Top 10s for 2011: It's a Trap! Contributors

Next Life
Artificial divinity
Fysisk Format

Meshuggah djentiness + Genghis Tron Commodore-64iness – vox = Next Life.
The above equation is all you need in order to understand what "Artificial divinity" sounds like. For the purposes of review, however, I suppose I should give you an idea of its listenability. Well, it's alright; there's a bit of piddling about with sounds on a couple of tracks here, the results of which touch on a dark ambient sentiment more than any hint of conventional metal. Not that conventional really applies anywhere on "Artificial divinity", mind. Those tracks works very well as they stand on the album. The big let down on something that would be an otherwise killer album, though, is that the other tracks -- the metal stuff -- could really do with vocals of some sort. This style of metal just doesn't lend itself that well to instrumentalism, despite what the Norwegian trio might think. It has to be said, though, that even though Steve Wiebe doesn't really look like he's into metal, if he is, he's probably into this sort of stuff. Twelve songs in just over 20 minutes. Mental bunch of bastards!
- John Norby

Top 10s for 2011: Lars (Okkultokrati/Problems/White Juice/Ormeyngel)

Årabrot/Okkultokrati split on the way

Årabrot and Okkultokrati, two of Norway's heaviest and darkest acts, will be teaming up for a split 12" to be released on July 1 via Fysisk Format. Full details here: http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/2011/05/okkultokratiarabrot-split-12.html
If you happen to be near Oslo, there will be a record release show at Blå on June 25 which also happens to be the releasefest for Next Life's new LP as well.

Next Life - Re-animated

New music from Next Life off the Norwegian math/spazz band's forthcoming album "Artificial divinity", due out June 24 via Fysisk Format. Direct link: http://soundcloud.com/tigerfysisiskformat/next-life-re-animated

Sirius playlist week #39

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Simian Ghost - Beat on the brat
02. TALK 1
03. End of All - Folkhemmet
04. In These Woods - Bear
05. The Bells - Outside
06. Britta Persson - Some girls some boys
07. TALK 2
08. Kråkesølv - Nordavind mot varme kinn
09. Tomas Halberstad - The pendulum swings again
10. WhoMadeWho - Left hand of the boxser
11. TALK 3
12. Säkert! - Köttet är svagt
13. Next Life - Battle tactics
14. Kaka - Candyman
15. The Fine Arts Showcase - Spanish kerosene
16. TALK 4
17. Kimono - Black
18. Axe - Up against common sense
19. NNDC - Mouthful of diamonds
20. Slöa Knivar - Anticimex
21. Enforcer - Take me to hell
22. TALK 5
23. Ikons - Imperiet

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

New Next Life EP in July

Manic videogame metal act Next Life will be releasing a new CDEP called "Resurrection" on July 5 via Fysisk Format. If it's anything like their recent split with Haust, I'm sure it'll be killer.

Sirius playlist week #11

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Laakso - Worst case scenario
02. TALK 1
03. Du Pacque - Walk straight
04. Pascal - Tutti frutti
05. Nirvana 2002 - The awakening of...
06. Lapko - I shot the sheriff
07. TALK 2
08. The Floor is Made of Lava - The bigger picture
09. No Balls - Guilt blocker
10. Obliteration - Styxerian path (into darkness)
11. Next Life - Anti matter
12. TALK 3
13. Ikons - Imperiet
14. The Skull Defekts - Habit
15. Familjen - När planeterna stannat
16. TALK 4
17. Meleeh - Sun and moon
18. Kite - I give you the morning
19. Ef - 401 Lwa
20. TALK 5

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Sirius playlist week #6

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. TALK 1
02. Monument - Feel failure
03. Regulations - To be me
04. Du - Bring down a house
05. Tyrant - Go ahead raise the dead
06. TALK 2
07. Tobias Fröberg - When we go to war
08. Next Life - Anti matter
09. Lo-Fi-Fnk - Marchin' in
10. Boy Omega - Just a boy
11. TALK 3
12. The Bear Quartet - I was a weapon
13. I'm from Barcelona/David Ljung - Silence
14. Thee Gutted String - I've been to town
15. TALK 4
16. Paper - Before that day
17. The Goner - Bright and colossal (risen mind)
18. At the Gates - Suicide nation
19. TALK 5
20. Madrugada - Look away Lucifer

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Next Life to support Owen Pallett

Next Life will be supporting Owen Pallett for a few European dates:

03/23 - Botanique, Brussels (BEL)
03/25 - Millennium Music Hall, Cardiff (UK)
03/26 - Koko, London (UK)
03/27 - The Deaf Institute, Manchester (UK)

MP3: Next Life - Anti matter

I promised you something on Next Life in my recent mp3 post on labelmates Haust and I aim to deliver. Haust's side of the two bands' new split 12" on Fysisk Format is pretty ruling, but Next Life ain't no slouches either. If pressured, I might even concede their side to be the better of the two, but let's not go there, alright? Let us stick to the facts: this release celebrates the mental/metal act's 10th year and marks the very first time they are joined by a human drummer on record, the very-capable Anders Hangård (ex-NoPlaceToHide). A few of the tracks are re-recordings of old material, a few are not, all are ridiculously concise math-metal ragers clocking in at two minutes or less. A full album of the group's full-throttle, video-game inspired music can be a bit much to take, but one side of a split EP is just about perfect as small doses inspire more repeat listens. And for a very small dose, here's opening cut "Anti matter". It's amazing how much action they pack into such a short amount of time.

Next Life - Anti matter

Next Life - Anti matter (video)

Short, but sweet: here's a clip from Next Life for a track off their new split 12" with Haust: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH8dXanCmbY

Sirius playlist week #3

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Monty - En till himmel
02. TALK 1
03. Gösta Berlings Saga - Kontrast
04. Yamon Yamon - The darker place
05. Next Life - Paladin warrior
06. Haust - Skate rock
07. TALK 2
08. Okkultokrati - On mouth of hells
09. Blood Command - Party all the way to the hospital
10. Karin Ström - Hon som älskade dig
11. Kommun - The open relationship
12. TALK 3
13. Mattias Alkberg - Nya nya testamentet
14. Boy Omega - Follow the herd
15. No Hope for the Kids - Century of warfare
16. Labbet feat. Russell Morgan - Heart and soul of a lion
17. TALK 4
18. Champagne Riot - The champagne anthem
19. Movits! & Zacke - Först tar vi Manhattan
20. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Soon
21. TALK 5
22. No Balls - Suffering contest

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

MP3: Haust - Skate rock

Fysisk Format is Norway's best label and while I highly anticipate every release, getting something new from Haust is extra special because they are the label's best band. They have few peers when it comes to heavy, ugly, blackened hardcore. The band's next release before their sophomore album drops in May is a split 12" with fellow Oslo denizens Next Life, yet another one of Norway's best (more on them at a later date), and it offers us 4 new ragers including the one I'm giving to you today, "Skate rock". Once upon a time, skateboarding and punk/hardcore went hand in hand; I was never any good at it, but I definitely got lots of music tips via Thrasher and/or my skater friends. In fact, that's how I got into underground music in the first place. Nowadays it seems like skating is more hip-hop oriented, but perhaps it was a lack of anthems that drove them away -- hard to believe it's been 23 years since Suicidal Tendencies released "Possessed to skate". We need a new song and Haust provides. Drop out of life with board in hand?

Haust - Skate rock

Haust - Hearse

There is a brand new Haust track streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/haust
Said track ("Hearse") is from the band's upcoming split 12" with Next Life, due out January 25 via Fysisk Format.