vein of truth which saturated Tupac’s short but prolific career has been carried through in the artists who “grew out of his shadow.” The album is comprised of 2 discs and nearly thirty artists who convey raw emotion and lived experience. There is ample variety; from Ebony Burks’ poignant call to maternity in “Choices” to Jasiri X and Franchise’s catchy and charming “2 Pacs More,” this album showcases myriad styles of singing, rhyming, beats and instrumentation. Although the production is not fantastic and the quality of the music is somewhat mediocre, there is an authenticity to the songs. Tupac’s ability to reflect the experience of the oppressed and marginalized is part of the reason he was all but canonized as a street saint; these artists speak from their own realities and moral dilemmas in a similar way. Violence is not glamorized but discussed, casually juxtaposed alongside religious allusions. The beats themselves are catchy although by no means original; the walking baselines and synthetic melodies are easy to listen to but are not inspirational. I would recommend this album as headphone music to listen to while taking the bus or walking to work. It is saturated with meaning and emotion and is not necessarily appropriate for dancing or partying. By Amalia Nickel

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Blackstrap

Testament

Steal My Horses and Run

The Formation of Damnation

Tee Pee Records

Blonde porno actresses (with short names and large… assets?) and more cell phones per person than any other country in the world are not the only things Sweden can brag about these days. Shooting porn using said cell phones and receiving funds to do so from Swedish cultural subsidies may deserve bragging rights and mention somewhere, but maybe not here. The release of Graveyard’s self titled debut on Tee Pee Record’s is one example of the excellent work coming out of the Swedish “music“ scene, and now Blackstrap’s sophomore disc Steal My Horses and Run (also on Tee Pee Records) proves to be yet another. Just as their name suggests, Blackstrap are thick, raw and devoid of too much sugar. This five piece band hailing from Stockholm manages to cull together all the collective love, heart ache, pain and joy one band could possible muster and conveys it through their music without being heavy handed or preachy. The pairing of Jonatan Westh (vocals and guitar) and Maria Linden (vocals and organ) produces some of the sweetest harmonies you’re likely to hear on an album this year, while Patrick Alvarsson (guitars), Filiph Antonsson (bass) and David Karlsson (drums) give this album a distinct, moody and eclectic sound. Songs like “The Bitter, The Sweet” with it’s hooks, atmospheric keyboards and reflective vocals bring back visions of The Jesus and Mary Chain, while “City Beat” will beseech one to pull out their Brian Jonestown Massacre albums to try and figure out which one this song is actually on. Of course you won’t find it there, but it certainly fits the mold of psychedelic sweetness just as easily as B.J.M. ever did, if not better. Steal My Horses and Run is timeless, haunting and very personal, the perfect distraction for in between takes of that ménage à trois scene you are diligently trying to shoot on your cell phone, (airfare to Sweden to accept your grant money not included). By Grimm “Large Asset” Culhane

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reviews

Nuclear Blast

Erykah Badu The Formation of Damnation

New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War “More action, more excitement, more everything…” as Erykah’s fro has grown in circumference so has her perspective, and thus begins the freak funk that inaugurates New Amerykah, a sprawling, spiritually minded overview of the American soul from the inside out. “Amerykahn Promise” lays out the premise of the American dream - everything you want is promised, just keep on the grind. The Madlib produced “The Healer” lays out the manifesto of Hip Hop dedicated to Dilla, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Dios, Maat, and Jah Ras Tafari - so you know she ain’t frontin on some gangsta bullshit! This is the voice of the high, high priestess invoking the sacred elements of a mystical culture, for those who forgot the real African roots. “The Soldier” is a passionate wake up call to the youth for vigilance and intelligence in the face of modern chaos. “The Cell” is an amazing analogy of the relationship between cells, both DNA and prison, over a bizarre abstract funk beat. “Twinkle” continues the abstract musings on knowledge of self - “they don’t know their language, they don’t know their God”. “Master Teacher” asks the potent question - “what if there were no niggas, only master teachers?” with vocals freestyled by Georgia Ann Muldrow. “That Hump” is vintage Badu, a beautiful sexy slow jam, but this time about a love affair with drugs. “Telephone” is dedicated (livicated) to Dilla’s “transitioning” to the next level, imagining Ol’ Dirty calling him up with directions to heaven. Closing track “Honey” brings back the freak funk that opened New Amerykah to let us know that we are “on our own,” but to look out for Part II. Erykah Badu has alway combined the best elements of Hip Hop, funk, soul and R+B into something beautiful and original, and on New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War the styles are used as the platform for a deep and meaningful discussion of social ills and personal struggles, transformed into hypnotic and uplifting sounds. This is soul music for 2008, more about feeling things deeply and moving through a journey of self-realization than about concrete thoughts and concepts. Like a modern Nina Simone, Badu takes on difficult topics from a nurturing female perspective that feels the slings and arrows of life but is in no way vulnerable to them. Healing music for damaged times, New Amerykah proves that Badu is still cutting edge and relevant well into her eleven year career. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

It’s nice to stumble across an album that simply brings back the days when old school metal (the Bay Area scene in particular) was exciting enough to stand in the rain outside a record store at midnight waiting to get a copy of the latest act to have street cred without the influence of blogs and zines all claiming the throne of knowing what’s hot. Back then, the release date was the adrenaline rush, then the cover… then the music. Of course - those days are ruined. Salvation however, can be found once in awhile. The latest Testament is a dedicated old school nostalgic mind fuck to say the least. With the recent “Nuclear Bay Area Blast” from the past ( label mates Exodus and Death Angel both touring to support new releases), it seems Testament’s latest has arrived in time to signal the re-birth of thrash metal in 2008 An all original line up featuring the “Chuck Billy Club” (no pun) assures the listeners will get their money’s worth, provided they actually kick it old school by buying the fucking CD for once. If anything - for the act of tearing off the cellophane and sniffing the fresh ink off the liner notes. That is what metal was all about. Standout tracks like “More Than Meets The Eye” and “Killing Season” will have you donning patch-encrusted denim vests all over again and tossing lawn furniture through the drywall of Mom’s basement in Anytown USA. Welcome home. By E.S. Day

background image courtesy of www.imageafter.com

The Birthday Massacre Looking Glass EP Metropolis Records

Looking Glass, the latest EP from Canadian retro electro-goths The Birthday Massacre, is a throwback to the darker side of 80’s synthpop with a modern edge. The EP contains the titular single “Looking Glass” from the band’s third album, Walking With Strangers, four remixes off the same LP, two brand new tracks and a seemingly un-ironic cover of former mall-queen Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now.” Though this release is clearly a gift to current fans, it probably isn’t the best starting point for the uninitiated. Its awkward flow makes the disc feel like a glorified single, which, to be fair, it pretty much is. This is especially apparent in an awkward section where two remixes of the same song (“Red Stars”) are broken up by an ambient instrumental placed in between them. It isn’t that the remixes themselves are bad, but those new to the band might be better off picking up a copy of Walking With Strangers instead. With that in mind, however, TBM’s Depeche Mode meets Jakalope sound still shines through in spite of the EP’s stilted pacing. And while it’s slightly creepy that a faithful Tiffany cover fits the band’s style so well, their hooky retro-gothpop sound should keep them from having to perform mall tours for the foreseeable future. By Calder Fertig

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F ILM R EVIEWS Global Metal

Directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn Seville Pictures Directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn, purveyors of all things long-haired, black and Metal, return to familiar territory first explored in their 2005 documentary Metal, A Headbanger’s Journey. With their latest effort, Global Metal, the boys take a deeper and much more refined look at the Metal phenomenon and how it has impacted world culture outside European and North American borders. By traveling the globe and seeking out Metalhead’s in unusual places like Mumbai (in India), Jakarta (in Indonesia) and Iraq (insane!), Global Metal takes the anthropological microscope a bit closer to the subject and focuses on how Metal has impacted individuals and cultures worldwide. Scot and Sam seem to have a natural gift for sniffing out tattoos, loud music and black clothing regardless if they are in Tokyo, Jerusalem or even fucking Beijing! Starting in Rio de Janeiro, the boys discover (with the help and insight of Max Cavalera of Sepultura), that with Metal comes freedom. This was no better demonstrated than by The Scorpions and their first Rock in Rio concert in 1985, shortly after the fall of Brazil’s then dominant dictatorship. In Tokyo, where conformity and conservatism breed oppression and dissatisfaction, Metal gives people the chance to shed the masks of conformity and release their inner demons. The make-up and stage antics of KISS and their similarity to traditional Kabuki Theatre couldn’t have hurt Metal’s inundation of Japanese culture either. Its strange to think of Gene and the boys as harbingers of culture… so lets not.

Planet B-Boy Directed by Benson Lee Elephant Eye Films

An entertaining and visually engaging look into the lives and aspirations of some of the finalists in the “Battle of the Year” - an international breakdancing competition held annually in Braunschweig Germany, Planet B-Boy delves into the personalities and distinctively regional styles that continue to push the envelope on an art form thirty years in the making. The film begins by outlining the origins and development of breaking in 1980’s New York, and features interviews with Ken Swift and Mr. Freeze, among other luminaries. A little too slick and cheesy in the presentation and graffiti arrow backgrounds, but informative none the less and short enough not to intrude on the main material. Lee follows five of the crews - two from Korea, one from Japan, one from France and one from the US - from their homes, practice spaces and communities all the way to Braunschweig and through this up close and personal footage we see the intensity of each b-boys desire to win and the circumstances that fuel it. From France’s Lil’ Kev, whose mother admits to having been initially racist towards his black crew members, to the Korean teams, who face two years of compulsory military service in the near future, all of the breakers are charged with the need to succeed beyond their surroundings. With prize money totaling just $3000 for all of the winners, the motivation is clearly not money, but global recognition and the chance for a career in performing. Clearly “B-Boying” is still a very male-dominated art form, with just one female breaker in the whole movie. While Hip Hop has become a global culture that transcends race, perhaps it doesn’t yet transcend or even balance gender, as there are definitely female crews able to compete on a world scale. Despite some omissions, and an “American Idol”-esque preoccupation with the b-boys emotional breakdowns, Planet B-Boy is worth seeing for the thrilling performances and the sense that, in the end, it wasn’t really about the competition but the meeting of minds and the sharing of styles. PlanetBBoy.com By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

In Jakarta, where people’s names are almost as hard to spell as they are to pronounce, Metal is a form of protest. Similar to Brazil and eastern European countries, Metal fans there can relate to songs with lyrics of oppression from a third world understanding of what real oppression is. The gist of this well made and fascinating film is very simple; Metal crosses all boundaries and borders, is a voice to express discontent amongst oppression and allows artistic freedom regardless of the place or situation. Global Metal is not only an entertaining and well constructed film, but an important one in a world rushing forward, hell bent on Globalization. Global Metal opens in Vancouver Friday, June 20th, 2008. GlobalMetalFilm.com By Grimm “Metalhead” Culhane

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Take Action Tour 2008 The Phoenix Concert Theater - Toronto, ON This all-ages show came at the tail end of a long, brutal winter, so the fans were definitely looking forward to a night of moshing and running amok. That they did.

Aceyalone, w/Arabesque and Moka Only, plus IP and Deezuz Richards on Richards, Vancouver BC The show got off to a slow start; IP and Deezuz are both talented MCs but the crowd seemed to be anticipating the headliners and the energy didn’t start to build until Arabesque got on stage and rocked some smooth and lively rhymes. His raspy voice and dance-friendly beats were an easy combination for a receptive audience and were an enjoyable transition to the hometown hero Moka Only.

The Take Action Tour 2008 is all about doing something to help others, to give back. Great cause, great tour. Too bad this was the only stop in Canada. Every Time I Die almost made up for that by proclaiming that Toronto was their home show. Although hailing from nearby Buffalo N.Y. (a 2 hour drive to Toronto, 1.5 if you haul ass), they figured it was close enough.

Moka Only’s act was much more pleasant than it had been in Victoria the night before, at which he’d fondled and talked about his balls to a sickening extent. Moka Only sings well, rhymes well, and probably at one time had a charismatic stage presence but now he seems to be relying on former glories to maintain his fan base. With an ego far exceeding his talent, he flounced around stage proudly displaying his ability to produce cheesy sci-fi sounds with his Theremin. The Theremin is one the earliest electronic musical instruments and probably sounds really cool when it’s played well.

The place was packed from the get-go so the bands had no trouble energizing the people. The Human Abstract did a good, compact opening set. August Burns Red were tight as hell, their machine-gun staccato blasts were thoroughly enjoyed by all. Well polished and well received. The Bled took the stage next, slaughtering the crowd on their first song and wasting no time getting into the swing of things. They paused for shout-outs to Every Time I Die on several occasions throughout their abbreviated set. Organized chaos, hardcore style.

Although Moka Only was officially co-headlining the show with Aceyalone, it was obvious whom the crowd had come for and they were not disappointed. Heavy dancehall beats, a few classic tracks and one of the smoothest flows ever to come out of Los Angeles made for a winding and grinding dance floor. As he rhymed about “bubble kush, cat piss and purple rain” a cloud of smoke overtook the stage and the tone: everybody felt pretty good. It seemed unusual that there were not more tracks performed from the dancehall and reggae-inspired “Lightning Strikes.” Considering that its Aceyalone’s most recent project and the first in a series of musical theme albums, it would have been appropriate to perform more than three new songs. Nonetheless, there can be little doubt that when that damn one o clock curfew hit, the crowd left satisfied.

By Amalia Nickel photo by Chris Webber

Next up, From First to Last took the stage with a slightly different sound and look compared to the others. Their new track Two as One won over the skeptical crowd with the requisite heaviness that they craved. The new bass player fit right in with the boys, losing his mind on the final song, exchanging instruments with the others, thrashing all around, going crazy. Now for the main event. Every Time I Die made their presence known immediately. The lead-off track Werewolf was followed quickly by Romeo a Go-Go and Apocalypse. Ass-kicking, finger-licking, raping and pillaging… this is good. Every Time I Die is one of those bands you can’t help but like. Honest, down to earth, rip your face off bands like them are far and few between. They even dedicated a song to their beloved “Trailer Park Boys!” How cool is that? By the end of the sixth song the Toronto crowd turned lame. After some vocal inspiration (and intimidation), they did a killer version of No Son Of Mine which really lifted everyone’s spirits. By the time they played Bored Stiff, lead Singer Keith was screaming at everyone to “keep moshing”!! Good advice. The standout track was I Been Gone. Super polished, super heavy, chunky riffs galore! For the last two songs of the night, Keith and Jordan (guitarist) asked everyone to to join them on stage, before blasting into Ebolarama. A sea of crazed fans took over and flooded the stage, and then… it was done. By Jimmy Lynch photo by Jeffrey Chan Tin

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Steve Earle w/ Allison Moorer

New York Dolls

Vancouver Centre for the Performing Arts

The Plaza Club Vancouver There’s something very special about a wide open stage with only a single performer and a guitar. For examples of this you need look no further than performances by Allison Moorer and her husband, the incomparable ‘hardcore troubadour’ Steve Earle, last night at the Vancouver Centre for the Performing Arts. Allison Moorer looked great as she greeted the audience and launched into her own brand of ‘alternative country’ songs. Lauded by critics, its no surprise she’s been nominated for both Grammy and Academy awards. What is a surprise however is the fact she has won neither nor received more wide spread recognition. Judging by the crowd’s reaction to her performance, this may soon change, and deservedly so. After a short interlude the man himself wandered out on stage with his harmonica and guitar like it was open mic night at Gabby’s Country Cabaret in Langley. He launched into song like a Friday night busker late for work outside the liquor store. This was Saturday though so it could only have been Steve Earle. No stranger to accolades himself, his tales of loss, regret and salvation through song. He’s even a TV star from his recurrent role as Waylon in the now ended series ‘The Wire.’ Pounding the stage with his foot to the beat, Steve played a vast selection of songs from across his entire career. Songs like My Old Friend the Blues, The Rain Came Down, Billy Austin, Transcendental Blues and The Galway Girl as well as more recent favourites City of Immigrants, Sparkle and Shine and Oxycontin Blues from his latest release ‘Washington Square Serenade.’ When he played The Devil’s Right Hand the place went nuts, people hooted and cheered through almost every song. A beat dropping DJ joined in half way through his set, providing beats and effects to some of the songs while Steve played a revolving assortment of instruments including a six-string guitar, banjo, mandolin and steel guitar. With some of the sweetest finger picking playing I’ve ever seen, Steve doled out his own Southern Fried Blues in top form. As the evening progressed Allison joined Steve on stage for a couple of duets, most notably the track Days Aren’t Long Enough which they wrote together. Theirs is one of those musical pairings of undeniable strength, for the harmony of their voices worked together perfectly. As the evening came to a close it was impressive to note that you don’t need a lot of glitz and flash to make a show memorable. Just ask anyone in attendance. In the words of Steve Earle himself, “the days are never long enough” and the same holds true for nights such as this. LiveNation.com

I went out last night and now I’m in love. No, I don’t mean some filthy, perverted love, the kind of back-alley love you get for one night and regret for a lifetime. Thanks to an amazing set from the one and only New York Dolls last night at the Plaza Club, when I say I’m in love you best believe I’m in love, L-U-V. David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain and the rest of the newly resurrected New York Dolls brought their pioneering glam/ punk sound to Vancouver for a long awaited sold out show and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who fell in love. Dusting off 35 years of musical memories with tracks like ‘Trash,’ ‘Pills,’ ‘Looking for a Kiss,’ a cover of the Janis Joplin classic ‘Piece of my Heart,’ plus newer material such as ‘Dance Like a Monkey,’ ‘Fishnets and Cigarettes’ and ‘Rainbow Store,’ the New York Dolls successfully reminded the crowd why they started playing music in the first place, for the love. Johansen was all smiles and hair as the band took the stage. Joined by the other surviving member Sylvain Sylvain (and his hat… of course), as well as guitarist Steve Conte (taking Johnny Thunders place), bassist Sami Yaffa (ex-Hanoi Rocks) and drummer Brian Delaney, they ripped into their set like a fat boy rips into a bag of Oreos. ‘Babylon’ never sounded so good. The crowd ate it up, and what a feast it was. Everything one would expect from a New York Dolls’ show was here. The Johansen swagger, Sylvain’s pick flinging prowess and audience participation antics (holding out his guitar and letting the audience play it), everyone in attendance singing along to damn near every song, the clothes, the attitude and yes, the love, love, love, L-U-V. They even covered Johnny Thunders’ signature song ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory’ in a fitting tribute to one of their own. For the encore (and to no one’s surprise) they played the chart topping hit (well, MY chart anyway) ‘Personality Crisis,’ during which David flung flowers into the audience as they danced and sang along. Love is definitely a two way street and we sure go ours. The second encore was a track from their latest release “One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This” called ‘Gotta Get Away From Tommy.’ It was impressive how their new material fit so well with their classic songs, proving that its best not to fuck with a good thing. As the evening wound down Johansen declared, “this is the best Saturday night I’ve had all week” and you ’d be hard pressed to find anyone in attendance who didn’t agree.

By Grimm Culhane photo by Paul Michalowski

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By Grimm Culhane photo by Jordana Meilleur

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Saul Williams The Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC Perhaps nobody knew what to expect on entering The Plaza that night. It was an eclectic mix of head scarves and steel toes, some people drunk on beer, others on poetry. It happened quickly; all of a sudden there were flashing lights, feathers, rumbles of bass and electric slides into the collective consciousness. Saul Williams is an aggressive performer; he mesmerized the audience and forced them to listen. His latest album The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, has once again recategorized the progrockin’, hip-hoppin’ spoken word poet. Trent Reznor’s production of this album is immediately obvious and Saul’s raw performance against a drum machine, keyboard and guitar certainly places this album in the realm of Industrial. Not that the performance was anything but glamorous. Between the bejewelled drum and sample machine, the endless guitar pedals and Saul’s glistening bare body writhing across the stage it was a performance to be enjoyed by all. At times the words gently eased themselves from Saul’s mouth, like his spoken word performance of Coded Language. Other times he spit an aggressive flow as he sneered at the crowd, a perfect caricature of Bowie’s Stardust creation. His melodic and off-key cover of Sunday Bloody Sunday classified him as a bonafide rock star; never before has a mic stand been thrown with more style. Although Saul’s material, old and new alike, is poetically legendary and musically defiant, Industrial music is not conducive to internalizing lyrics. It was difficult to hear a lot of the words which Saul is so loved for. The mix of ground-shaking beats with alchemical language does not work well in a lively venue. This did not deter any of the fans with whom Williams freely interacted as he crowdsurfed to Sci-Fi sounds, smiled at the stupid drunk girls and thrashed to guitar solos. One of the things which is so attractive about Saul’s latest album is the charisma with which he delivers a new combination. He mixes musical and lyrical elements which are almost baffling: to see a hip-hop/rock artist channelling David Bowie while combining any number of lyrical styles to Trent Reznor’s beats is a sight to be had. He pranced about stage with raw sexual power. He called for an awakening of the subconscious amid laser lights and smoke machines then recited “We are not afraid of darkness/ We trust that the moon shall guide us” a capella with equal intensity. The call for an encore was resounding. He played four or five more songs, including the very catchy List of Demands, and then as quickly as he’d entered the stage he exited. The audience was left with a series of subjective and powerful impressions to sort through, it was truly a show that needed to be absorbed. By Amalia Nickel photo by Amalia Nickel

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Mad Professor Commodore Ballroom Vancouver BC Legendary sound system selector and dub wizard Mad Professor graced the stage (and speakers) of the Commodore in fine style last night, with his mad Cockney accented Hype Man, Carl Melody on the mic. “Straight Outta Guyana” by way of London UK, the Professor, born Neil Fraser, brought the one-drop, lovers rock, dancehall and roots reggae flavors to an entranced audience. The deeper messages of Rastafarian reasoning and lyricism were foremost in the track selection, with lines like “Zion is Africa…and Ethiopia is mount Zion!!!“ soaring over the bass heavy mix. When Carl shouted out “are there any Rastaman in the house tonight?”, there were more than a few voices calling out in response. Sporting a fresh fade and teacher glasses, Mad Prof presided over the decks and mic in a manner befitting his name, all serious and intent. Tweaking knobs and faders, spacing out on echoplex effects, and dubbing out his own voice on hooks, the Prof created a vast ocean of sound that smothered, transformed, buttered up and warmed the well lubricated crowd of dancing humans, who began to remind me of a school of krill. Seriously, the undersea effect of it all on me was pronounced, as the vocalists on record expounded the teachings of Zion over waves of infinite bass. The shout-outs and space echo effects were a little monotonous after the fifth track or so, but that’s Old School - the hypnotic effect is more important than variety or virtuosity. Mad Professor’s lion growl keeping everyone in line, the kick drum keeping time, and everything feeling fine. For a minute anyway. I headed off to the Dollhouse after for some paranoid dubstep, in keeping with my nature. Still, it was the nourishment of Mad Professor’s righteous and revitalizing dub that carried me through on my walk home.

By Dave”Corvid” McCallum photo by Jordana Meilleur

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Coming Up In ISSUE 7 of Your ABORT Magazine... KRS-1 drops some knowledge; we get sludge salad recipes from The Melvins. Dizzee Rascal Vs. EL-P: Is writing while you’re high a smart move?...the debate begins. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion beats around the Eastside Bush for Tales from The Eastside, Author and Cro-Mag John Joseph checks in, then - Irish rap gods Scary Eire drop a bomb (so to speak), and from the film “Global Metal” - directors Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen keep metal alive ...worldwide. Also legendary tattoo artist John the Dutchman, and our Artist profile finally hits our hometown of Vancouver. Plus: Bison gets an AUDIOTOPSY, we piss our pants in public and let you watch, and for you failing musicians - we unveil our new producers profile: Behind The Boards, feat. GGGarth Richardson (RATM, RHCP), Ben Kaplan (Atreyu, Ninjaspy), Gerard Baker (Masta Ace), Diamond D. (everyone). Dave Oglivie (NIN, Ministry), all this plus our regular features for you clique-y spoiled fucks... and more!

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