Prog Rock Atlanta Style

They're back!! And this time they nailed it. I first got into Mastodon on the Leviathan record because I like heavy metal and I've read Moby Dick like 3 or 4 times so when I heard about this, a concept record based on Moby Dick, I had to check it out. I saw them live the same year and they threw in a Melvins cover, 'The Bit', and that pretty much sealed the deal. Following album, Blood Mountain, was a bit hit and miss for me but now we get Mastodon v.3!
If you compare this to Mastodon circa Remission, it's the same beast, just refined. They still play fast, they still play heavy, but damn what a sound and an urgency that you get lost after track 2 in the strange and complex world that they play in. It's again a concept record and from what I gather theres some stuff about Rasputin and way too much going on to explain here, but check out the track Divinations for the full on craziness, even amplified in the accompanying video, check out their myspace.
The accompanying dvd also goes to some lengths to humanise the band, check out their Creature from the Black Lagoon collection and their musings from moustaches to unicorns to cars! An hour and a half of stuff, great!
Not saying this is the record of 2009, yet, but it's pretty close!
J

Kenny "Mr. man with the golden cock" Powers

Relief Pitcher Kenny Powers was poised to rule the Big Leagues, but two things got in the way: his fading fastball and his insufferable personality. After a spectacular career flame-out, Kenny came home to Shelby County, NC and picked up a job as a substitute gym teacher (mostly so his brother Dustin would stop threatening to kick him out). He's spent every moment since then cashing in the last of his dying fame while plotting his inevitable comeback... one beer at a time.

'Eastbound & Down' is the latest project to come out of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's comedic goldmine Gary Sanchez Productions, which also launched FunnyOrDie.com. Starring Danny McBride ('Pineapple Express'), Katy Mixon ('Four Christmases'), John Hawkes ('Deadwood') and a host of other talented comedians, 'Eastbound & Down' was created by McBride along with two friends from film school: Jody Hill and Ben Best. The hilarious new series was shot on location in North Carolina and also includes a few guest appearances by Ferrell as a local car dealer with marvelous hair.

This is the shit! Check it out!

www.kennypowers.com

F

I am actually a very happy and positive person nowadays, but..

So i went to the cinema last nite with a couple of friends. I sat through the whole 2h45min long movie next to this fucking nose-breathing, candy-munching, beer-smelling, giggling retard. Seriously, I had to cover the left side of my head with my jacket. I tried to concentrate on the movie, but he just kept on going with the retard-act. Usually I try to find the seats that have a 3 meter radius of "no people", but not this time. Thanks to that stupid fuck, the only thing I can tell you about "Watchmen" is that it was way too long and way too quiet if you´re sitting next to a fucking asshole.

As if I didn´t already realize how many stupid cunts exist on the face of the earth, this guy made me realize they´re not gonna die in extinct very soon.

F

Swedish Vampires, Scottish Post-Metal and Ultra-Violent Superheroes

So I got caught up in the hype surrounding this Swedish movie, Let The Right One In. The reviews had been great and aintitcool had it above Dark Knight last year in their top 10 so I figured I better check it out. Vampire girl hangs out with loser kid and his life improves! Not an entirely original plot! It was ok, nothing spectacular, a tad insensitive in these school-shooting times perhaps, but an enjoyable film nonetheless. Its out now on dvd or in cinemas!

Big news, Mogwai are coming to Finland in June to play the Pitkä Kuuma Kesä festival, last album the Hawk Is Howling was fantastic so another summer festival to add to the list!

http://www.pitkakuumakesa.fi/

Also saw Watchmen last night and it was good, not great,  but good! Having read the comic I thought it was brought well to the big screen, the changed ending was acceptable but it was perhaps a little long. I understand that there was so much in the book that sacrifices were already made but my ass was numb after the 2h 45min! Still, I wasn't bored! Watchmen is out in cinemas now!

Oh yeah, i've heard the new Isis album, its ok, not as bad as the last record, but it's no Oceanic!!

Peace

James

US Movies were better in the 70's.

I just finished watching The Deerhunter (USA 1978) for the first time in years and what a fucking great movie it is! So culturally important for the US in that it doesn't glorify war and focuses more on mental issues! I did find out though that apparently de Niro really put a bullet in the gun when he puts the gun against John Cazale's head to intensify the scene, Cazale was dying of cancer at the time and agreed! Man, American movies were good back in the day! Ha I'm only 30 but they were, no shitty cgi, good stories, great actors, (examples, Jaws, Apocalypse Now, Alien etc)! And this movie, greatly moving, check it out if you haven't already!

RIP Chris Cornell

Callisto - Providence

I''ll be the first to admit it, when I heard the new vocalist on this, Callisto's 3rd full length, I gotta say I thought it sounded shit! However, now I take it back! In fact, I think after a few listens now, I prefer this record to their previous effort Noir. 

The music is great, epic like their brothers-in-arms Cult of Luna or Isis and the new vocal style adds something that I can't quite put my finger on. 

These Finnish boys are touring soon, as well as playing the Tuska festival in the summer! Check them out.

www.callistochaos.com

providence is out now on fullsteam records

James

Che Part 1

I like Benicio del Toro. He was fat and crazy in Fear and Loathing, tough as fuck in Way of the Gun and young in that crappy Bond movie.

I kinda like Steven Soderbergh. (He directs this by the way). He does what he wants and is still a Hollywood player. I don't like many of his films, ie Oceans movies, Erin Brockavich etc, in fact at the moment, I can't think of one I do like. I just checked his filmography on wikipedia and maybe the Limey was ok.

Anyway, this movie was great. Like a lot of people I find Ernesto 'Che' Guevara fascinating. He's a man who really stood up for his beliefs and died fighting. These days we would call him a terrorist and he would ironically have ended up in Guantanomo Bay on Cuba!!!

Oh yeah, the movie... del Toro is perfect as Guevara, the style, almost documentary like as we follow the guerillas through their invasion and ultimately successful revolution on Cuba. (spoiler! check history!) The guy playing Castro is also convincing, in fact, the whole movie gives you the impression that you are there in the jungle, fighting with them!

Seriously, I'm no commie, but watching this made me wanna take up arms! Fight the Power!!!

Che Part 1 is in cinemas now.

James

2009 just begins!

Things to look forward to this year part 1:

Music:

mastodon - crack the skye

isis - wavering radiant

crippled black phoenix - new stuff

neurosis at tuska 2009

movies:

che

watchmen

the limits of control

i'm sure there's more....

james

Dead Print Strikes Back!!!

After nearly a 2 year hiatus, Dead Print returns. Based in Helsinki, this group of musicians, students, filmmakers, tattooists and teachers strive to filter the gold from the shit! Revolving around music and film we will cut the crap and say what we think! No one is safe. Print is dead!