Carcass - "The Master Butcher's Apron"

Death metal heavyweights Carcass have a new album dropping on September 13th titled Surgical Steel, and it will be the group's first full-length in over 15 years! Though the band's harsh vocals and intense drumming play right into the death metal tradition, they bring a ton of melody into the picture with screaming guitar solos and riffs. To be honest, while the band isn't sporting a particularly classic sound on this track, it does sound like they're trying to get back to the vibe of their 1993 album Heartowrk. For the most part, I'd say they're succeeding.

Look for Surgical Steel on Nuclear Blast Records.

Grails- "I Led Three Lives" ‡ MP3

Grails has announce they're dropping a new album on March 8th titled Deep Politics. Dig on a track from it below:

MP3: Grails- I Led Three Lives -

Mogwai- "Rano Pano" ‡ MP3

Coming off the heels of their fantastic new live album, Mogwai is readying a new studio LP for release in February of next year. The title: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. I'm getting chills already.

Download the first single from the LP via the widget below. The song is getting a 7'' release via Sub Pop on January 18th.

-

Chill w/the Good Ones ‡ MP3

A lot of today's music is lodged so far into escapism, it's hard to tell what's real. Songs don't need to be about walruses or vikings to distract from what's really going on. Lyrics about sour relationships or even a flashy production job can be the same as watching the world through rose-colored glasses.

In real life, you're missing a few strings. In real life, a couple of frets on your guitar are dead. In real life, dogs are bark while you're recording a song.

For me, that's the Good Ones: A trio of Rwandan musicians releasing an album via Dead Oceans on November 9th. The group was stumbled upon by producer Ian Brennan in a search for musicians throughout the country. The whole album--titled Kigali Y' Izahabu--is a back-porch recording, and takes an honest and unfettered listen to what the Good Ones have to offer.

The result is twelve songs that achieve beauty in their tired and weary souls. Sure, there's a language barrier to face when listening to this, but the emotions here are universal. Listen to two tracks from this LP below and let me know what you think.

MP3s: The Good Ones- Amagorwa y' Abagabo The Good Ones- Sara -

Teen Daze- "Shine On, You Crazy Whitecap" ‡ VIDEO

Video for the track "Shine On, You Crazy White Cap," which is from Teen Daze's For More Years. The EP is out now on Arcade Sound.

Every time I see a covered wagon, I think of Oregon Trail. -

TND VS. TSURURADIO MIXTAPE | MP3

So now that the site is back up, I figure I might as well re-post what had been lost on the day the music died: my submission for a mixtape battle I had with Aaron of TSURURADIO. Y'all might have heard what a psychopath that guy can be, and I wouldn't be surprised if he blew my website up in order to in the competition. We might need to do a followup, and make sure things are fair and [ ]. Maybe get a ref in on the action, I dunno. Things did get pretty heated when I invited Aaron on my radio show.

Anyway, this is Aaron's submission if you'd like to review it, but once again, here is mine:

Side 1

The Babies- Meet Me In the City Minor Threat- 12XU Wire- Practice Makes Perfect (70s Peel Session Ver) Weave!- Mouthpiece Hysteria Jay Reatard- Hammer, I Miss You Crystal Stilts- Love Is A Wave Sorry Excuse- This Magic Moment Vivian Girls- No Mount Eerie- Domesticated Dog

Side 2

King Khan and the Shrines- In Your Grave The Dynatones- Fender Rock Gentleman Jesse and His Men- If I Can See You (You're Too Close To Me) Awesome Color- Flying (Single Ver) Screaming Females- Buried In the Nude This Robot Kills- Heavy Mayonnaise Torche- Tarpit Carnivore Sunset- I'm Not A Perfect Person (Looks Like I Fucked Up Again)

Is posting this the equivalent to throwing a punch at an opponent who has left the ring, or is this more like punching a bro when his back is turned? Do you think that's how Aaron will feel? Will re-posting this mix bring up bad blood between the two of us again? Am I endangering our current "good term" status?