Albums that are banned for their lurid depictions of murder scenes, members lost through drug overdoses, dark blundering behemoths with overly distorted screeching vocals?
No, we're not entering some parallel GG Allin world we're entering the world of Unsane.
Empty your mind and picture a series of black and white photos:
First: A desolate harbour, populated by one solitary wreck of a boat, stuck deep in the mud, which, on this photo, appears blacker than tar
Next: An old man with a flat cap, sitting alone on a bench, in a deserted, mist covered park, staring into the middle distance
Next: The same man nursing a pint, looking out of the window of a pub, a slightly out of focus barmaid and regular, conspiratorially laughing in the background
Finally: A granite house surrounded by moorland, next to it a single tree, bent at its top to create a 130 degree angle as the wind bullies it.
This is the world that Dakota Suite inhabit.
Imagine being this kid at school: Your friend Johnny got a guitar, Billy got drums, Bobby got bass and you got.... Saxafuckingphone!! "But mum, I wanna RAWK!" This didn't stop Steve Sostak of Sweep The Leg Johnny. No way! Not only does he scream like a demented McKaye / Rollins hybrid (see 'Skin Hurts') but he plays the sax like it's a concealed weapon. One minute it's quiet, subdued and smooth jazz, the next it's like a serial killing Albert Ayler.
Sem-i-nal :- highly original and influencing the development of future events.
It’s a much used word in modern music, but the first God Machine album, ‘Scenes From The Second Storey’, certainly matches the definition. Hailing from San Diego but only finding recognition after a move to London they signed to Fiction records in 1992, they were certainly a band ahead of their time.
Swedish band Logh released their 4th album 'North' last year.
It saw them throw off the shackles that restricted them on their previous release (the whole of 'Sunset Panorama’ being recorded in one day) but still not realise the potential that was suggested on 'Raging Sun' or the album under the microscope here, 'When A Bell Rings An Angel Gets His Wings' with which they started and as yet have not matched.
"Three stoned acid crazed bikers, self confessed drug addicts,managed by an Hells Angel and who play to an audience of undesirables'.
According to the liner notes of the rereleased 'OutsideInside', this is how one music paper described Blue Cheer, a band who have been criminally overlooked by all and sundry in the metal fraternity.
By the time ‘Led Zeppelin 1’ was released in March 1969, Blue Cheer were on their third (yes third) album, yet they are rarely referred to when discussing the origins of metal.
Top five three-pieces with singing bass players, anyone?
King’s X’ sound is one which you might not like. If Queen were a) American and b) good, this is how they’d sound. Please...keep reading. King’s X’ self titled fourth album from 1992 was by no means their most successful or popular, but that is no guide to its relative quality.
Now, I hate Queen.
I mean, if I had to list my top 5 most hated bands Queen would be 2nd only to The Feeling (who should suffer a slow torturous death!) the others being Simply Red, UB40 and M People. However, when HP Zinker used them to describe their music you see what they mean.