I didn’t want to write about the Christopher Dorner story in my weekly column, but now feel as though I should. No one in the media feels the need to point out the dangerous implications of the staggering ignorance on full display this past week, so I guess I have to.
If we are going to start listening to people who murder because of racial implications, we are in serious trouble. If we as a society do not have knowledge of the distinction between wrong and right on questions as simple as “Is it better to be a murderer or to be racist?”, humanity is in serious trouble. The fact that the LAPD is investigating accusations made by an obvious psychopath on a killing spree should get your attention, if nothing else. This is a red flag that we are astray as a society. Common sense must intervene.
Dr. Marc Lamont Hill had some interesting comments on the situation:
          “They were even talking about making him the first domestic drone target. This is serious business here. I don't think it's been a waste of time at all. And as far as Dorner himself goes, he’s been like a real life superhero to many people. Now don't get me wrong. What he did was awful, killing innocent people was bad, but when you read his manifesto, when you read the message that he left, he wasn’t entirely crazy. He had a plan and a mission here. And many people aren't rooting for him to kill innocent people. They are rooting for somebody who was wronged to get a kind of revenge against the system. It’s almost like watching Django Unchained in real life. It’s kind of exciting.”
            Forget context, forget apologies, all of it. This is the most ignorant statement I have ever heard from a panelist. Who gave this guy his degree? How is he in charge of educating anyone? I think it’s time to produce some credentials, Columbia University. I want to see his doctoral thesis, because I honestly have a hard time believing someone this stupid could ever aquire a PhD. It’s honestly not even a matter of education, it is a matter of common sense. If you take someone else’s life, whatever opinions are about politics should be irrelevant. Unless you were defending yourself, there is absolutely no excuse for killing innocent people. I understand there have been accusations of racism directed at the LAPD by Dorner. Which is worse, calling black people racial slurs, or killing them? Do we really need to have this discussion?! The debacle sheds light on how far public opinion has strayed from reality. We are entering a pernicious epoch, with our government seizing every opportunity to make itself more powerful every day. If we as a people don’t get our priorities right and our heads on straight, our decisions will be made for us, and our best interests won’t be a priority, according to history.

         This was the first Misfits album I ever bought. I had only heard them on skate videos and a mixtape my bro Dave made for me(Where Eagles Dare). I only had enough money to buy one tape (yes this was a while ago) and I had the choice between Morbid Angel's Domination or this one. I wanted to hear something different, so I opted for this one. I fell in love the first time I heard it. The songs are very short, like sped up 50's rock mixed with the Ramones maybe. This is where Glenn Danzig made a name for himself, with a super cool Elvis meets Jim Morrison drawl that is as infectious as it was original. (in 81). This was actually released on a major label, which is why it is the only record not included in their mandatory coffin boxed set.
         The longest track on this is probably 2:30 at the most. All the songs are about horror/b-movie topics (zombies,aliens,vampires,dead folks, etc), which is weird, but I guess thats just how Danzig rolls. You will have lots of fun singing along to these simple catchy songs,and with titles like "I Turned Into A Martian", "Devil's Whorehouse", and "Astro Zombies", you'll never take any of it very seriously. I guess this is what I love most about this record and this band. The songs are all upbeat and catchy, and short, what's not to like? This was also an extremely influential band whos DNA has found it's way into the sounds of countless Punk,Hardcore, and even Metal bands. So go pick this up at your local record store, you won't be disappointed.And Fuck iTunes, they already have plenty of money!

Some of My All Time Favorite Riffs

Part of loving music is loving the sound of the guitar. Some people prefer solos or technical stuff, but I've always been a "riffs" guy. Don't get me wrong, I love guitar solos, but honestly I can hardly play Blitzkrieg Bop. I like catchy stuff. So why not make a list of all my favorite riffs, right? I'm not going to rank them, because that just requires too much thought/contemplation which completely defeats the purpose of writing about music to begin with! So without further adoooo.....

1. The first I'll mention is Suffocation's Funeral Inception. I might say this is my favorite riff of all time, but my mood changes alot. It is very dynamic, brutal, and cyclic. It also evolves into the main.Brilliant.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3WI-GUt2lk

2.Carcass - Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody  This may be a weird one, I don't know. All I know is this main riff is simply an awesome work of genius. Very catchy.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLnTjHywE54

3.Pantera - Mouth for War This needs no introduction. It really embodies Dimebag's legacy of heavy, chunky, catchiness. I never get tired of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvzVpw9hWbs

4.Metallica - To Live Is to Die - An amazing piece of music. Lots of emotion on display.Genius
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WdYt9VkVek

5.Deicide - They Are The Children of the Underworld   Deicide was THE Death Metal band of the mid- late 90's (to me ) This track is probably my favorite of theirs, and really sums up the whole "meat n' potatoes" Brutal Death Metal. Very heavy, very catchy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fIa0FjlzqU

6.Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face      I didn't know if this would be to obvious like Angel of Death or somethin, but I'm not sure of the audience reading this so this must me mentioned.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNhN6lT-y5U

7.Pennywise - Fight Till You Die - Full Circle is a mandatory record. The riff from the opening track of this on really sums up the sound of the record, the metal influence is slight, and suprisingly that is what makes it so interesting! Love this record. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWEhn7baqMU

8.Fear Factory - Self Bias Resistor - I'm not even a big Fear Factory fan, but when they got it right, they got it right! This songs' riffs are brutal as they are simple and repeatative, but not too much. Cool song to headbang to.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCTies9khqo

9.Sepultura - Mass Hypnosis  Max Cavalara and Andreas Kisser were a fuckin riff factory back in the day. I just named this song off the top of my head. Check out Beneath the Remains, Arise, Chaos AD, even Roots. Talk about a riff goldmine. These guys were geniuses. Highly Recommended
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0krreagQlyE

10.NOFX - Decomposer  I will never be a democrat, NOFX's War on Errorism was an inspired piece of SoCal punk rock. In case you didn't know, NOFX can fuckin shred with the best of em. Lots of great riffs from these guys..         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpwIZpE8zik

11.Dismember - Misathropic   I'm not even that into this style of death metal, but the "Death Metal" record by Dismember is chock full of cool riffs. My only complaint is they should have saved this song for the last as it is the obvious climax of the record. But I digress.This riff is crushingly heavy, and played at multiple tempos in the song which is always cool (as in Hammer Smashed Face)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1l3zmjXBao

12.Bad Religion - Lookin In BR are probably my favorite band. This song epitomises the bands sound, sort of.     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq9P1nu6CY8

                
   
       The Deathcore genre has either peaked, or evolved into something else or maybe it's in its prime. One thing I can tell you now, it is not a fad, or gimmick, or fleeting would-be genre like industrial. This stuff is here to stay I think, and I'll tell you why...
        I quit keeping up with the metal scene arout 2002 or so. I had a new child and a host of grown folks' priorities which prevented me from being able to keep up any longer. I was invited to attend a show full of 'hardcore' bands by a friend in Birmingham, and out of curiosity I obliged. I didn't know at the time, but I was seeing some of the most influential deathcore acts of the time that night, all I knew was the bands FUCKIN ROCKED.
        I grew up on a steady diet of Death Metal (Suffocation,Deicide,IncantationMorbid Angel,etc) and extreme hardcore (Capitalist Casualties, Napalm Death, Spazz, many others I can't recall). I loved Death/Grind, and went to shows as often as I could, Nile and Incantation were my favorite live acts. That was more or less the heyday of Death/Grind of the "Meat & Potatoes" variety (Deicide,Obituary,Malevolent Creation,old Cannibal Corpse) meaning, the music was very brutal, but relatively scaled back music-wise, almost a verse-chourus-verse style. There is nothing at all wrong with this style. It has died out for the most part, but it was to the point, no bullshit, brutal Death Metal. Some bands today could learn a thing or two from Malevolent Creation in my opinion when it comes to keeping the music interesting to the listener, rather than being about giving the performer the opportunity to showcase his guitar skills(prog). There is a balance many bands lose between being technical and complex, yet easy to listen to, and just simply finding excuses to show how totally fuckin awesome you are at hard-to-play guitar stuff, (Between the Buried and ME)
        I've veered off course. Sorry. Someone has to say these things.
         Anyway, I had pretty much heard all there was to hear of the Death-Grind stuff(I thought) and the stuff started to seem repetitive. My interest dwindled until the Birmingham show. The bands on the bill were Ion Dissonance, Beneath the Massacre, Through the Eyes of the Dead, and As Blood Runs Black. Almost all prepositional phrases I know, but band names can be tough. As for the show, I was floored. The bands' intensity, distinct sounds, and heavyness impressed me alot. I spent most of the time headbanging, mostly cause you couldn't drink at the club (the now defunt Cave 9 in Birmingham) and it was way too hot to go to the stage. It was a blast though, and began a friendship and times I will always cherish in my memory, driving from Birmingham to the Masquerade in Atlanta to get drunk and headbang with my buddy Mike. We saw lots of great bands:Goatwhore, Job For A Cowboy, Gojira, The Red Chord, Cannibal Corpse, Beneath the Massacre, Despised Icon, Behemoth, and countless others. Many if not most were of the "Deathcore" sub genre. Which is generally Death Metal/Grindcore with Hardcore influences. Many dismiss this sub-genre as just another fad, that there will be no deathcore bands in a few years. I take exception to this for a few reasons, such as the fact that way back when Pantera was ruling the scene in the 90's, many folks said they were not metal and the sound was just a fad as well. I'm actually old enough to remember this stuff. Now, to say Pantera isn't metal is obviously false to anyone who knows anything about the music. They were/are legends. And rightfully so. They left their mark on the music industry for sure.
 The same  can be said for the Deathcore subgenre now. If you are unfamiliar with this sound, I'll suggest a few records for you:
The Red Chord - Prey for Eyes
Between the Buried and Me - The Silent Circus, Alaska, or Colors
Job For a Cowboy - Genesis or Demoncracy
As Blood Runs Black - Allegiance
Through the Eyes of the Dead - Malice
Any Ion Dissonance or Despised Icon
The Black Dahilia Murder - Deflowerate
The Acacia Strain - Death Is the Only Mortal
As I lay Dying - Awakened
Some may dispute some of those, but to hell with em. That's a pretty good representation of the genre. Now, if you haven't heard much of the stuff, part of what distinguishes it from other metal stuff are things like the emphasis on breakdowns. This is a hallmark of deathcore, and it shows its hardcore roots here, because we all know that many times, the build up in anticipation and ultimate payoff is part of what makes hardcore breakdowns so fun. Especially in the live setting. It is a chance to stop, slow down, catch your breath, or just simply stretch out the brutality. Through the Eyes of the Dead are great at writing cool death metal breakdowns. They kind of remind me of a stripped-down Suffocation/Incantation style Death Metal/Hardcore. The Red Chord is one of the genre's best bands, the record Prey for Eyes reminds me of like a Far Beyond Driven of deathcore. The music is brutal as hell, as well as quite technical, the lyrics are very harcore-inspired. Humerous, funny at times even. What really sets that record apart from the rest to me is the atmospheric slowed down instrumental parts. They all have a very creepy feeling to them, and are all very original sounding, catchy and memorable. Check out the track Prey for Eyes end part, the instrumental It Came From Over There, or the end of the last track, Seminar. Perfect arrangements. Something to behold any way you look at it. Another one of my personal favorites is Between the Buried and Me's Alaska. I compare this as the And Justice For All of deathcore, maybe. I know the comparisons are weird maybe, but the similarities are there. This was BTBAM's last pure "metalcore" record, as they went pretty prog with Colors, (which is also Godly in it's own right) and the riffs and drumming are infectious. The title track is mercurial metal fun, as the song is constantly changing every 10 or so seconds. And as I noted before, those dudes can fuckin play! Check out Selkies:The Endless Obsession, Backwards Marathon, and Roboturner. Each one of those is deathcore perfection.
Job for a Cowboy has always been a controversial band, due to their age, (folks say when the Doom ep came out, they were still in high school) and the fact that their early works weren't the most technical songs ever written, to say the least.
         The Acacia Strain's Death Is the Only Mortal is a pretty new record, but I listed it because it really epitomizes their sound perfectly. Their guitar sound is syrupy, sludgy mid-tempo for the most part, but they have a very distinct sound. The lyrics are always negative as possible, to the point of being humerous. The record is what gave me the idea to write this piece, because it is that good.
           The Black Dahilia Murder are another band who has left the deathcore label behind them,and is now regarded as Death Metal generally. The Ritual record is my favorite. It came out last year I think, and it's incredible. I'm listening to it right now as a matter of fact.
          And you really can't talk about deathcore without mentioning Job For A Cowboy. They improve with every record. My only problem with the newer stuff is it sacrifices listenability for the sake of being technical, which makes the songwriting suffer. The songs aren't memorable, because you can't really distinguish one from the other at times. It's just a bunch of hard to play parts strung together.That pretty much raps it up.

Want weirdness? Vladimir Putin is inviting Boyz To Men to perform in Russia on Valentine's day to help spur procreation. I'm not making this up. Apparently, the birth rate is low. If there are russian women in need of impregnation, why didn't he just call me? I'm not hard to find at all,and making babies appears to be my only talent....

I got tired of running beads over and over again in welding class, so I made this:
It was supposed to be two gears working it looks like two fucked up crosses or something, i dunno, its kinda cool, Im gonna grind it to make it all shiny maybe that'll help.At least I tried, dammit.
  The Super Bowl is tomorrow, I haven't figured out if I'm going to get drunk or watch the game at church,we'll see I guess. I'll probably get drunk, but you never know....
Also I heard earlier that YET ANOTHER conservative/gun rights activist has been murdered. A suspect has been apprehended, and I want to know EVERYTHING about the dude who did it. If he's an Occupy Black Bloc dude, we officially have an insurgency in America and it's a fucking shame. God help us. Please pray for our country.It is under attack constantly, whether people acknlowedge it or not is another story, but to put it bluntly: THE DEVIL NEVER RESTS

I try not to be small minded. I try to look at things through other's eyes before judging. It is still not enough to make sense of this culture. For once, I'm not even fussing about pop culture, I'm referring to the extreme music scene and how they need to pull their head out of their ass.
      Take Napalm Death for example. I LOVE Napalm Death. Harmony Corruption, Fear,Emptiness,Despair and Diatribes were all great works, in my opinion. To change their sound the way they did and still retain the intensity of their early grindcore stuff is no small feat at all. My interest in the band dwindled after Inside the Torn Apart. I didn't hear anything from them until Order of the Leech, which was pretty good, though it fell in the same trap as many of their old records as being repetitive. Utilitarian is their best work, in my opinion. The new elements like the clean singing complement the music perfectly, and give it a bit of atmosphere,which was the one thing they really lacked up to that point due to the hardcore influence on their music, I suppose. I loved Utilitarian, but the left-wing-'Occupy-friendly lyrical themes had me cringing. For those who don't know this band is from Birmingham UK so you can guess what political value system they adhere to, Anti-Capitalist,Anti-Christian,Anti-White folks,Anti-competition, i.e. Cultural Marxism. I'm pretty used to this, but its getting to the point that it's ridiculous. What I see as a threat to the UK's soverignty and well being is the agenda of radical Islam.Due to the elite's stranglehold on ideology, the British have been deceived into believing that they owe middle eastern people a living, for some reason. So the brits appear content to step aside and let their country be conquered by muslims. Oh well I suppose.But instead of ranting about actual threats, Napalm Death still choose to blame capitalism and civilization for all their woes. How much sense does that make? I've been a fan of Death Metal/Grindcore/Whatever-core and I see the same themes over and over and over again. I know rock'n roll is supposed to be rebellious,but it seems the hippies have said all they are going to say, in case you haven't noticed.The Rolling Stones are fossils literally. Can we please move on? They never come up with anything new, and it is supposed to be hip somehow, to repeat yourself over and over. It's nonsense.