Misery Index choosing quality over quantity

Misery Index, Baltimore's death/grindcore heroes, have been bludgeoning eardrums with their own homegrown brutality since 2001. And while I don't imagine they will be slowing down any time soon, they also have earned the right to pick and choose when, where and with whom they to play.

Next month, Misery Index heads out on tour with Cannibal Corpse (for the second time this year) and Hour of Penance (a band some have called the Italian Behemoth). On December 1, this tour comes to Washington, DC's Rock and Roll Hotel.

From Aug. 19, 2012 Ottobar show.

Misery Index has had an exciting 2012 with successful tours abroad in places like Brazil and across Europe and even Tel Aviv! They also had to construct a DIY tour when this summer's inaugural Shockwave Festival tour, which was supposed to go across North America, fell apart in a matter of days. I was able to catch up with bassist Jason Netherton and guitarist Mark  Kloeppel via email.

Here's a quick Q & A.

This was an eventful and confusing summer for you guys? What happened with the Shockwave Festival? And how did the mini tour go?

The Shockwave experience was certainly interesting to say the least. Nothing like that has ever happened to us before, but it does happen. Gojira had to pull some dates together after Randy Blythe went to jail in Czech, for example. Luckily, we know those Fear Factory guys. So, we got a call from them saying it was canned before we travelled too far out. Our guitar player, Mark Kloeppel, on the other hand, was filling in on bass on the Canadian dates for Cattle Decapitation. Their bass player couldn't do those dates for whatever reason, and Mark had been flown out to the west coast to jam with them. They ended up flying him back home. As of right now, we have a mountain of merch we have to sell online and on tour. It was a bad situation, but it could have been a whole lot worse. Special thanks goes out to our fans that made our last East Coast run a blast. Without you, we can't do what we do. Keep grinding!

You mentioned a live album in your email. What date range of live shows will that include?

The live album is from one show in Munich from the European tour we did in February with Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth. A friend of ours, who happens to be an engineer, recorded the set from the board and with room mics. We thought it came out great. and so did the label. So, we are releasing it. We really love that something so spontaneous came out that well. Hearing it really made us feel good about our playing ability in adverse conditions. Because, let me tell you, monitors were completely non-existent on that tour. The hired crew for that tour were great, but just weren't experienced enough with gear they were given to use.

Will that album be released on your own label or through Season of Mist?

Yes, Season of Mist will be releasing the live album and our next full-length.

What other plans do you have for the rest of the year? How about 2013?

Misery Index will be direct support for Cannibal Corpse this November with Hour of Penance on the bill. This includes a "boat-show" up in NYC, and a stop at Rock and Roll Hotel down in DC. Later next summer, we may be included in some festivals that are yet to be announced. In the meantime, we are preparing to record the next record.

Your drummer Adam Jarvis plays in a gazillion other bands. I have seen him in Pig Destroyer, Strong Intention, Asthma Castle and now read that he is also in a band called Fulgora. How do you manage that? 

Misery Index has reserved itself to only do worthwhile events. Let me explain that further so people don't get feelings hurt. We've been heavily pounding the pavement since the inception of the band. We used to play 180 shows a year, which is taxing on your body and your home-life. We simply don't want to do that anymore. We love what we do and the music, and we just don't want to get burnt out. We want Misery Index to last.

Misery Index being more selective about its events freed up a lot of time to pursue other interests. Adam loves drumming, and people love Adam's drumming. He is an amazing drummer, and he only takes on projects he is genuinely interested in. To answer the question, I'd say we all just prioritize and communicate about our engagements.

What other projects are the other members of Misery Index involved in?

Asthma Castle, Strong Intention, Quills, Cast the Stone, Clenched Fist (tribute to Sepultura), Pig Destroyer, various guest vocal spots, etc. One of us is writing a book, but details about that cannot be released at this time.

I love the limited edition Baltimore T-shirt design on your merch page.  (I ordered one!) How important has Baltimore been to your existence and/or success?

Baltimore is our home-base. It's rough-around-the-edges character has an impact on all the music that comes out of that area. There's a genre-wide singularity about it you can't put you're finger on. You don't really notice regional auditory cross-pollination in your and your peers' music until you begin to travel a lot. Bands like us, Dying Fetus, Next Step Up, Bet the Devil, Visceral Disgorge, etc. have a distinct Baltimore style of sound. It's slightly different from bands of the the same ilk from different places.

Aside from that, the scene there has really supported us through the years; all the people with Maryland Deathfest, Ottobar, Sidebar, Orion (Sound Studios), Wrightway Studios, etc. have had a major impact on the way the band has evolved, and has been allowed to evolve. It's a big city with a small town vibe, and they seem to like us there. We certainly like them.

Anything else you want people to know about Misery Index?

Jason Netherton started Misery Index in 2001 with Kevin Talley and Mike Harrison. In 2005, Mark Kloeppel got Misery Index a full endorsement by ESP Guitars before actually knowing if he was in the band. Darin Morris is also a skilled sound-engineer and has played a part in some major label releases.
And according to Blake Harrison of Pig Destroyer, Adam Jarvis is afraid of ghosts!

****Well, know we all know how to scare Adam on Halloween.
_________

Here's a track from the last Misery Index full-length recording:

This track is a little slower but one of my personal favorites:

Grindcore 101 with Pig Destroyer's Blake Harrison

When it comes to music, my opinion is based on a binary system: either I like it or I don't. Pig Destroyer is a band labeled as grindcore that I had heard many people mention, but I had never checked them out. I didn't know if I liked them or not.

As far as grindcore goes, Misery Index, Napalm Death, Godflesh, Bolt Thrower, and As I Lay Dying are all bands labeled by someone as grindcore, and all bands that I have been caught listening to between long stretches of death and black metal.  And I love Dillinger Escape Plan, but I am not sure they are grindcore. They are core-something though.

In my world (that is, this made up world of blogging about music), genres and subgenres matter. I appreciate the not-so-subtle differences between melodic death metal, technical death metal and blackened death. But grindcore? I wasn't sure. So I asked the experts. 

Blake Harrison provides "noise" (read: sound samples) and some vocals for Pig Destroyer. He's been providing the band with appropriately disturbing sound bites since 2006. Blake schooled me on the dark ways of grindcore , discussed their new recording, Book Burner, set to drop on Oct. 22 and talked about the short story included in the liner notes called, The Atheist, written by vocalist J.R. Hayes.

I was fortunate enough to preview Book Burner in its entirety. Even though grindcore is not my go-to subgenre of metal, there are several of the 19 songs included in the standard edition that I really liked and had to play repeatedly to appreciate the full impact of. I mention a few of my favorites below.

If you buy the deluxe edition of the recording, you also get seven more tracks: all covers of songs by seminal punk bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat and Negative Approach. I love punk, so I am curious to hear those.

Here's my email Q&A with Blake Harrison. Enjoy!

I have listened to Book Burner and several of the songs are real stand outs for me ("The Diplomat," "Iron Drunk," "The Bug," and "Baltimore Strangler," for example). But grindcore is a subgenre of music that I probably know the least about. How do you describe grindcore and what about it do you think people (some people) find so appealing? Why does it appeal to you?
B- Grindcore is subversive, it's the extreme of the extreme, it borrows from both extreme metal and hardcore punk. It appeals to us because it's something we grew up on, we love grind and play it because we love it.

Grindcore seems pretty challenging both thematically and structurally to write. Any writer will tell you that it is HARDER to get your point across in a short story or article. How do the typical earmarks of this subgenre (short songs, haiku like lyrics) affect how you compose the songs? How difficult is it to write lyrics for this type of music? What is written first: the music or the words?

B- The music, it's not done intentionally, I mean when we dig into a riff and feel that when it's time to be done, it's time to be done. The songs aren't short because of any reason per se, it's just we feel we've said what we've said.

What is the message that you want people to take away from your lyrics?

B-Desolation, loneliness, isolation, despair, you know upbeat, fun themes like that.

Why was J.R.’s The Atheist included with this release?
B- JR approached us with the story as a companion piece for the record. We read it and thought it was amazing. It's not a part of a greater whole for example there's not really a "theme" to the record.

When I began reading The Atheist, I first thought that it was going to be a personal essay. I quickly realized it was a work of fiction, a fantasy. But what can you tell me about how much J.R. (or any of you) identify personally with the protagonist? I know that I did. I have felt and thought these things about religion many times.
B- I can't speak for everyone in the band, but sometimes yes. Religion is a personal thing and can get to the core of many people and one of the things about this, is it strikes that chord in me. I'm sure there's SOME part of JR that identifies with it, I mean, he wrote it, but I can't speak personally for him. Personally, I think that religion is responsible for most of society's ills.

Will The Atheist story continue?
B- Hahaha, who knows, we just finished the record so we don't really have too much in the way of what we're going to do in the future. I can say that if JR feels he wants to continue the story, he will.

What does Adam Jarvis (also drummer in Misery Index) bring to Pig Destroyer’s performances and to this recording? He is among the fastest drummers I have ever witnessed!
B- Adam is an amazing talent and a great guy. He really stepped up to the plate and brought his "A game" on this release. I think he brings a great energy to the band and makes us faster and more fierce.

All of you seem to be involved in multiple projects. How do you manage that, and how does it impact Pig Destroyer?
B- It can be a juggling act at times, but we don't do the band full time, I mean we all have jobs, relationships, families etc. It takes some careful timing and a lot of communication to get all of this together and make sure that we have the time to do what we do.

Why has it taken nearly four years to put out this new recording since Phantom Limb and Natasha?
B- We had a lot going on, it may seem like we weren't up to much, but we built a studio and practice space, we took some time to play some shows and support Phantom Limb, we had to work in a new drummer. I know to a lot of people it seems like we were being lazy, but we were working.

You’ve got a slot for Maryland Deathfest! While you are there, what other bands playing are you hoping to see? What do you think of the additional punk/hardcore stage scheduled for Baltimore Soundstage?
B- There's a lot, Infest, Asthma Castle, Integrity, Loss, Necropsy, Repulsion, TOOH, Down, Ilsa, Iron Lung, Magrudergrind, Rotten Sound, Weekend Nachos. I think the addition of the other stage is great. I just hope I can get to see everyone that I want too.

I am looking forward to the Oct. 19 show at The Ottobar. What specific items will you have for sale there?

B- Hopefully our new record hahaha, new shirts, some hoodies, new cds, hats you know, normal stuff.

After the Ottobar you are headed to the UK. What is the grindcore scene like there and in Europe in general? How do people react at your shows?

B- The grind scene in Europe is hit or miss, much like the states, but we've gotten great reception in the UK. Most people only come out if they are fans. It's really great, and the outpouring of support has been amazing.

What else do you want people to know or understand about your new recording or anything else at all?
B- We just hope that people like it and understand it, I mean ultimately, we do this for us, but it's nice when people get it. I'd also like to say thanks to the fans for bearing with us, it's been a long road, but we're here and back again, and the fact that people still want us to be is incredible.

___________

Pig Destroyer's Facebook page.

Buy tickets to Pig Destroyer's Oct. 19 CD release show with Ilsa here.

Check out the title track from Pig Destroyer's new album, Book Burner below:

New Pig Destroyer song released!

Have you ever had one of those days where everything is excrement? Pig Destroyer quite possibly wrote the soundtrack to that day. Their new album, Book Burner, will be available in the US on Oct. 22, but Relapse Records knows you PxDx fans can barely wait to sink you teeth into this meaty grindcore masterpiece.

The deluxe edition of this release will include 2-CDs, a 19-song compendium of misanthropy. And if that were not enough to set your teeth on edge, the package will also include bonus disc collection of punk covers called The Atheist.

Pig Destroyer have several shows coming up in support of Book Burner, including an appearance at the 2013 Maryland Deathfest. Those days include:

Sept. 28:      Calgary, Canada Noctis Fest
Oct. 18:       Brooklyn, NY MetalSucks/Metal Injection CMJ showcase @ Public Assembly
Oct. 19:      Baltimore, MD Ottobar (w/ Royal Thunder)  (CD Release Show)
Nov. 1:       Brighton, UK The Haunt
Nov. 2:       London, UK The Garage
Nov. 3:       Leeds, UK Damnnation Festival
Jan. 19:      Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer w/ Municipal Waste, Repulsion, Tombs
May 23 - 26:    Baltimore, MD Maryland Deathfest XI

You can pre-order Pig Destroyer's new recording here. But until then, they have thrown you a bone. Gnaw on this lyrical video below.

Countdown to MDF X: (16) Nausea

Grind core band Nausea from Los Angeles will play the main room of Sonar at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest on Sunday evening, May 27.  Although Nausea self-describes as grind core, to me they sound more like a hardcore punk band. Their vibe is definitely an old school, fun, circle-pit inducing kind of thing. Earlier recordings exhibit more of a death metal influenced.

Nausea is comprised of founding members Oscar Garcia on guitars and vocals and Eric Castro on drums, and two new members, Leon del Muerte on guitar (Exhumed/Murder Construct) and Alejandro Corredor on bass (Dia de los Muertos). Nausea were kind enough to reply to a few questions that I sent them. Here's what they had to say. 

What will be on the set list?

The setlist includes music from pretty much every release, from "World Downfall" to "Images of Abuse" tracks. We have new songs, but we'll wait to play them until they are ready and released.

What other shows to you have scheduled either before or after MDF?

Right after MDF,  on Wednesday, May 30, we have a show in LA's Black Castle with the mighty Nasum, Landmine Marathon and Early Graves. On  October 27, we go to Mexico City to do a show with our friends in Anarchus. Hopefully next year we can play some summer shows in Europe and a couple East Coast dates.

Will you have any special items for sale at the deathfest?

We have some new cool shirt designs for MDF.

Do you have a special message for your fans?

Thanks for sticking around all this time, GRIND ON!

__________

Check out these Nausea songs! I particularly like the one from the older demo.

Countdown to MDF X: (18) Agents of Abhorrence

Agents of Abhorrence is a three-piece grindcore act from Melbourne, Australia. They play Sunday afternoon, May 27 at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest.

Members include Ben Andrews (guitars), Max Kohane (drums), and Grant Johns (vocals). This group plays really fast, short songs. Just as you are getting into them, they are over!

It should be fun to see how many songs they can cram into their 30 minute set. Because I could not find a ton of information about this band, this preview is as short as one of their songs. If they respond to my request for more information, then I will update this posting.

Here are a couple of longer songs to give you a taste of what they are like. I am sure they are lovely fellows, but this pushes my limits of grind core. That's probably part of their appeal.

Countdown to MDF X: (19) Backslider

Need a small band to play you some big, fast music in under a minute? Philadelphia's grindcore, fastcore, something-core act Backslider should fit the bill quite nicely. This two-piece, comprised of Logan on guitar and vocals and Patrick on drums, will kick off the final day of the 2012 Maryland Deathfest, Sunday, May 27.

Backslider put a smile on my face because they reminded me of all those un-named punk bands I watched tear up smokey clubs and basements in the late 80s. All the spit and vinegar is there, except these guys are, at times, just a bit doomier and sludgier.  Don't plant them too deep, water them just a little, and they might grow into something like Dragged Into Sunlight.

Check out their Bandcamp here. Don't worry, it will take less than two minutes.

I am not sure, but this video seems to be sped up a little. Either way, it's totally worth watching as the moshers and the drum set nearly collide on several occasions.

Countdown to MDF X: (32) Hellbastard

The moment I first listened to Hellbastard, my heart began to race, and I had that eerie feeling as though I was hearing the voice of a departed loved one. That "departed loved one" was evidently my youth, misspent listening to crap. I felt sick and ashamed that I had never known of this UK band until now.

Founded in the mid 80s, Hellbastard set out from the beginning to merge the lyrical, integrity of 70s era punk with the balls-to-the-wall aggression of non-industry-approved heavy metal. Their earliest demo, Ripper Crust, possesses that deliciously fuzzy heavy metal guitar distortion, the frenetic drumming, some occasional feedback, and that forgivably low-fidelity audio production. The vocals, unlike black metal or "traditional" punk, are much more clear and shouted in your face. They are pissed off, and they want you to know why.

Later albums, such as the unbelievably Slayer-esque EP They Brought Death, reveal the fact that someone has thrown more cash into production, but the punk and metal spirits never wane. Hellbastard stay true to their prime directive: to rock you into submission. One source even described their sound as Crass's political lyrics plus Slayer's music, and I would say that's spot on. Unlike a typical punk tune, which might be over and done with in about a minute, Hellbastard take their time with each song, enjoying the riff, building the rage, and letting the listeners experience full-on, head banging catharsis.

The current members of Hellbastard include founder Malcolm "Scruff" Lewty (Vocals/Guitars) with Tom McCombe (Guitars), Paul O'Shea (Bass), and Josh "Buda" Harris (Drums). The group's history is bi-modal with one active era from about 1985 to about 1992 and then another from 2008 until now. Interest in Hellbastard was sustained in the interim by their inclusion on numerous complications representing the crust and grindcore genres.

Hellbastard has produced a 12" vinyl split with American crust band Dresden and are slated to have a new EP, Sons of Bitches, out sometime by the end of 2012 or early 2013.  The song, "Arcadia," below, appears on both. Hellbastard plays the 2012 Maryland Deathfest on Saturday afternoon, May 26. I'll be up front, weeping and apologizing.

Countdown to MDF X: (34) Haemorrhage

Any fears you may have ever had about going to the doctor or being admitted to the hospital should be reinforced once you hear (or see) Haemorrhage, a 5-piece goregrind act from Spain. With song titles like "Splatter Nurse," "Open Heart Butchery" and "Doctors of Malpractice," you would think that every single band member had suffered some kind of trauma at the hands of a physician.

Founded in 1990 under the name Devourment, the group changed their name to Haemorrhage in 1992. Members include Luisma - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals,  Ramón Checa - Bass, Fernando Errazquin "Lugubrious" - Vocals, Ana Belen de López - Rhythm Guitar and Daniel Rojas López - Drums. Luisma illustrates the comic art album covers.

Live performances are filled with blood and guts and the occasional severed limb. Band members dress in hospital garb and most of them are also drenched, or at least splattered, with blood. Musically, they play fast, punkish death metal featuring guttural vocals and catchy (or should I say "infectious") verses and choruses administered with a good dose of humor.

Honestly, someone should put this band in a of low-budget splatter film. I would watch that. I think a lot of people would.

Haemorrhage plays Saturday afternoon, May 26, at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest. It should be a scream-dream come true.

Countdown to MDF X: (39) Bloody Phoenix

UPDATE: Forgot to mention that this band Bloody Phoenix is also looking for a practice space on May 24-25 before their appearance at the Maryland Deathfest. If you can help, contact Jerry Flores at bloodyphoenix@sbcglobal.net and put BLOODY PHOENIX in the subject line.

Remember punk rock? Bloody Phoenix does. This grindcore, punk, ensemble hails from Los Angeles, California. They have been churning out screaming chunks of punk-flavored goodness since the fall of 2001. Their songs are long enough to get the mosh pit going but short enough to make sure no one gets killed.

Bloody Phoenix might be the band The Ramones would have become, had they taken the left hand path. There is no denying the punk rock roots in a song such as "Marching Into A Bottomless Well," but the eerie vibe and death growl vocals reveal the true motivations here. Some reviewers describe this band as thrash core. That's an interesting term. They just seem like balls-out punk rock to me. In researching this article, I really liked the 20-track album Death to Everyone from 2010.

Members include Jerry Flores (guitars), Michael Karubin (drums), Vito Tagliente (bass), and Molly Scarpine (vocals). Saira Huff from Question/RØSENKØPF/x-Detestation will be contributing guest vocals.

In an email, Flores said much of their setlist will come from Death to Everyone.

"Songs will vary... Mostly from our Death To Everyone LP as well as our split 7" with Question and some new songs made for a 4-way split LP that will be coming out later this year. Possibly a couple of older songs sprinkled here and there," Flores wrote.

As for the merch available from the band during the festival, Flores said to expect the usual. "Shirts, CDs, some vinyl, and possibly some pint glasses," he said. Wait a minute... PINT GLASSES? WANT!!
So prepare for a raucous start to a long, long list of bands crushing through Saturday at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest. Get there by noon, as Bloody Phoenix takes the stage first. 

Countdown to MDF X: (41) Napalm Death

Since none of the founding members of Napalm Death remain in the band, you could view this seminal grindcore band in several ways. For example, you could perceive them as an ideology, with each member who came afterward as perpetuating and developing that philosophy. Or you could see them like a brand, changing and evolving to reflect the times, but maintaining an identity that somehow continues to resonate with their audience.

While bands are frequently linked to strong personalities and identities, such is not the case with Napalm Death. And perhaps for this bastard child of post-punk anarchy, that is fitting.  The band first came into existence in 1981 in Birmingham, England (the so-called birthplace of heavy metal). Today Napalm Death members include Shane Embury (bass since 1987), Mark "Barney" Greenway (vocals since 1990), Mitch Harris (guitarist since 1989), Danny Herrera (drums since 1991).

What should you listen to get ready for their performance on Friday night, May 25 at the Maryland Deathfest? Certainly something from their new release, Utilitarian. Then of course, something very old too, like from the group's very first recording, Scum. What about something slow and doomy from The Code is Red....Long Live the Code. Here songs from those three albums. Enjoy.

Countdown to MDF X: (42) Nasum

When someone dies suddenly, it often leaves those left behind with a sense that things were left unfinished. This is how Sweden's Nasum on their website described their state of mind for the last seven years since the tragic death of their frontman Mieszko Talarczyk in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand.

This year, however, the remaining members of the grindcore group have decided to reform one last time with Keijo Niinimaa  from Rotten Sound on vocals and complete the work their late friend had started. So the band's performance Friday, May 25 at the Maryland Deathfest will be bittersweet. The MDF X appearance falls right in the middle of  about 27 confirmed dates of their Farewell Tour throughout Europe and North America. Their final show will be at Wacken in August.

Nasum formed in 1992.  The song in the video here, "Wrath," was taken from the 2004 album Shift and is reportedly the band's only music video.



Here's the line-up for Nasum 2012: Anders Jakobson - drums, Jesper Liveröd - bass and low vocals , Jon Lindqvist - guitars and low vocals, Urban Skytt - guitars, and Keijo Niinimaa - vocals.

 

Photo by Terése Andersson

Countdown to MDF X: (50) Today is the Day

I have never been so excited to see a band live I have never listened to until today. But then again today is the day that you will like Today is the Day, also.

Originally from Nashville, members of Today is the Day include founding member Steve Austin, lead vocals, guitars (since 1992); Ryan Jones, bass (since 2010) and Curran Reynolds, drums, percussion (since 2010). Note: As of March 19, Ryan Jones is now also the bassist for Mutilation Rites, so I don't know what that means for MDF. The band has also featured Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher, now members of Mastodon, and Derek Roddy, who has played with such notable  bands as Nile, Malevolent Creation and Hate Eternal. Their appearance at the Maryland Deathfest on Friday afternoon represents 20 years since the band came into existence.

I quickly discovered that there is no easy way to categorize this band's sound. One song can be thrashy and punkish, the next can be experimental and noisy, the next  melodic and melancholy. There is no doubt they will put on an intense, mosh pit inducing set, I just could not speculate as to what tunes they might play. A friend pointed out that Today is the Day reminded him of a grindcore version of The Melvins and he's sort of right. Both groups have shared the same record label, Amphetamine Reptile. But I would not say Today is the Day is simply grindcore. It there was a metal subgenre called experimental-awesome-core then maybe that is what they are.

Today is the Day seems to play by the rule that there are no rules. They play what they want, or what Steve Austin dreams up, and that works out just fine. If you have never heard them before, go in with an open mind and don't think death metal, or progressive, or grind or whatever. Just think that today is the day you hear a band you will never forget.

I've included three songs here, just so you can appreciate the range and diversity that is Today is the Day.

Countdown to MDF X: (51) Nashgul

Spain's Nashgul is one of those kinds of grindcore bands that draws you in with the first few chords, and then just as you think you might be getting into the song -- about 40 seconds or so later -- the song is over. Naghul generally offers fast melodic riffs, pounding rhythms and deep growling vocals in neat, tidy little packages. The longest mp3 loaded onto their Facebook music page is 2:27, and most are close to a 60 seconds or shorter.

If your Spanish is any good, you might be able to figure out what they are singing about. Apparently their lyrical themes are social and political. There are plenty of horror movie sound clips or political (sounding) speeches thrown in as well on their studio recordings and splits. The also have recorded tributes to Nasum (who are performing later Friday night) and to Repulsion.

Founded in the city of A Coruña in 2001, members include Santi on vocals, Hector on guitar, Luis on bass and Ivan on drums. Just before  Nashgul's show on Friday, May 25 at the Maryland Deathfest, Nashgul will stop by the Saint Vitus Bar on May 23 to do a show with Ghoul, Occultist and Pizzahifive. Afterward, will travel back up to New York to do a show on May 31, also at Saint Vitus, with Marrow, Skelptarsis and Cold Inside.

Since Nashgul's songs tend to be short, here is a video clip from their 10th anniversary show in 2011 with about 20 minutes worth of music. This glimpse into the world of Spanish metal just goes to show you that metal heads are the same every where you go! \m/

Countdown to MDF X: (58) Needful Things

Grindcore band Needful Things from the Czech Republic continues the extreme start to the Maryland Deathfest X, set to play third on Thursday, May 24. According to the band's profile on ReverbNation, they have been grinding out tracks since 1995. This seems like an awfully long time, making them possibly one of the earliest grindcore bands I could think of. They are listed as the No. 2 most popular "alternative" band in the Czech Republic.

Needful's music is distributed through Obscene Productions. On their MySpace they make the following humble statement: "We play only for gas money, food, drink, sleep places..Trades are welcome."

Their latest album can be streamed live here.

The current line-up includes Otto – bass, Roman – guitar, David – guitar, Dan – drums, and Tomas – bass/vocals. Following MDF X, Needful Things apparently has a show booked on May 29 with Agents of Abhorrence, Dissent, and Chainsaw To The Face at Brooklyn's Acheron, New York City.

Countdown to MDF X: (59) Die Pigeon Die

Die Pigeon Die will be travelling all the way from Melbourne, Victoria in Australia to play on Thursday at MDF X.  This extremely brutal band focuses on themes of gore, violence and perversion --but with some humor thrown in. Song titles include enticing gems such as "Massive Warts in Pregnancy," Ripped from V to A," and "Spastic Colon." Some music can be found on YouTube. More recent stuff is on SoundCloud.

The only band members listed on their Facebook page are Leo Pigeon (bass and vocals) and Jack Pigeon (drums, guitars and "bong" vocals), however other members are shown performing in videos.  Drums by Christoph is listed on SoundCloud.

There is a sample of a song entitled "Tricked by a  Tranny" on Soundcloud, reportedly from a upcoming full-lengh CD. Many of the songs include samples from horror movies.

If you are into gore and bong water, Die Pigeon Die might be for you.