Roadrunner Blogs | Mike Gitter

Just to set the record straight, 99.9% of  A&R guys are really just manic music fans who have a few skills in pickin' em and seeing what a band does when it's unleashed in the studio and on the public iPod maniacs, basically. So, that said, we do listen to more records than the average fan - sometimes for business but a lot of the time for pleasure's sake. Here's some shit that's destroying my hearing that I'll start posting on a monthly basis. No Roadrunner A&R clues here. This shit is strictly for pleasure.

Mastodon-Crack In The Skye: 2nd major label hop gets off the Moby Dick and into some genuine non-bong new age prog-iffery. As the banjos start plucking by song # 2 ("Divinations"), you get the feeling that this one's a less calisthenic work-out than prior Mastadon-ia and something a lot eerier. Fellow Atlanta native Brendan O'Brien (he of Pearl Jam and the upcoming Killswitch Engage opus) gets his wamba-jamba most pronounced in the vocal arena with Brent Hinds and Troy Sanders hitting the middle ground betwixt Ozzy and Voivod's Snake. Of course by the time what's been described as some "out of body experience" (wish I had those more often!) comes to its close with with the 13 minute conceptual thingee about visiting he-of-large-schvantz in Czarist Russia: Rasputin in "The Last Baron", Mastodon can lay claim to their turf in the Prog-Nation. Good to know that in that in that Mastodon vs. System of a Down tangle that happened last year, these Southern boys have hit back and taken what's there's in the modern prog band beef. (Reprise)

Deathstars-Night Electric Night: The Sisters of Mercy obsessed dandies return to ride sarcof-o-limos through the streets of some uber Blade Runner-y future city and lose the schtick of prior discs in the process. "NEN" is the one where these Nords put enuff flesh on the exo steely skelton with single "Death Dies Hard" or "Via The End" - an obvious tribute to Dissection's John Nödtveidt, by Deathstars mastermind and kid brother Emil - that Deathstars have a lot more up their facismo-regalia armbanded sleeves. (Nuclear Blast)

Diagonal:  Three and a half decades ago this English seven piece would have been called "Magma" or "Van Der Graf Generator" with a nice little Doors fixation - particularly on the album's second track, "Semi-Permeable Membrane".  If you didn't know and picked this one up, you'd swear it was recorded in 1971!  (Rise Above)

16-Bridges To Burn: I'll give it to these newly reformed SoCal malcontents - they know how to churn el riff grande. So heavy in fact that (Sherman, set the Way-Back Machine) 10 years back in the day I'd give it to ‘em over the likes of Helmet and the whole Am-Rep crew. A couple records, some stonier inclinations and some time-off have done ‘em well. Chris Jerue's rants are cranky as ever - opening the whole  schemer with a grunt of: "Who in the world will wait for the sequel!?!?" on "Throw In The Towel".  The Bobby Ferry-Jason Corely guitar-drum tension n' release is churning like no other band. Like the track "Thorn In Your Side", remains a grunting, growling groovy hate combo.  (Relapse)

Wardruna-Gap Var Ginnuga: Long in the works, Gorgorothian Gaahl takes on Norse mythology with a company of similar-minded cultists. Actually, the main dude is a chap named Kvltrain who's conceived this Pagan soundscape (this being numero uno of a trilogy) which is more dark soundtrack than the expected black metal. . Remember the music that accompanied Peter Beste's Gaahl documentary? Here it is, more disturbing on its own (nevertheless) grim terms.  I-Tunes is probably your best bet in tracking this one down. (Indie Recordings)

Tombs-Winter Hours: Anodyne's Mike Hill continues to plough through the cranium with his latest ensemble of Brooklyn-y pissy-types. Atmospheric as fuck whilst taking cues from everything from the old Am-Rep school, black metal and the likes of Mogwai. Check the vid for "Gossamer". It kinda tells the tale. (Relapse)

Wino-Punctuated Equilibrium: The good Scott "Wino" Weinrich returns afresh from the lunar womb with a grasp on the grittiest and coolest rock moves on the planet. Not only do we get the expected doom crawls you'd expect from the familiar voice of  St. Vitus and The Obsessed on "Eyes of the Flesh". But, he who also helmed The Hidden Hand, Spirit Caravan and the soon-to-be unleashed Shrinebuilder also knows how to blow wild stallions ‘cross one's skull with the likes of "Wild Blue Yonder". Add to that   Clutch's JP Gaster leading  a rhythm section and what you get moves beyond what you'd expect from the so-called doom stalwart.  It's further evidence that Wino remains one of the most credible but least acknowledged rock voices we've got. Ain't it always that way?  (Southern Lord)

 Woe-A Spell For The Death Of Mankind: A surprise as these Philly Black Metal types toss plenty of catchiness into their US BM stew and take their place next to the likes of Wolves In The Throne Room or Leviathan (RIP).  The likes of "Solitude" or  "Longing Is All That Will Remain" inject groove into the grim and make for a sound that will likely put these malcontents at the head of the woolven pack. (Stronghold Records - Incredibly hard to find. Contact the band at www.woeunholy.com and see if they can set ya straight)

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