Pentagram

I guess the reality is if I am going to keep this going, it might have turn into a metal blog. Looking back over the last few months of posts, I think it already has. Whatever. It is what it is.

I don't think there would be any debate that the awesome/scary/sad/horrifying/amazing documentary "Last Daze Here" documenting the history and comeback of Bobby Liebling and Pentagram did more to promote the band than the previous 30 plus years of music ever did. The movie opened the band to a whole new audience and moved the already massive doom metal resurgence forward in a big way.

I knew of Pentagram from the Peaceville records from the early 90's and the later compilations. My favourite was always "Relentless". Easily the best collection of songs the band ever did. While watching the doc, within the first 5 minutes they show this amazing self titled Pentagram album. Purple text on a black cover. What the hell?  For the rest of the movie I was hung up on that record and made it my mission to find out more. After 3 minutes on the internet, it turns out that Relentless is actually a reissue of this original self released album. That did it. I needed one.
Well, that is a lot easier said than done. This damn thing is so hard to find. One thing I promised myself was that if one ever showed up on Discogs, GEMM, Music Stack or eBay, I was going for it. Condition be damned.
When it finally popped up around a month ago on ebay, I entered a ridiculous max bid. I mean stupid. There was no way I was going to lose. I was a little put off by the cover's condition but fuck it, when would be the next chance to get one?

I have to say, it is in a lot better shape seeing it in person. The small creases and seam wear is there but not that bad. The worst thing on the cover is some price sticker damage in the upper right corner. It's really not too bad for a stoner rock/doom metal album from 1985.
On the other hand the vinyl is dead mint. Shockingly so. I dropped the needle and it was quieter than most of the new albums I have bought recently.

This was a big a score from my want list. I'm just thankful no one challenged me for it. That could have been bad!

Late Pass Year End Roundup

Yeah, I know. It's fucking February and I am just now getting around to a year end wrap up? Well, in my defence I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a month on vacation. It was awesome but jet lag, time zone adjustment and catching up at work has left very little time for posting anything. That and it took me a while to go through all the records I bought in 2013. Even though there weren't very many posts, I actually bought a ton of records last year and spent an ungodly amount of money. I think it might have to do with the fact first pressing metal albums can run on the expensive side.

Speaking of that, we might as well get into it. 2013 was for me not a very good year for punk and hardcore. Maybe I'm getting old, but a lot of shit sounded so derivative and stale. I found myself focusing on 80's hardcore or wholesale listening only to metal.

Following in the footsteps of my favorite bloggers, and dare I say friends, Mike, Marcus and Mark, here is my 2013 Top 10. But first, here are some honorable mentions.

Gorguts - Colored Sands, Enforcer - Death By Fire, Ghost - If You Have Ghost ep, Holy Grail - Ride the Void, Windhand - Soma, Magic Circle - s/t, Caught In A Crowd - The Fight and Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods.

Top 10

1. Carcass - Surgical Steel
2. Black Sabbath - 13
3. Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed
4. Ghost - Infestissumam
5. The Rival Mob - Mob Justice
6. Ancient VVisdom - Deathlike
7. AFI - Burials
8. Iron Reagan - Worse Than Death
9. Power Trip - Manifest Decimation
10. Orchid - The Mouth of Madness

LOTS of metal! I ended up catching half the groups on my list live, so I'm sure that has a lot to do with what made my top 10.
The one that kind of sticks out is the new AFI album Burials. I may or may not have watched the "17 Crimes" video on You Tube 500 times or so. Damn, I wish I looked like a Guess Jeans model and acted like a horny masochist when I was younger, but I guess that wasn't in the cards. I have been a sucker for Davey Havok's voice forever and Burials doesn't disappoint in that regard. I also happen to be in the minority where I think AFI have only gotten better since they decided to be vampires.

Top 10 Pickups

1. Black Sabbath original Vertigo swirl pressings.
2. Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown 7" 1st pressing with brick background
3. Unbroken - Life. Love. Regret. on blue vinyl
4. The Abused - Loud and Clear 7" original self released pressing
5. Unity - You Are One 7" on blue vinyl
6. Rev 25 Chicago clear vinyl 7" set for regular price
7. Cursed III record release lp
8. Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn? 7" original first press

Numbers 9 and 10 were just as awesome for me but I never got around to posting them.

9. Black Sabbath - Paranoid on Vertigo Records with swirl labels and laminated cover. I was disappointed with the price tag damage on my first copy, so I knew I would be upgrading at some point. It took a couple weeks.

Dead fucking mint. I couldn't be happier. The laminated cover is so amazing. Sharp corners. Perfect vinyl. It doesn't get much better.

10. Carcass - Reek of Putrefaction; Symphonies of Sickness; Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious

My search for original first press metal albums moved into death metal late in the year and I was fortunate to find these legit Earache first pressings from a single ebay seller. All are on black vinyl (as death metal should be) and in great shape. I had these as cds the first time around, so I was overdue for the real deal.
Next up on my hit list, I need to find an original Heartwork for under $125 and then on to Morbid Angel!

Best shows

Judge - Black and Blue Bowl in New York City. Even though they have played a dozen times since, this was the first and by all accounts the best. Mind blowingly awesome and in the best venue possible.

Ghost - The Republik, Calgary. Nothing like seeing a big league band in a small venue. Papa Emeritus was so on.

Skeletonwitch - The Den@University of Calgary

Noctis 666 Festival - MacEwan Hall Ballroom@University of Calgary. Carcass, Possessed, Sacrifice and Candlemass. One stage on one night in nowhere town Canada. My 17 year old self was stoked.

I considered doing a bottom 10 list as well as I was pretty bummed with a lot of the records I picked up this year, but that wouldn't be fair. In the end, it might have more to do with my frame of mind than the quality of the records or bands. If anyone wants to leave comments or email me, we can discuss it and maybe someone can sway me on revisiting 2013 hardcore.