MINDSNARE

This is for you, Coop!

ARCADE FIRE - NO CARS GO

Seeing them at the Enmore Theatre last year is still one of the best live music moments of my life! This video should demonstrate why.

No Cars Go is probably my favourite song of theirs. And for you skating fans out there, it is the track that accompanies Mike Mo Capaldi's part in Fully Flared.

LARS ULRICH <3 TDEP

The only thing more entertaining is the description. It was posted on the Dillinger Escape Plan YouTube channel, and I'm GUESSING that Greg wrote the description (if you read their MySpace blogs you'll recognise the tone). That and Greg is past his "I love Hetfield" stage and onto his "I love Lars" phase...


"Lars from Metallica blows up The Dillinger Escape Plan at the official press conference for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. THANKS LARS. WE LOVE YOU TOO. Especially when you make those killer faces and mouth random song lyrics 50% of the time you play, and the other 50% of the time you are literally standing up while playing and hitting the toms like a pissed off gorilla. Oh yeah and when you jump up off of the stool literally the millisecond the song ends and run around pointing at people and yelling at them? A lil' sumthin' called kicking ass? Yeah, you know what's up!!!

OH YEAHHH!!!!!(Oh Yeahhh!!!!!) OH YEAH!!!!!(Oh Yeahhh!!!!!) YEAHHH!!!!(Yeahhh!!!!) YEAHHH!!!!(Yeahhh!!!!) MASTERRRRRR!!!!!(Masterrrrrr!!!!!) OFFFF!!!!(Offff!!!!) PUPPETTTTTSSSSSSAAHHHHH!!!!!!

It's called the Live Sh*t Binge And Purge box set. Some of you youngsters might wanna check it out if you ever hope to wash the stink of new jack poseur off. "

CRAIG NYE

Bleeding Through, originally uploaded by Craig Nye.

My good friend, photographer Craig Nye, has a bunch of photos up on his flickr and website from the epic weekend we had a few weeks ago.

There are photos from Boys Of Summer (Verse, Comeback Kid and Carpathian) and well as Bleeding Through, including this little gem.

OMG I NEED THESE SNEAKERS!

Nike + Neil Gaiman = Must have sneakers!

THEY HAVE TAILS!

Coraline, a horror novella, by the British author Neil Gaiman will soon be made into an animated stop-motion horror fantasy film scheduled to be released in theaters on February 6, 2009. A pair of Coraline Dunks were created by Nike to promote this upcoming movie. According to the author:

“There will, however, be a limited edition of 1000 pairs of Coraline Nike Dunks, winnable from watching the film and through the website, though, and they will look like this, with black buttons and stitching and such…”

According to previous rumors, the shoes will be limited to 1000 pairs but will not be on sale. You will be able to win a pair by watching the film and through the Coraline website.

Thanks to Hypebeast.

SKATE 2

LOOKS AMAZING! One of the best videogame trailers I've ever seeeeeen

THE LOVED ONES

The Loved Ones have a new EP out February 3 and have announced that it's titled "Distractions".

The EP features covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg and Joe Strummer.

The Loved Ones - Distractions

1 - Distracted
2 - Last Call
3 - Spy Diddley
4 - Johnny 99 (Bruce Springsteen)
5 - Lovers Town Revisited (Billy Bragg)
6 - Coma Girl (Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros)

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

When it comes to books, I'm as much of a fiend as I am for music. This is just a taste of what I have been reading probably since New Years.

On a The Great Gatsby note, apparently that is the next film that Baz Luhrmann is tackling. I'm not sure what I think about it yet. It has the potential to be fantastic, but it is all going to come down to the casting. Please no Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor or anyone else who has been in a Baz Luhrmann film before ....

LeATHERMOUTH

Head over to LeATHERMOUTH's MySpace page to listen to XO. XO is a the debut album from the band (which features Frank Ierro of My Chemical Romance fame) and it's straight up aggressive punk rock. Not at all what you would expect from this 00's emo posterboy!
I really dig it ...

BRIDGE 9 SIGNS UK'S DEAD SWANS

I've been a fan of Dead Swans since their EP with Architects (and we all know how big an Architects fan I am ...) so it's really awesome to hear that they've hit the jackpot and signed with my second favourite record label (Ha!).

Official press release:

Bridge Nine has announced yet another signing for 2009 and this time, they went across the pond and signed up the Dead Swans from the UK for the label’s first ever worldwide deal with a band from overseas. Label Manager Karl Hensel said, “It’s been a goal of ours to work with a band from overseas for a long time. Bridge Nine is a global label, and there’s a lot of great hardcore from the UK and Europe and we recognize that. Dead Swans was a band that a few Bridge Nine bands tipped us off about, and after checking around, it was a very easy decision.”

Formed in 2006, Dead Swans have been making a name throughout the UK and Europe with a ferocious blend of hardcore that takes the musical influence from turn of the century Boston hardcore like American Nightmare and Right Brigade. They add a discordant melody and double bass metallic edge that, when combined with vocalist Nick Worthington’s strained voicebox abuse, creates a mix that has been garnering the Brighton, UK band global attention. As such, they have shared the stage and the road with a very impressive list of bands worldwide-from Bridge Nine’s Ruiner and Verse to Blacklisted, Integrity, Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats, and Gallows.

Dead Swans have been enjoying an incredible past 12 months, considering all they’ve released to date is a demo, the Southern Blue EP on Thirty Days Of Night, and a split 7” with Architects. In fall of 2008, the Dead Swans were nominated for a Kerrang! Award as the Best British Newcomer-which was both as surprising as it was flattering. As guitarist Stewart “Pid” Payne stated, “It was real strange- a hardcore band being shortlisted at Kerrang! Awards, but we went for the experience. We got to hang out with the guys in Cancer Bats and Gallows, we got to meet Metallica and we heckled abuse at anyone we felt deserved it. It was a night we won’t be forgetting soon”.

During March and April, the band will be touring the UK and Europe with This Is Hell and the Blackout Argument that will lead them into April, when the band will be entering the studio to record their debut full-length which will hit stores later in 2009. Payne stated, “We are real happy about signing to Bridge Nine. We all want to travel worldwide with this band and working with B9 is going to allow us to do this. On top of that, being part of a label that in our opinion has put out some of the best hardcore records ever is exciting!”

You can listen to Dead Swans on Bridge 9 or Myspace.

KYLIE MINOGUE - CONFIDE IN ME

Justin and I just had a shared minds moment. One of the greatest pop songs ever? I think so ....

NEW FIND

Polar Bear Club – just signed to Bridge 9 Records. Remind me a lot of the likes of The Loved Ones, Hot Water Music and The Gaslight Anthem.

All in all – SO GOOD!

LIGEIA

Why did you have to turn to the darkside of shitty southern rock?

CULT OF LUNA DVD

Swedish metal band Cult Of Luna have posted a teaser for the forthcoming, first ever DVD release, "A Night When Fire Was Born".

The band last released 'Eternal Kingdom' in 2008. Cult Of Luna are also on tour in Australia in February. I'll be at the Sydney show at the Manning Bar on February 14 (screw Valentines Day!).

THE WEEKEND (+MONDAY)

NEW EVERY TIME I DIE!

It seems like everyone is jumping ship and heading to Epitaph Records ...

Keith Buckley has posted a blog on the band's MySpace stating that the band have started work on writing for their newest album (their fifth) and their first for Epitaph Records.

"It's been a while since we posted on the status of the Every Time I Die camp, but I'll admit that it often gets overlooked since we have fallen into such a writing/recording/touring routine over the past ten years that we rarely take a step back to take personal note of the endeavors we're undertaking.

"As of yesterday, January 12th, we have officially begun writing the new record. Well let me rephrase that. Jordan, Mike, Andy and Josh have begin writing and I have just attained a level 23 ranking on Call Of Duty: World At War Online. But that's not to say I have not been doing my part as I await to hear the demos of the songs as they begin filing in. I have, according to tradition, thrown myself into a tempestuous spiral of panic, doubt and self loathing in the face of an impending creative venture that will ultimately shift public opinion of me to one extreme or another independent of my own faculties to control it. And still we do it for the kids. The irony."

The dude will be playing in Australia at the end of next month as a part of the Soundwave Festival, as well as performing two sideshows (in Sydney and Melbourne) with Dillinger Escape Plan, Poison The Well and Evergreen Terrace.

ZAO

Classic metalcore band Zao are currently recording a new album. Titled 'AWAKE?', the new record will be released via Ferret Music around March this year.

'AWAKE?' is being recorded by Scott Mellinger, Daniel Castleman and As I Lay Dying singer Tim Lambesis co-producing.

A.F.I. - Days Of The Phoenix

One of my favourite songs of all time ...

THURSDAY

Common Existence, the band's fifth album, comes out in under a month and I can't wait. The songs that I have heard from it are so good. There is something of the raw, heaviness that was in their earlier recordings but still some of the experimental, ambient stuff that they started exploring with A City By The Light Divided and the tracks they released on their split with Envy. All in all, this isn't an album that is going to disappoint me ... I know it! Hahahaha

The first single to be released from the album is Resuscitation Of A Dead Man, which features Tim McIlrath of Rise Against adding vocal parts. It is available for download now on iTunes.

Common Existence is due to be released on Epitaph on February 17 (US) and I'm guessing a few days earlier in Australia (I could be wrong there ...).

ARCHITECTS - HOLLOW CROWN

I got a hold of a copy of this album and it's amazing! I don't think it's as good as their previous effort (Ruin blew my mind!) but it's going to be in the Top 10 Albums of 2009.

This time around it is a little less brutal, but only in the sense that there is a lot more melody going on. In some parts it reminds me a lot of Misery Signals (which makes sense considering that they're touring the UK together at the moment).

I enjoy every listen, though, and I strongly recommend you all check it out!

INHALE EXHALE

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN DRUMMER UPDATE

The Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman spoke to UK magazine Rock Sound about the departure of drummer Gill Sharone. The article states:

"I don't want to say to much about the new guy, he is kind of this secret weapon and we are excited about the fact that he doesn't care about running around promoting himself. He is pretty unknown and got the gig over like thirty ridiculously sick drummers. Some of which are pretty well known. He has very young nipples, though, I must say; makes me jealous.

"I would like to clear up the reality of that situation, It seems everyone is trying to play up that we can't keep members in this band. Gil didn't quit DILLINGER and there is no animosity. We are still friends and were talking about a project we are going to work on when we both have more time yesterday.

"The fact of the situation is that he both didn't like a lot of touring and felt guilty he had gone over a year without really giving his band [STOLEN BABIES] that he started with his twin brother much attention. He wanted to move forward in writing and doing selected shows with DILLINGER but asked if we would be interested in getting a touring fill-in for when he couldn't do it. We decided to go another route and he was understanding of that. That is the reality of the situation."

That being said, The PRP report:

"The Dillinger Escape Plan look to have tapped The Rivalry's Billy Rymer as their drummer for the foreseeable future. While the band themselves have yet to comment on the situation, The Rivalry have been dropping some not so subtle hints, including mentions of Rymer's 'exciting' new obligations and a mention of "Dillinger Escape Plan's new secret weapon.""

GOODBYE 2008, HELLO 2009

I'm a little bit late on this, but I figure it is better late than never.

2008 was a pretty amazing year for music! I got to enjoy it with my favourite people in the world, and while there was a LOT of shit going on there were also a lot of good times as well. I got my first taste of the music industry and, uh, hated it pretty much. But it did open up a lot of doors and opportunities that will hopefully see a lot of aims of mine come to fruition in 2009.

So this blog is basically a top 10 blog - a massive pile of lists.

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2008
1. Controller - Misery Signals
2. Seizures In Barren Places - Trap Them
3. Severed Ties - The Amity Affliction
4. Aggression - Verse
5. Declaration - Bleeding Through
6. Invasions Of The Mind - Energy
7. III - The Bronx
8. Narrow Stairs - Death Cab For Cutie
9. Tail Swallower & Dove - These Arms Are Snakes
10. The Chemistry Of Common Life - Fucked Up

TOP 10 MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2009
1. NEW GLASSJAW! A new track has been released (leaked) so HOPEFULLY the album will actually see the light of day this year!
2. Hollow Crown - Architects
3. New Distances - Narrows
4. Common Existence - Thursday
5. New Dillinger Escape Plan
6. New Alexisonfire
7. New Darkest Hour
8. New Poison The Well
9. Crack The Skye - Mastodon
10. New Anime Fire EP

TOP 10 GIGS OF 2008
1. Dillinger Escape Plan @ UNSW Roundhouse
2. Gorilla Biscuits @ Annandale Hotel
3. Henry Rollins @ Seymour Theatre
4. I Killed The Prom Queen Farewell Tour @ HiFi Bar
5. Thursday & The Receiving End Of Sirens @ The Forum
6. The Arcade Fire @ Enmore Theatre
7. Thrice @ The Metro
8. The Bronx @ Manning Bar
9. Dizzee Rascal @ The Metro
10. The Gaslight Anthem @ Annandale Hotel

MASTODON - CRACK THE SKYE

John Doran of The Quietus has posted a track-by-track review of the forthcoming album, "Crack The Skye".Check out the review here.

Crack The Skye is Mastodon's fourth album, and having tackled concepts like Herman Melville's Moby Dick on previous albums ("Leviathan" is still their best album!) this time around they are grappling with Tsarist Russia.

I'm stoked and can't wait to get my doom-laden prog on! Definitely one of my most anticipated releases for 2009!

Blood & Thunder - Mastodon