"Get Shitfaced And Headbang 'Til Your Neck Breaks"

The title says it all and we can all thank Matt Veil for that statement.
Now GET FUCKED UP!

SANGRAAL - Fatal Coordinates 7"

It's finally out. The first release from SANGRAAL since 1998. 5 new songs of barbaric violent thrash similar to KVIKKSOLGUTTENE and early DODHEIMSGARD from the creators of the classic "Wolves Of Armageddon" LP.
There is only one way to get it... well concealed cash.
$7 ppd in the U.S., $10 ppd rest of the world.

Rock Cocaine Records

P.O. Box 1402

Tempe AZ 85280

Check out one of the songs from the record here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LTE8E7IW

Location, Location, Location

Those are the 3 most important things to keep in mind when you are buying a house, opening a business, or writing a piece of yellow journalism for Terrorizer magazine. Here is the interview Terrorizer did with Dwid from INTEGRITY. Note that his answers as well as Sean's, T's and my own are similar when we're asked about Cleveland. I'm posting these interviews to make a point. An article titled "Hello Cleveland" makes no sense at all. Check out Dwid's answers then go download a ton of good music from the link at the bottom. Then go get a brick, write the words "Go fuck yourself" on it, and throw it through the window of the offices of Terrorizer Magazine.

Terrorizer: Can you give us a historical overview of the ‘holy terror’ sub-genre, describing its elements, style, relevant philosophies, the key bands and anything else you feel one needs to know?

Dwid: Holy Terror does not wish to use this interview as a recruitment campaign to gain an even greater following. We will respond to your questions as a courtesy, and if any of your readers that wish to learn more, they would be served best by reading between the lines.

Terrorizer: ‘Holy Terror’ was often associated with internal anger and apocalyptic imagery. Looking back at the 90s, from where do you think these feelings spawned? Was it the same place thrash bands who were singing about alienation and impending nuclear holocaust, but presented in a much more nefarious and prickly manner?

Dwid: Our music is created as an act of religious terrorism. We long for absolute genocide. Our music is not peace punk. We are human racists, we are against the human race.

Terrorizer: How does holy terror’s “apocalyptica” differ from nihilism?

Dwid: We do not feel that life is meaningless, but that we are prisoners in flesh incarcerated in the hellish world. We are striving for a means to eliminate these confines and free all of the souls imprisoned on this dying shell. However, I must confess my adoration for historys greatest nihilist, Francis Bacon.

Terrorizer: Where did the name “Holy Terror” originate? Some say it was your label, others claim it was Brian from Catharsis and his ‘zine Inside Front. I, personally, don’t remember and don’t the term being that widely used as a genre describer. Was it?

Dwid: Holy Terror was a term first used by Inside Front magazine in the early 1990s in an attempt to describe the musical sound and lyrical content for bands like Integrity and Gehenna. Defining, in simpler terms, musical terrorism with an extreme religious manifesto. Jack Abernathy felt that, 'Holy Terror' would be an ideal new moniker to conceal previous incarnation of His movement. His earlier manifestation of the movement had garnered too much negative investigation from the authorities/media. Their witchhunt deemed that a change of name and identity was necessary for the survival of the movement.

Terrorizer: In the same way that New York had NYHC and the Bay Area had its thrash, Cleveland and a fair share of bands from the city became associated with the ‘holy terror’ sound.

Why was Cleveland such a focal point for this style/sound?

Dwid: We have nothing in common with those groups. Holy Terrorists are more akin to the passionate music of Mansons glorious Family and the uncompromising French zealots, Les Legions Noire than to those which you have referenced. A geographical location such as Cleveland offers no significance to HT.

Terrorizer: In descriptions, I’ve seen ‘holy terror’ described as one of the original permutations of metalcore in the sense that it combined metal and hardcore influences and did it in a way that differed from crossover. Agree/disagree?

Dwid: I have no idea about the origins of that genre of music. My interest in metallic punk/hardcore derived from G.I.S.M.

Terrorizer: What are the parallels or connections between ‘holy terror’ and the H8000 sound? Do parallels or connections even exist?

Dwid: HT is not a sound, it is a weapon.

Terrorizer: ‘Holy Terror’ appears to not just be a loose quip designed to describe music, but an entire aesthetic involving a certain lyrical style and artwork, which often made use of original paintings/artwork from the 1700’s and 1800s. Once again, agree/disagree? And was this all-encompassing aesthetic what kept the sound/scene from gaining ground in terms of popularity and also limiting the number of bandwagon bands?

Dwid: I believe you are alluding to H. Bosch. Bosch was able to see beyond the veil that was placed upon our eyes by the demons. His painting illustrate the actual reality of this hellish world. In the same sense of this Flemish master, we also illustrate what we see beneath the veil in order to convey our beliefs. There has never been any interest in popularity. We are creating for our own selfish reasons and rituals.

Terrorizer: This is kind of related to the question above, but…. Why do you feel ‘holy terror’ as a sub-genre never became a household name and/or never took off; not necessarily of popularity, but of more bands openly referring to themselves as such? Was it a matter of terminology; like the term metalcore was a bit easier on the brain, but then ended up taking on a totally different meaning?

Dwid: There is no interest in this.

Terrorizer: Specifically in your last email, you mentioned our “only salvation being the total extermination of the human race.” I’m presuming this also includes yourself, friends and your loved ones? If existence is such hell, why do you yourself go on? Or is it your position to make the general populace’s existence that much more uncomfortable with your time allotted?

Dwid: Yes, the extermination of the entire human race in one loving act. This is the only way for salvation. This flesh is an abomination, a rotting prison cell.

Terrorizer: To what do you attribute the slight resurgence that we’ve seen in the use of the term ‘holy terror’ with respect to re-issued records and the bands playing the style?

Dwid: Recordings are re-issued when the original recordings are no longer available. We will not be held accountable for others choosing to emulate our musical creations.

Terrorizer: Who are some of the more recent bands that have popped up that you feel faithfully capture the spirit and sound of ‘holy terror’?

Dwid: We know who We are

http://www.holyterror.com/downloads/

Manchester According To Mr. Welsh

Mr. Sean Welsh plays in a band called ROT IN HELL from England and (like the rest of us) was made out to be a citizen of Ohio. While he and I disagree on who the greatest football team in Manchester is, we both agree on the STONE ROSES being gods, and the guy who wrote this article being a dipshit. Here are Sean's original answers.

Terrorizer: Can you give us a historical overview of the ‘holy terror’ sub-genre, describing its elements, style, relevant philosophies, the key bands and anything else you feel one needs to know?

Sean Welsh: Filter out the superfluous peripheral distractions and really listen. You are dug in and pinned down in the middle of a mine-strewn battlefield and the enemy has called in an air strike. We, on the other hand, are behind enemy lines preparing the way, weakening bridges and priming our ambush. The sleeper cells are stirring, equipped to wage a guerrilla war against humankind. In other words, we are mere hair’s breadth from realising our objectives. You should confront the lie that you live in.

Terrorizer: ‘Holy Terror’ was always associated with anger and apocalyptic feelings. Looking back at the 90s, from where do you think these feelings spawned? Was it the same place thrash bands who were singing about alienation and impending nuclear holocaust, but presented in a much more nefarious and prickly manner?

Sean Welsh: No, your analogy is misplaced. We inhale the corrupted air of the Tokyo subways, not the adolescent radioactive fantasies of Bay Area beer-bongs. We listen to the wisdom of Sakevi Yokoyama and Pentti Linkola, not the fripperies of Belladonna and Mustaine. We are students and apostles of Armageddon, not of a heavy metal genre.

Terrorizer: Where did the name “Holy Terror” originate? Some say it was Dwid’s label, others claim it was Brian from Catharsis and his ‘zine Inside Front. I, personally, don’t remember the term being that widely used as a genre describer. Was it?

Sean Welsh: Your assertion that Dingledine coined the term holds water, however, when used contemporaneously in association with Holy Terrorism as a description of a particular sound, it is done so in error, ignorance and “without honour or soul”.

Terrorizer: In the same way that New York had NYHC and the Bay Area had its thrash, Cleveland and a fair share of bands from the city became associated with the ‘holy terror’ sound. Why was Cleveland such a focal point for this style/sound?

Sean Welsh: The simple answer would be Integ, a more complicated answer would involve misappropriation of the term, however, there must be other individuals better placed to answer this question since we hail from the north of England not Cleveland, Ohio. In any event, Holy Terror and Clevo have only the most tenuous and historical relationship, if any at all.

Terrorizer: In descriptions, I’ve seen ‘holy terror’ described as one of the original permutations of metalcore in the sense that it combined metal and hardcore influences and did it in a way that differed from crossover. Agree/disagree?

Sean Welsh: Disagree. “Metalcore” is considered a nauseating malapropism by all Holy Terrorists.

Terrorizer: What are the parallels or connections between ‘holy terror’ and the H8000 sound? Do parallels or connections even exist?

Sean Welsh: To reiterate, Holy Terrorism is not concerned with a sound, but rather an action.

Terrorizer: ‘Holy Terror’ appears to not just be a loose quip designed to describe music, but an entire aesthetic involving a certain lyrical style and artwork, which often made use of original paintings/artwork from the 1700’s and 1800s. Once again, agree/disagree?

And was this all-encompassing aesthetic what kept the sound/scene from gaining ground in terms of popularity and also limiting the number of bandwagon bands?

Sean Welsh: We indeed draw strength from expression of individual thinking which may include, but it goes far beyond lyrics or artwork. With specific regard to art, the contemporary work of Stephen Kasner and Give Up for example, are fundamental facets of Holy Terrorism.

Popularity is not our concern or objective and has no place in Holy Terrorism. That the overwhelming majority have neither the vision, nor disposition to comprehend or appreciate Holy Terrorism is a validation in itself. You may consider us marginalised, outgunned and outnumbered, but remember, we are not in here with you; you are all in here with us. In other words, we are the Ouroboros in your midst.

Terrorizer: This is kind of related to the question above, but…. Why do you feel ‘holy terror’ as a sub-genre never became a household name and/or never took off; not necessarily of popularity, but of more bands openly referring to themselves as such? Was it a matter of terminology; like the term metalcore was a bit easier on the brain, but then ended up taking on a totally different meaning?

Sean Welsh: Please refer to the previous answer.

Terrorizer: What was up with Gehenna?

Sean Welsh: In what respect? I’m sure Mike Cheese would be happy to answer your questions with regards the Infamous Gehenna.

Terrorizer: To what do you attribute the slight resurgence that we’ve seen in the use of the term ‘holy terror’ with respect to re-issued records and the bands playing the style?

Sean Welsh: Some individuals have referred to a ‘Rebirth of Holy Terror’ since soon after the turn of the century, however, it never in fact went away. In recent years Mr Abernathy has reached out and amassed a worldwide network of comrades and cohorts who are poised and committed to the cause. It's always there, the beginning and the end.

As the wolves, or rather pigs closed in they appeared to consider us encircled and embattled. Distracted and aroused as they were, some of our number simply vanished from under their snouts and reappeared elsewhere and everywhere. Undoubtedly they scratched the surface, but what of it? It only added to their misperception, little did they know, little do they know, little will they ever know other than what we choose to feed them, drip, drip, drip.

Terrorizer: Who are some of the more recent bands that have popped up that you feel faithfully capture the spirit and sound of ‘holy terror’?

Sean Welsh: Integ, Gehenna and Pale Creation continue to rend the world asunder. In their wake Vegas, Roses Never Fade, Horders, and Withdrawal will change your life and understanding of it upon its head if only you so desire.

Go here and download some gunpowder (including ROT IN HELL) http://www.holyterror.com/downloads/ then on Sunday listen to it while Sean an I trade insults about soccer via the internet.

From VVEGAS with love.

The mastermind behind the band VVEGAS (know as T) also had a chance to get misrepresented by Terrorizer Magazine. Here are his original uncut statements.

Terrorizer: Can you give us a historical overview of the ‘holy terror’ sub-genre, describing its elements, style, relevant philosophies, the key bands and anything else you feel one needs to know?

VVEGAS: The ideas have always been there in various incarnations, shapes and forms. There is no "style" per se. We don't desire to prove anything. Ethical sympathies are an unpardonable mannerism. Opposition means being in accord with oneself. The main tenet is individualism - at any cost.

Terrorizer: ‘HT’ was often associated with internal anger and apocalyptic imagery. Looking back at the 90s, from where do you think these feelings spawned? Was it the same place thrash bands who were singing about alienation and impending nuclear holocaust, but presented in a much more nefarious and prickly manner?

VVEGAS: The difference is that we are embracing developments such as the implications of the era when the iron curtain spawned lyrical content.

Terrorizer: How does holy terror’s “apocalyptica” differ from nihilism?

VVEGAS: Nihilism is about of the rejection of all principles. We believe in love. It's our only weapon. Our lie is an ally of truth. The slate needs to be wiped clean once and for all.

Terrorizer: Where did the name “HT” originate? Some say it was Dwid’s label, others claim it was Brian from Catharsis and his ‘zine Inside Front. I, personally, don’t remember and don’t the term being that widely used as a genre describer. Was it?

VVEGAS: I think that is was first used by Brian Dingledine in 1993 in a "journalistic" attempt to describe the musical sound and lyrical content for bands combining musical terrorism with religious imagery. I am not sure if VEGAS could be categorized according to that cookie-cutter formula. What I know is that Jack Abernathy fell in love with the label. With Dwid having always been interested in Abernathy's creations them teaming up was a logical step. Stemming from a completely different and more sinister background, it became Jack's pet peeve and he made it a branch of his movement, placing Dwid at the helm. It was strange seeing Jack reverberating through him. It was Jack's idea to use the name to distract attention from the other things he had going on at the time. While he did not openly discuss it, I guess it was a necessary move to branch out into other spheres as an earlier incarnation of his movement created too much heat and needed to lay low. A few years after, he took a leap back into mainstream culture but I am not at liberty to discuss further details.

Terrorizer: In the same way that New York had NYHC and the Bay Area had its thrash, Cleveland and a fair share of bands from the city became associated with the ‘holy terror’ sound. Why was Cleveland such a focal point for this style/sound?

VVEGAS: The magnetic pull of Lake Eerie and the bad water.

Terrorizer: In descriptions, I’ve seen ‘HT’ described as one of the original permutations of metalcore in the sense that it combined metal and hardcore influences and did it in a way that differed from crossover. Agree/disagree?

VVEGAS: It's been described in many ways yet we are not concerned with labels and descriptions. Its manifestion via aggressive music, as with Vegas, is just one incarnation consisting in the perfect use of an imperfect medium. There are no limitations, neither musically nor philosophically.

Terrorizer: What are the parallels or connections between ‘holy terror’ and the H8000 sound? Do parallels or connections even exist?

VVEGAS: It's funny that you mention "H8000" as we've had a meeting with Abernathy a couple of years ago in exactly the area that the Belgian "8000" zipcode refers to. He rented a windowless apartment for the occasion, that we aptly named "the bunker", and it served its purpose well.

Terrorizer: ‘HT’ appears to not just be a loose quip designed to describe music, but an entire aesthetic involving a certain lyrical style and artwork, which often made use of original paintings/artwork from the 1700’s and 1800s. Once again, agree/disagree? And was this all-encompassing aesthetic what kept the sound/scene from gaining ground in terms of popularity and also limiting the number of bandwagon bands?

VVEGAS: Aestheticism and the transport of purposes is an oxymoron. It is as it is. Gaining popularity was never an agenda.

Terrorizer: This is kind of related to the question above, but…. Why do you feel ‘HT’ as a sub-genre never became a household name and/or never took off; not necessarily of popularity, but of more bands openly referring to themselves as such? Was it a matter of terminology; like the term metalcore was a bit easier on the brain, but then ended up taking on a totally different meaning?

VVEGAS: The labels people attach to it might change yet the ideas are eternal, no matter how low you tune your guitar.

Terrorizer: To what do you attribute the slight resurgence that we’ve seen in the use of the term ‘HT’ with respect to re-issued records and the bands playing the style?

VVEGAS: As stated before, the main ideas are what could be referred to as atavistic instincts. It felt natural to incorporate them into our alchemy. Rather than a renaissance it's more like new people are being exposed to them now.

Terrorizer: Who are some of the more recent bands that have popped up that you feel faithfully capture the spirit and sound of ‘HT’?

VVEGAS: I rarely listen to music these days. Our friends play in bands like Integrity, Gehenna, Roses Never Fade, AVM, Rot in Hell, Blind To Faith, Shoot To Kill, Pale Creation etc.

Holy Terrorizer

This guy from Terrorizer Magazine wanted to interview some friends and I "to find out what Holy Terror is really all about", and find about "where GEHENNA and other HOLY TERROR bands fit in the metalcore" scene. In reality he wanted to tell the world what he believes Holy Terror is and add some quotes in to the article to give it some credibility. For some reason he thinks the "secret ingredient" to harsh music is the city of Cleveland Ohio. I mean, fuck man, I like the DEAD BOYS, and the PAGANS, but will they ever really matter to me as much as the STOOGES? Answer to that is "NO". Anyhow I'm re-printing the Q and A session he and I had because the article he wrote suggests something different.

Anyhow... enjoy the real interview and feel free to stop by the news stand and strike a match to the one that is in print.

Terrorizer: Can you give us a historical overview of the ‘holy terror’ sub-genre, describing its elements, style, relevant philosophies, the key bands and anything else you feel one needs to know?

Mike Apocalypse: I’ve went over this a thousand times with a million people, and I think we know what it is... Brian Dingledine was a writer who used this adjective, and noun to describe the feelings he had when he heard this music that happened to be made by some outsiders. Another guy came to town and used it to cloak what was going on in the world so we could do what we do when we do it. In other words it’s the world that people don’t love anymore and we’re just the guys that needed to sing these songs. You know, we’re just the air and water and trees and animals and we’ve been here for a long time. So when we talk to each other we’re just saying the beliefs that are as old as the hills... No one wants humans around anymore.

Terrorizer: ‘HT’ was often associated with internal anger and apocalyptic imagery. Looking back at the 90s, from where do you think these feelings spawned? Was it the same place thrash bands who were singing about alienation and impending nuclear holocaust, but presented in a much more nefarious and prickly manner?

Mike Apocalypse: Are we angry inside? Are we painting pictures of armageddon? Did this start in the 90’s? No man. You got it wrong. We’ve been here doing this thing for a long time. We sang songs as a baby in a church in Northern California, and we’ve wrote sonnets from the gutters of New York City before we could spell. We were riding on the train in Japan in 1995, and we were down in the jungle in 1978. We were out in Death Valley on those burning hot plains, and we were flying in to New York on those burning hot planes. Ya dig? We’ve been on trips through this country and the whole damn world with our brothers and sisters since before your imagination could begin. We’re part of a pack thats run through here. And people seen us and got the idea to ask us a question. We aint worried about an impending holocaust baby, we are the impending holocaust.

Terrorizer: How does holy terror’s “apocalyptica” differ from nihilism?

Mike Apocalypse: Can you tell me how words are going to make a difference? They aren’t. Thoughts and actions make the difference. A revolutionary act is something a nihilist wouldn’t be part of. He wouldn’t stretch himself out to feed you with knowledge would he? No cause baby, he hates the world. We love the world, it’s the people we aren’t to fond of around here. We want to encourage people to show how much they care and lay down their lives for one another. To give up. To not focus on how they are going to save time, but how they are going to spend their time. My friend Jack told me to “take hold of forever before it takes hold of you.” Thats how we’re gonna do it. With action. With knowledge. With song. With love in our hearts. We aren’t gonna just get mad, and tell you to get mad. We’re gonna get right, and tell you how to get free.

Terrorizer: Where did the name “HT” originate? Some say it was Dwid’s label, others claim it was Brian from Catharsis and his ‘zine Inside Front. I, personally, don’t remember and don’t the term being that widely used as a genre describer. Was it?

Mike Apocalypse: I told you earlier about a Brian Dingledine and his magical magazine that printed a word which ended up as a cloak. Dwid wasn’t using the term to describe music when he started his label. He was setting up a printing press and record label to tell some truth, and sell some truth.

Terrorizer: In the same way that New York had NYHC and the Bay Area had its thrash, Cleveland and a fair share of bands from the city became associated with the ‘holy terror’ sound. Why was Cleveland such a focal point for this style/sound?

Mike Apocalypse: I think you maybe mistaken. Cleveland was only INTEGRITY’S base of operations, for a time (a long time). When things got hot and the government tried to hit everybody with an injunction Dwid flew the coup. GEHENNA formed splinter cells like SANGRAAL, WITCH-LORD, DISCREET DOLL BAND, and DEVIL. I assure you though there is no sound to Cleveland. BONE THUGS, Boz Skaggs, and Gerald Levert are all from Cleveland. They never affected how GEHENNA sounds. As far as style... I was born in Detroit man. I was born in the Mecca of style and sound. STOOGES, MC5, NEGATIVE APPROACH, Joe Louis, Bruce Campbell... Need I say more.

Terrorizer: In descriptions, I’ve seen ‘HT’ described as one of the original permutations of metalcore in the sense that it combined metal and hardcore influences and did it in a way that differed from crossover. Agree/disagree?

Mike Apocalypse: No. I would not agree or disagree. I would ignore that statement. That is a statement that was more than likely made by some guy who was trying to demean the movement into a type of music. If it were said that we’ve drawn on influences from bands that played a certain genre of music in order to create our art and spread our word of total human annihilation, I might say “mmm. Yeah man. Your picking up what we’re laying down.”

Terrorizer: What are the parallels or connections between ‘holy terror’ and the H8000 sound? Do parallels or connections even exist?

Mike Apocalypse: We have no sound. We only bare a message “The Gift Of Extermination.”

Terrorizer: ‘HT’ appears to not just be a loose quip designed to describe music, but an entire aesthetic involving a certain lyrical style and artwork, which often made use of original paintings/artwork from the 1700’s and 1800s. Once again, agree/disagree? And was this all-encompassing aesthetic what kept the sound/scene from gaining ground in terms of popularity and also limiting the number of bandwagon bands?

Mike Apocalypse: You’re getting warmer. What happened is that we all want to tell people that the world would be a better place without them in it. Humans need to be destroyed. This seems to be a turn off to a lot of humans. Truth like that is hard to swallow, and we don’t need anymore friends. That’s not why we do this. We don’t want a scene. We just want it to all end. We aren’t pushers man. We’re users. We use life and abuse life, and want to burn it all up. If somebody says I’m a hedonist then that’s fine. I don’t care man, cause all I know is that I’m not trying to be anyones anything. I’m doing what I need to get what I want, and if that breaks hearts what can I do?


Terrorizer: This is kind of related to the question above, but…. Why do you feel ‘HT’ as a sub-genre never became a household name and/or never took off; not necessarily of popularity, but of more bands openly referring to themselves as such? Was it a matter of terminology; like the term metalcore was a bit easier on the brain, but then ended up taking on a totally different meaning?

Mike Apocalypse: It isn’t a sub-genre. GEHENNA isn’t trying to sell you on a fashion or a “sound.” That is why a lot of people never liked us. We don’t have anything for them. We won’t do what they want or act how they want. GEHENNA is GEHENNA. We turned the television off and handed you a knife and said “use that right or I’m gonna take it from you.” We taught you how to write and gave you a pencil and said “send this letter to the world or I’m gonna erase your words.” You cant do that in every house cause even if you own all the houses you can’t shut all of the televisions off.

Terrorizer: To what do you attribute the slight resurgence that we’ve seen in the use of the term ‘HT’ with respect to re-issued records and the bands playing the style?

Mike Apocalypse: We formed splinter cells. We painted new pictures that had the same subject from a different angle. This led to people asking why we’re still here and why we still aren’t friends with them. The things we love caused jealousy and confusion. People asked “how could I be part of this?” and I could only answer them with “I don’t know what your talking about.” The style or sound you are insinuating exists simply does not exist. The word and message of the band I’m in does. As far as a resurgence... It’s been a little while since we seen something big. But it’s gonna come around, and man will learn to love again, and lay down his life, and forget about selling his style, and start telling the truth.

Terrorizer: Who are some of the more recent bands that have popped up that you feel faithfully capture the spirit and sound of ‘HT’?

Mike Apocalypse: There is no sound. The idea of sound was abandoned a long time ago. There is only a message. Release yourself from the prison of life. Take hold of forever.

CHAOS IN TEJAS 2010

Ummmm. Where do I start? I don't even fucking know. This is gonna be an amazing weekend. Over the next few weeks I'm gonna post some stuff by some of the bands that are playing and try to post updates with any info about tickets, shows line ups, etc.
On the real... This is gonna kill.
I still can't even wrap my head around this.

Thanks Timmy!!!

In The Land Of Len Bias

It's still a while off but make your plans now so you can be at this show it's gonna be a good one.

California Dreamin'

I can't say who the special guest is for this show cause they have a bunch of contractual obligations that might cause problems. I can say that you wont want to miss this show. It's gonna be a good time.

"Life's A Bitch

... and then you die. That's why we get high. Cause you never know when your gonna go!"

When AZ sang that chorus I was pretty sure mother fuckers were gonna see a lot more of him. Guess what. It happened. When his debut album "Doe Or Die" came out Mickey Featherstone and I were all about it. Mickey had this AZ Doe Or Die sticker that was 8 1/2" x 11" covering the entire back of his bass guitar and when GEHENNA would play shows people used to always trip. I remember when we first heard "Uncut Raw".It was the sickest shit ever. Anyhow if you understand me, cool. If not got get AZ -Doe Or Die.

This aint about that. This is about Rich Bitch Records, the label that Mickey operates. It's a label that releases all sorts of interesting punk rock and roll jams. I put together a Rich Bitch Sample with some of the stuff from the label.

Check this shit.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=683c905eaa18d301d9d5c56d04dfa8b0295a8247d2d9e82ff88875faa4c6c51e

If you want to check more shit I'll be playing a lot of it on this sunday when I DJ at Laszlo 2526 Mission. San Francisco CA 94110. Come through and grab a drink.

DEVIL "Live Entry" 7"

I wrote DEVIL and told the drug and drink story of our record deal a little while ago (April 7th "Heavy Metal For Satan" posting). After a lot of hard work by our friends at VEDAVU records and some title and artwork changes by BastardDemon and myself the 7" is almost ready to come out. Order info will be up soon. This will be limited to only 41 copies.

Here is a song that will NOT be on the 7".

http://www.mediafire.com/?w4nwmmjgoky

This is the artwork that might be used for a limited T-shirt:



Check out VEDAVU here:

http://vedavu.bigcartel.com/product/records

I suggest you grab anything they release. Music is fucking ace and the packaging is unreal. Total collector pieces.

P.S. The DEVIL 7" is not $.01 that is an error. It's gonna be something like $15. I'll keep you in the loop.

P.P.S. Feel free to leave comments. I noticed that 42 folks downloaded the 1 day GEHENNA track and I only got 1 person who posted a comment. His comment was that he missed the download, and wanted to know if I would repost it. For real, if you download something just post a comment. It only has to be one word. Like "Cool" or "Nice" or "Good" or "Yuck" or "Buffalo", I don't care just post something so I have a little bit of feedback.

Why do I know I'm gonna see 10 comments that say "Buffalo" tomorrow.

GEHENNA - Die High Shirt Series

Now taking pre-orders for the first part of the limited Die High Shirt Series. Pre-orders will end Friday November 6th and all orders will ship Monday November 9th.

Shirts are $15 each or $40 for the set.
For orders outside of the U.S. add $5 for the first shirt and $2 for each additional shirt.

Send paypal payment to:

mike_apocalypse@hotmail.com

Be sure to include size and style number in the comments section.

Example: If you live in Mexico and you want an XL GG shirt and the Belushi shirt you will send $37 and the comments will read

XL 001, 003

Oh yeah... Here is a new GEHENNA called "Get Fucked Up".

I'm pulling it down in a day or so so get it now...

http://www.mediafire.com/?i3nkgm4etjt

Sorry dudes. That download was limited too.

I'll let you know when the record is coming out.

BLIND TO FAITH "The Seven..." LP

A few posts back I talked about BLIND TO FAITH.
When Ol' Nabbe The Bastard sent me this I wasn't too sure what to expect I just thought it was gonna be an average hardcore record. I was SOOOOOO wrong! Rob Nabbe (the drummer and heavy drinker of the band) sent me a copy of the album. I haven't copied it or even played it for anyone, but I've listened to it non-fucking-stop! Now it's just about to come out, and while there is a little time left to pre-order the limited LP, I thought I'd take this time to write something like a record review and take you folks through a track by track analysis of what happened in my head when I first heard this and why this record is so goddamned amazing. Grab a drink and some snacks....

When "The Seven Fat Years Are Over" starts there is less than 2 seconds of shrill guitar feedback. It reminds me of the sounds of a cars breaks. This is what the music on this record looks like in your mind when you close your eyes and listen to it.

An unmarked van screeching to a halt behind you, and as you look over your left shoulder, you see the the doors slide open and watch as guns are raised in your direction. That is when the fire fight starts for real! Whirlwind drums and blinding guitars fire round after round into the air while the dogs held at bay are barking viciously. The Sgt. yells "Kill On Sight" orders to his squad for the next 45 seconds. Just as you think the nightmare is over and you've escaped by climbing into the recesses of a tight alleyway, the voice of Sgt. Stijn grunts "Alright". The BTF death squad begin to spread slowly through the alley ready to end your life. They rip through and pass you, but just when you think you've lost them the choppers swoop down. The chopper pilot yells through bull horn countering Sgt. Stijn's orders for you to surrender. As the BTF Death quad search the wet grimy streets you know you may not be able to run much further and as you hear them closing in, Stijn threatens you with "Suffer the loss of all your hopes and dreams. The end is drawing nearer and nearer". Your know your fucked. Your caught. You lose consciousness from the course, relentless beating. Waking up in a cold sweat strapped to a table in a dark room you think "I feel the hands, their wrapped around my neck" the interrogation, and torture begin. rubber hoses beat your flesh while bolt cutters snap away at your fingers. Cruel and primitive surgical devices lance your skin, while white hot metal stabs the wounds to cauterize them and stop the bleeding. The pain takes you within an inch of your life. Death would be a saviour now as the lights start to dim. Your cold and growing colder by the second. Trapped some where between hell and hallucinations the voices of your tormentors bleed into your own thoughts and meld with the demons that are inside you. As they call your name speaking in a forgotten and primal language the visions of suicide, homicide, and genocide create fuel to feed the dark and benevolent forces that climb through your thoughts. You give up hope for freedom and embrace the fact have been transformed into a member of their death squad killing cult. Now there is no god or Satan. There is only the will to live by conquering and destroying. You've become BLIND TO FAITH.

This is pretty much side 1 in a nutshell. Put your drink down, and wipe the cheeto residue from your fingers. It's time to see for your self.

Click this link to listen to a couple of tracks.

http://www.myspace.com/blindtofaith

Then click here to pre-order the record.

http://www.holyterrorrecords.com/


For real. Just do it!

The N.G. Supertape

In 1995, Rhodes, D.C. and I moved from Reno back to San Diego. It was an odd situation, and we were living in an office space that was about the size of an handicap toilet stall. There was no bathroom in it we had to go down the street, or break into one of the abandoned offices which were filled with dirty needles and broken rock pipes from the other dead beats that were doing the same thing. I got pretty tired of this shit pretty quick. My friend Forrest Locke from ENEWETAK in the city of Orange was like "Yeah I guess you could come crash here in Orange if you hate it down there. We're friends dude. Plus you gotta here the new songs we got for the LP."

That pretty much settled it pretty quick.

I was up there in a day or two and lived in Fo's room in Orange for almost a year.

While I was living there Fo and I played the OASIS "What's The Story..." record CONSTANTLY. It was the sound track for every meal. Every car ride. Every night out. EVERYTHING! 

Forest became a brother to me, and since then we've been through all kinds of shit. When I was living in Phoenix in 1997 he brought me a out a care package from Orange with "Be Here Now" and a ticket to go see OASIS in L.A.. We've played music together, we traveled in Europe together (getting wasted as fuck). He helped me move to Reno in 2004 and we got all pilled out and over caffeinated on the drive there. We were laughing, talking and listening to OASIS the trip. 10 hour drives ain't so bad when your doing 'em with somebody who you like hanging out with.

On last Sunday April 5th Forrest's dad, Garold passed away. It's been fucking my head up all week. G. Locke was pretty close to Fo, and any dad that would put up with with me living in their house for a year is a pretty great dude. I never saw him as happy as when all the kids and grandkids were piled up in one room. We're all gonna miss him.

Back in 1999 I gave Forrest a cassette called "The Noel Gallagher Super Tape" it was a mix I'd put together of a bunch of b-sides and live stuff that weren't on any of the albums. I lost my copy, and I'm sure Fo lost his. But this is pretty close to what track list on the tape was.

http://www.mediafire.com/?tzmiwt20k5n

Dom Done Dis Download

aaaaaaaaaaaay Dudes...
My buddy Dom runs this fucking fantastic record label called A389 Recordings. He's super big on quality product with super sharp packaging and stuff. He works really hard to do some great records. When Dom and I talked about GEHENNA's "War Of The Sons.." on vinyl he was super excited and said (and this is an actual quote from him that he said to me on the phone because I fucking wrote it down):

"I want to put out this record for Me. So it has to look good. I want to sit around looking at it for hours."

And he does that with EVERYTHING he does!
He is like the ultimate record geek that started a label just so he could add to his dream collection.

Anyhow here is a URL for a the site.

www.A389records.com

Go there and get the free label sampler. Then buy some of those goodies from him so you can geek the fuck out too

GRAVEHILL "Practitioners Of Fell Sorcery" Demo

Yeah I know I stole the image from Der Pope...
Yeah I know I told R.T. and Mikey that they had to tell Aesop to stop making this cassette cause Shane BastardDemon was upset...
And yeah I know that I told a lot of my friends that I would never post this, nor would I let anyone else...

But look I figured since Damn Shane BastardDemon and I own 66.6% of the rites for this recording, and I just got an email from Rhett and Mikey today, I'd post this before somebody else does and the story gets all screwed up and people start telling other people crazy bullshit.

Anyhow Fasten you seat belts here goes.

In 2000 R.T. Thorgrimm and I used to work together as professional Clock-Milkers, and Lunch-Break-Extenders for an import CD distro. We would hang out everyday and talk about music. We shared common interest like getting wasted, eating, laughing about funny shit, and HELLHAMMER. We would always rap about music for hours then clock out and do the same thing on the ride home in my pest control van. We introduced a lot of good music to one another. I gave him copies of G.I.S.M. and BULLDOZER records, and R.T. copied some FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM and SOLITUDE AETURNUS albums for me. Since everyone in GEHENNA lived in a different state (which put SANGRAAL on hold too), and R.T.'s band MORGION were going through some line up shit, he and I decided that we had to start playing music together. We decided to call the band GRAVEHILL because if it was a good enough name for HELLHAMMER to use before they were HELLHAMMER, it was good enough for us. I suggested we have Damn Shane BastardDemon (who I worked with at a Bionic Records in Fullerton) play guitar. He's always been a good friend and his taste in music will be always fucking great. R.T. agreed and when I asked Shane of he wanted to play some sort of HELLHAMMER meets AUTOPSY, meets SODOM type of shit he replied "I've got 2 songs". We started to practice and before we knew it Shane had written a ton of amazing songs. BastardDemon, R.T. and I had arranged those songs together. The lyrics were all R.T. (I wrote like one or two lines). We had a great rehearsal room in Pamona. Things were going solid. We recorded this demo with our friend Phil White and Rusty Cavander at a warehouse that Phil's dad used for his company Winners Circle Auto Detail. The room had high ceilings and a great natural reverb. BastardDemon and myself wanted to release it only on cassette. R.T. wanted CDR's because he said it would be more accessable for people. We did both formats (about 50 of each) and about 3 dozen T-shirts. We went through all of the stuff in 2 days.
I think that is when the end started.
in 2001 MORGION had reformed and they shared our rehearsal space with us. R.T. wanted to focus on MORGION so he stopped coming to GRAVEHILL practice all together. Our studio caught on fire on a night that we were supposed to practice.
After that we never practiced with R.T. again and MORGION moved out of the studio.
R.T. did MORGION and KEEN OF THE CROW, and said he "Wanted to stick to playing epic sounding symphonic doom." BastardDemon and were cool with that cause we wanted to get high as fuck and make noise that was less part of a music scene and more just sheer sonic torture. So we formed DEVIL (scroll down and you'll get that junk sorted out).
Anyhow I moved away. in
July of 2006 Rhett emailed me to say he was doing a new thrash metal project with our dog Mikey Abominator from GASP and wanted to call it GRAVEHILL. I was like "Yeah man fine. Just don't do anything with the demo songs cause those are Shane's." He told me "ummm I gave 'em to this dude Aesop to release on his cassette only label". I was like "Wait... you what? C'mon man. Tell him to stop that shit cause you know that you can't do that without Shane's permission and I don't want to be in the middle of some fuck quarrel over this shit." He told Aesop to stop. I saw them at Amoeba Records in San Francisco 4 months later. I was pretty bummed. I felt like this fucking Aesop dude was stealing something from me. I vowed when I met him one day I'd punch him in the balls till his kids were born with black eyes.
What sort of dick with no fucking taste would do such a thing?
Amoeba sold out of them and I got over it.

Fast forward to last year. So I've got a computer now and it works good I just started to check out this blogging shit and it's super fucking cool. One of my favorite blogs is THE COSMIC HEARSE. The guy who runs it seems to have a grip on a lot of the stuff I like about music, and a great sense of humor. His name is Aesop. I think he is a really interesting dude.
hmmmm wait a second....Aesop... Aesop

Fast forward to today. I figured out that he is the same Aesop.
Boy do I feel dumb.

Anyhow R.T. and Mikey and I are all still friends, and GRAVEHILL is gonna play here soon. They wont play any of these jams because the Chief Rocker Mike Apocalypse isn't in the band anymore, but they'll still rage!

And Aesop... I will not punch you in the balls, but I will try to get you to buy me a beer.

Click this link and enjoy my wonderful voice and bass playing (except on the last song is R.T. singing).

http://www.mediafire.com/?zzmlymzmigy

SANGRAAL "Gemini Wars" Demo Tape

In early 1997 Edwin from WICKED WITCH hit us up about releasing a GEHENNA record. We would like that and because we were going to do a European tour with CATHARSIS we suggested that the record was a split 12" with them. We told Ed that we didn't have any new GEHENNA material, but we had a tape of the show we played at CBGB on the Eat, Fight, Fuck tour. Ed was all for it and the record came out great. Just before we went on the tour we recorded a couple GEHENNA songs comps,and at the same time we recorded the M.F.T.S. side for our split with 46 SHORT. We had some extra time in the studio so we tried to get some roughs down for some stuff that "Misery" Mickey Rhodes Featherstone (GEHENNA's bass player) had wrote. It was fucking vicious as fuck, and I knew right then and there that Rhodes' new project was gonna be fucking cruel and destroy some lives. We talked and all decided to send a copy to Edwin. When we saw him in Europe he told us that he wanted to release a record. So it was set in stone right then and there. Rhodes told him we would record something as soon as we finished writing the record. When we got back to the states everybody went their separate ways for a moment. 2 months later while I was living in Phoenix I got a tape from Rhodes (who was in Reno at the time) in the mail. It was a fucking horribly brilliant and masterpiece, of cruel guitar riffs with no drums or vocals. It sounded like a hurricane tearing the planes from the sky and ripping buildings apart. After I got done listening to the tape I looked in the envelope and saw there was a piece of paper with some of the strangest and most dark lyrics I had ever read on it. I turned the page over and it said "I'm ready when you are Mike. Let's go." 2 weeks later I moved to Orange and so did Rhodes. Yoches was already there so we started practicing at his house. I thought we were going to write some stuff, but I was wrong. Rhodes had EVERYTHING. He knew where he wanted the drum fills, how the bass line would go and had lyrics for all of the songs. We got ahold of our friend Rusty Cavender who recorded a ton of stuff for friends of ours and had offered us a spot to record plenty of times before. We went in and recorded the whole demo in 6 hours (we were 3 hours late cause Rhode and Yoches were getting some dope). We mixed the recording a couple of weeks later. We released about 35 copies of it to friends and played a show. Rhodes said we had to rerecord the whole thing, cause he had an idea for some other songs and he wanted me to actually play bass instead of drinking beer and punching the strings. I said O.K. and that was when we did "Wolves Of Armageddon" LP.
Anyhow...
Check out the laughs on "Long Haired Kings". They're WAAAAAYYYY better on this demo.

P.S.
Who Loves ya PapstMaster B? ha ha ha haaaaaa

http://www.mediafire.com/?ifhdzj3hlqy

"Heavy Metal For Satan"

6 years ago myself and 3 other substance abusers climbed into a hot smoke filled shack and recorded what we thought was the perfect blend of BLASPHEMY, G.I.S.M., and DESOLATION ANGELS. We named the band DEVIL and gave a few close friends copies of the first tape. Like all good dope and diseases it eventually it got passed around pretty far from the original circle of deviants. We had quite a few folks try to talk us into releasing the demo but we held out. We decided to go in and record more stuff and try to see if these same fucks that asked to release it were able to rage along side us. I mean if you cant get high and drunk with someone and not try to kill them, then you shouldn't let them release your record! Anyhow all of the folks that made offers turned out to be pretty lame and light weight sissy-dogs. So both the first and second recording just kind of sat around for months. I moved up to Reno Nevada and kind of forgot about it and everybody moved on to different stuff. Shane was focused on DISCREET DOLL BAND. Kelly had a ton of work shit and a crazy turn of events that fucked up his living situation. Henry, like myself became an olympic style fuck up and wound up coming down and pretty hung over for a year or so. But we had all agreed to wait for the label that was going to be run by the best dudes to get fucked up with. No one could hang with us. So we all thought it would never come out.
Enter our friend the Scotsman Mike Kendric...
I got a call at 11:30 p.m. "Yo Mike it's me, Mike Kendric. I'm at this strip club in Reno. Do you still live here?" I replied "Sure man I'll come pick you up and we'll go get fucked up."
Long story short, $175.00 worth of $2 beers 4 grams of blow and 3 packs of cigarettes later, at 10:45 a.m. Kendric vomits on the stairs inside of Lil' Nugget, and walks over and orders an Awful Awful (a 3/4 pound burger that I'll talk about some other time), a shot of Jim Beam, and a Budwiser. Then he looks at me calmly and says "Before they kick us out of here, or the cops come, I wanted to tell you that I'm starting a record label with Jeremy Westphal. We're going only release stuff by bands that are our friends. You know, guys we could get wasted with who hate everything the rest of the world is doing. You know, kind of like an archive of all of our dogs, who've done so much great stuff that no one is ever going to hear unless we put it out. I still want to do the DEVIL tape. What do you think?" At that point i had to stop and make a choice. I went with the Awful Awful, and Jack and Coke. I told him that it sounded good but I would have to think about it for a little while.
15 minutes later it when we finished our burgers it was decided.
Anyhow these are the labels for the upcoming DEVIL "Heavy Metal For Satan" 7". It's gonna be a fairly small pressing but stay tuned for more info on it's release. I'll make sure to post any and all information as soon as it is coming back from the pressing plant.

PRAISE SATAN!!! WORSHIP THE DEVIL!!!