The Emperor Returns

Tom G. Fischer, the Emperor of extreme occult metal, is back! His latest band, Triptykon, completes his musical triptych of extreme occult metal (Hellhammer~Celtic Frost~Triptykon). Eparistera Daimones is an album I was highly anticipating. I purchased the mp3 version (wanted that instant gratification), and it came with a digital booklet, which is a very cool extra, containing images, lyrics, and liner notes. Every digital album should include one!

The music is no disappointment either. Extremely heavy, generally fast with slower parts mixed in, and of course Fischer's signature vocals, although he sounds even angrier and raspier than usual. Triptykon is well conceived and well constructed death/occult metal, and Fischer has selected a talented band to back him up.

Every song on this album is a dark piece of musical artwork, but my top 3 personal faves are:

Abyss Within My Soul
A Thousand Lies
Myopic Empire

The Japanese release contains a bonus track, which I have heard is awesome. I have also heard that an EP is planned for later in the year, so perhaps it will contain the bonus song.

Triptykon's homepage: http://www.triptykon.net/

RIP Peter Steele (1962-2010)

I read the news last night, oh boy. I was devastated, Peter Steele, legendary frontman of Type O Negative and Carnivore, died April 14, 2010 of apparent heart failure. Just like that, in an instant, one of the most unique, creative, and intelligent voices in Metal history was silenced forever.

I remember, back in the 1980s, first hearing Carnivore and saying "Holy fuck! It doesn't get much heavier than this!" I remember when Slow, Deep, and Hard came out, I raced to the record store to buy it thinking "Fuck yea, Pete's back".

I can't successfully express in any words what Pete Steele and his music have done for me over the years. His lyrics have expressed some of my deepest emotions for me. His music has brought out the primal in me, as well as the scholar. How many Heavy Metal band lyrics actually send you researching the meaning of words? His work has inspired my own writing in many ways. Bloody Kisses is one of the all-time best albums to have sex to! He wrote violent, shocking, and sometimes comical songs, quite serious but at the same time often tongue-in-cheek. Pete's music was and is an outlet for me, in more ways than I can count.

Personally, the saddest part for me is that I never got to see Pete perform live. I've always called it the 'Type O curse'. Over the twenty plus years I have been a fan of his work, every single time I was planning to see him live, something inevitably happened to cause me to miss the show. Everything from rides not showing up to bring me to the show, to friends forgetting or neglecting to get me tickets, and more. The absolute worst was Ozzfest in the late nineties, Type O was on the bill along with a shitload of other bands. I had tickets, I was on my way, finally I was going to see Type O! Mere minutes away from the Meadowlands in NJ where the show was happening, one of the cars travelling with us died. Actually, died is an understatement. It literally spewed oil into the air like a shower of black tears. The car owner stayed with his vehicle, the rest of his passengers jumped into other cars that were traveling with us. We finally got there, I was pumped to see Type O. On the floor, I ran into a friend and told them how psyched I was for Type O. My friend looked at me and said "Dude, you missed them. They were the openers, and they were awesome." I was beyond disappointed.

Now, my chance to see Pete perform live has passed forever. My loss. My tears.

I'm really not sure what else to say, other than a huge hole has been left in the world of Metal. NOBODY WILL EVER FILL THE SHOES OF PETE STEELE.

In tribute to Pete and his bands here are some links to check out:

Official Type O website, includes official statements from his band mates: http://www.typeonegative.net/index.php

Check out Pete's earliest recorded material, a band called Fallout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jquW3AEZ_E

One of the Gods of Metal is dead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mlM1ZFcw3M

Perhaps Pete is finally at peace, his Inner Conflict finally ended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw3BuORXZFg

This one is for you Pete, you've told us Everything Dies, and now you've shown us (I'm listening to this one, tears streaming): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ3aiM8K6D0&feature=fvsr

I can't tell you how many times over the years I have said I Don't Wanna Be Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXIWRan3XGY

Probably one of my favorite Type O songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEfeR-4DzMQ

And finally, the two songs from Bloody Kisses that propelled Pete and the boys into Metal stardom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LSO-dtsxo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwYJYl5GUQ

GOODBYE, PETER. YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED, YOUR INFLUENCE WILL LIVE FOREVER. ALL THAT IS LEFT TO SAY IS THAT I HOPE YOU HAVE FINALLY FOUND PEACE. YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT WHAT YOU HAVE WISHED FOR FOR A LIFETIME. I HOPE DEATH HOLDS FOR YOU ALL YOU DREAMED IT WOULD.

Love your fan for all eternity,
Paul Ingrassia


Photo swiped from: http://muzyka.xlonline.pl/peter-steele-znowu-umiera-2/music/

SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM

Risen from the ashes of the awesome anti-rock performance band Idiot Flesh, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is a band that can truly be called eclectic, strange, and unclassifiable. Their music can be melodic, artistic, creepy, and ass-kicking heavy, all in the same song. As far as genre, good luck, single songs contain multiple genres. Think the love child of opera raped by death metal and raised as the adopted son of folk theater and prog rock. In short, fucking awesome. Every song on their three studio albums is a unique piece of musical creativity, well-conceived and expertly executed.

Personal faves:

From the album Grand Opening and Closing
Sleep is Wrong
Ambugaton
1997
Sleepytime

From the album Of Natural History
A Hymn to the Morning Star
Donkey-headed Adversary of Humanity
The Freedom Club
The Creature

From the album In Glorious Times
The Companions
Helpless Corpses Enactment
Angle of Repose
The Salt Crown

The best way to understand SGM is to check them out. Their official website: http://www.sleepytimegorillamuseum.com/

Here are a couple of vids. Warning, they are strange, creepy, and fucking awesome, especially 'Hymn'. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Helpless Corpses Enactment

A Hymn to the Morning Star

If you want a real journey into creepy weirdness, check out this vid by Idiot Flesh, the band SGM was before SGM was! Their album Fancy kicks ass.

Idiot Song