Want to know how excited Fight Amp is to be playing its first hometown show of the year? So excited that my fellow South Jerseyans decided to give away a pair of tickets to their May 28th show at Philadelphia’s Kung Fu Necktie and asked us to help. Oh, did we mention that the evening will also features the likes of Weedeater, Old Wounds and Philadelphia’s own Serpent Throne? Nah, you didn’t need any more convincing.

To be eligible to win, all you have to do is email fightampcontest@gmail.com with your favorite story about/experience with any of the bands on the bill. Entries are due no later than a week from today (that would be May 23rd). You should also, you know, be able to make it to the City of Brotherly Love on the 28th.

The band will choose the winner itself and get in touch with you so that it can put you on the guest list plus one. It’s that simple. And since second place is the first loser, the runner up will get a download code for Fight Amp’s last record, Birth Control.

Not feeling lucky? Buy a ticket here.

Check out more about the show here, pick up a copy of its latest record, Birth Control, over at Translation Loss and dig Fight Amp’s great taste in tunes here.

When Call of the Void is not on the road (most recently in support of recently released Dragged Down A Dead End Path), guitarist Patrick Alberts returns to work and, as he describes it, deals with PTSD (“Post Tour Super Depression”). Having never been on tour, I can’t identify other than to say that his feelings still probably encapsulate those who endure the daily grind with no tour break in sight. We’ll let Alberts take it from here: “It doesn’t help that Colorado has amazing weather during the month April and being stuck inside working is not the greatest thing on Earth. That being said, there can’t be good without evil, and working is what enables me to afford touring. Working isn’t so bad, but after three weeks of fun, work is the last place you want to be. I thought a personal twist would not be as banal as a top five, so sorry if this strays outside the format, but I was inspired by a famous Billy Madison quote: ‘I drew the duck blue because I’ve never seen a blue duck before and to be honest with ya, I wanted to see a blue duck.’”

Monday: Defeat

Buried At Sea’s “Migration (Part 1)” (from 2003′s Migration)
Besides Migration being one of the heaviest records ever made, it also happens to sound like the soundtrack to the end of the world, which is what it feels like heading to work on the first day being back from tour. From the opening strike of the Moog, the engine starts in my car and once my brain realizes I’m headed to work, all the lyrics turn into “NOOOOO, NOOOOOO, NOOOOOO”. Try screaming “NO” over the vocals, it works out nicely. Coincidentally, the track time for part one perfectly aligns with how long it takes me to get to work. I will take this moment to also tell Buried At Sea to make more records, damnit.

Tuesday: Uncertainty

NoMeansNo’s “It’s Catching Up” (from 1989′s Wrong)
I’ve been thinking about what the hell I’m going to have to deal with when I get back to work since the day we left. Currently my position at work is being terminated and I have to find a new one. Whatever decision I make, I feel I won’t be as satisfied as I am now. This is very unsettling. Time is catching up with me and it is time to make a decision and possibly take a pay cut or do something I’m uninterested in. Besides that, NoMeansNo kicks ass.

Wednesday: Acceptance/Fuck It, Good Times

Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention’s “Sofa No. 1″ (from 1975′s One Size Fits All)
Humans have the great ability to adjust and cope in a very short amount of time–at this point any neurosis associated with work has subsided. Time to say fuck it and move along with the ebb and flow of the days. Cool story bro, anyways…Zappa has the ability to make some of the most enjoyable music in the world and the clarity of acceptance matches the feeling of the coolest Frank Zappa track ever recorded. We all need more Zappa in our lives.

Thursday: Is A Shitty Band

Goatsnake’s “Raw Curtains” (from 2000′s Burning Witch/Goatsnake split)
Cannibal Corpse’s “From Skin To Liquid” (from 1998′s Gallery Of Suicide)
By Thursday, everything is in check and work is now caught up. Also Thursday is the most worthless day of the week, what the fuck happens on Thursdays? Oh, you’re DJing tonight and I should come out? No. So what the fuck do you do when you have a desk job and your PR agent asks you to do a top five list? You fucking listen to every sweet song that you wish you wrote over and over again and fantasize that you are going to make the sweetest top five ever. Everything is better in twos and since each lack vocals, it only counts as one song…lay off dude.

Friday: Relief

Harvey Milk’s “I Just Want To Go Home” (from 2010′s A Small Turn Of Human Kindness)
Fuck yes, it’s Friday! The worst day, just kidding! It is only the worst day because the anticipation of the weekend makes time slow down so much that even Chris Brown would understand why you hate him for beating the shit out of Rhianna. Maybe it is just me, but the last few hours of the work shift are painfully slow and it is a struggle to stay there to get the full complete eight hours in without saying fuck it is only a few dollars. All I can think about is “I just want to go home.” Fortunately for me, Harvey Milk knew I was doing this blog post three years ago and aptly titled a song for my convenience. They couldn’t have written a song that could make me more antsy to leave work for the weekend.

*Order a copy of Dragged Down A Dead End Path here.

**We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Saint Vitus Bar
Coliseum
Woe
Anciients
Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

If you live anywhere near NYC and love extreme music, hopefully you’ve had a chance to check out Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. Once you find and step through the black doored entrance, not only does the front bar offer a wide variety of drafts and specials, but the back room hosts some of the best shows the city has to offer (Goatwhore played earlier this week, Nails headlines tomorrow). Once the show’s over and last call hits, it’s high time for everyone to hit the old dusty trail…that is, unless you’re an owner–two of the three also happen to be in Primitive Weapons–in which case it’s time to put on some tunes.

As co-owner Arthur Shepherd tells us, “The process of closing up after a busy night at a rock bar/venue on the outskirts of the world’s hippest neighborhood is a very personal experience strictly dictated by the whims of the employees who have most likely been there for over 12 hours. We like to create a playlist that encourages even the most oblivious of late night customers to realize that their night here at our bar is now over. Because we are inundated with the heavy and loud on a daily basis, we naturally tend to lean towards the mellower side of life in these situations, but there are different techniques. Back in the day at our other jobs, before metal became cool again, we would often put on extreme stuff like Deathspell Omega to get people out, but that began to backfire as trends changed. These days I go for a gradual change. Drunk people hate to think, so you start with prog rock, move to the yacht, and finish with Beatle solo work (or related/soundalikes such as Badfinger or Emitt Rhodes). You can also just go for shock value…say Assück straight into the Indigo Girls. Regardless, this list represents the most common musings of the weekend staff.”

You can check out a calendar of upcoming shows here and feel free to listen along here. Lest we forget to mention, if running a bar wasn’t cool enough, Shepard and company also started Sacrament Music.

Yes–Tales From Topographic Oceans (1973)
Yes’s “Changes” (from 1983′s 90125)
My favorite band of all time, Yes, is my only true religion. Luckily I have fellow progressive rock fans employed at the bar to join me and savor in this grandeur. “Close to the Edge” is a good starter, but there is nothing like a song off of Tales From Topographic Oceans to really drive the point home to the drunken masses. The classic Yes moment is [co-owner] George [Souleidis] and I arguing at 5am over the time signature of the opening of “Changes” off of 90215. It’s a part George! There’s no specific time signature. Well, I guess there has to be a time signature.

Pink Floyd–The Final Cut (1983)
Floyd is sheer perfection. A few of the employees and I bonded on the very controversial (at least amongst fans) The Final Cut LP, so that one is a common, albeit a very, very melancholy, choice. The place is usually empty by the time we get to “When the Tigers Broke Free”, a track about the death of Roger Waters’ father in WWII that was added to the remaster/reissue in later years. I could talk about the importance of Pink Floyd for hours and usually do at 5am. Customers should consider themselves lucky to be gone already.

Rush’s “The Big Money” (from 1985′s Power Windows)
Those who have experienced a true Rush-a-thon at Vitus should consider themselves blessed. Where else outside of Canada can you drink shitty canned beer and listen to the greatest rock trio of all time? If this goes on during closing, it’s usually strictly for my listening pleasure. I prefer ’80s Rush when working. Closing up while listening to “The Big Money” just makes sense. I never smile, but George has always said that the easiest way to make me happy is put on Rush. It also scares any and all females out of the bar.

Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” (from 1972′s Can’t Buy A Thrill)
Let’s set sail. Onto the Yacht! This is an old tradition for us. I love Steely Dan. Every song is brilliant. I like to play the “who played on this song?” game. If I gotta pick one, it’s “Do It Again”. The yacht rock delves into all sorts of ’70s greatness. I guess Hall & Oates and The Doobies need a shout out as well.

Paul McCartney’s “Another Day” (1971)
In my very strong opinion, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath invented every musical genre by 1972–the only thing that changed was technology. Let’s face it, McCartney created pop music. He created it, rewrote it and reinvented it through out his career. I’m a big fan of the song “Another Day”, which was a leftover from the Let It Be sessions. It has six choruses and it’s classic story telling McCartney. Mundane, everyday life in post war Britain never sounded so timeless. We have been through every phase: Harrison, Lennon, Badfinger, ELO, Emmit Rhodes, you name it. Deep, late night conversations about the songwriting nuances of the masters is fuckload of fun.

Runner Up:

Roy Harper–Stormcock (1971)
It’s folk, it’s prog, it’s got Jimmy Page all over it. ‘Nuff said. Listen to it.

*Check out more about Saint Vitus Bar here.

**We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Coliseum
Woe
Anciients
Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

In case you haven’t heard, the new Coliseum record—which was one of our Top 20 Most Anticipated Records of 2013—comes out on Tuesday. Our May issue not only has Shane Mehling’s review of Sister Faith (spoiler alert: he likes it), but Adrien Begrand’s profile of the Louisville trio. In fact, said interview with Ryan Patterson ended up serving as the impetus behind the vocalist/guitarist’s playlist that he was kind enough to pass along (spoiler alert #2: Killing Joke fans—who should be sure to check out our June 2011 issue for this—are in for a treat). We’ll let Ryan take it from here:

Since Decibel‘s Adrian Begrand and I briefly discussed Killing Joke during my recent interview and he perceptively pinpointed them as an important influence and touchstone for the band, I thought it apt that my Decibel playlist highlight my favorite songs from the seminal British band. Although Coliseum ultimately sounds relatively little like Killing Joke and they are but one of a number of important bands that inspire us, they are an easy band to obsess over. Their massive catalog and 35 year history leave much to discuss, dissect, disagree on, and be passionate about, which those of us in the band and producer J. Robbins (a dyed in the wool Killing Joke fan) spent a lot of time doing during the recording of our new album, Sister Faith. As great now as they’ve ever been, Killing Joke are as powerful an inspiration in 2013 as they have been during their various peaks in 1980, 1985 and 2003.

(Also, I must note that I downloaded Spotify solely for this project and deleted it upon its completion, it’s not a service that I am interested in supporting because it doesn’t support artists. If you like these songs, go buy these records!)”

You can listen along here.

“Absolute Dissent” (from 2010′s Absolute Dissent)
After the death of longtime bass player Paul Raven, the original Killing Joke lineup reconnected and reunited to record the absolutely pummeling Absolute Dissent album. This song is a perfect representation and highlight of the post-1990 Killing Joke sound—a souring chorus with singer Jaz Coleman’s incredibly melodic and gruff vocals (a huge influence on me as a singer) reaching into the heavens, flowing and melodic guitar work by Geordie Walker (another huge influence on me and the only other KJ constant along with Coleman), all backed by elevating bass lines and powerful near-tribal, heavy but danceable rhythms.

“You’ll Never Get To Me” (from 2003′s Killing Joke)
In 2003, seven years after their previous album and having been written off by many as a lesser version of the bands they inspired, Killing Joke returned with their second self-titled album and completely demolished the expectations of fans and detractors alike. Produced and drum programmed by Gang Of Four’s Andy Gill, the record benefitted from high profile fan Dave Grohl’s appearance as drummer and the attention that his involvement brought to the project. Luckily, the band was in top form and Coleman and Walker (along with original bassist Youth) more than rose to the occasion. Just about every Killing Joke record since Night Time has one mid-album long, melodic, epic song and those are very often my favorites on the records. I have been known to listen to this song on repeat, over and over. It’s the kind of song that I never want to end. It moves me and speaks directly to me. If this was the only song Killing Joke ever wrote, they would still be one of my favorite bands of all time.

“Europe” (from 1985′s Night Time)
While assembling this playlist, I was tempted to simply pick all the songs from Night Time, in order, and talk a bit about each one. I ended up with just three tracks from this amazing album, but I easily could have fixated on all eight. If not for Killing Joke’s flawless, essential, game changing 1980 debut album, this would be my favorite in their oeuvre. Hell, it might be anyway. It’s a strange and beautiful record, caught in a unique spot between gothic post-punk, the heavier elements that gave birth to industrial music, and dance-friendly nightclub sounds. A lesser band could have taken this step and fallen into a void of attempted pop crap or well-intention cheese. Instead, it’s created with utter sincerity and the outcome was stunning. (Spotify annoyingly has the cover to the vastly inferior Brighter Than A Thousand Suns assigned to this album. Granted, half of Killing Joke’s records have photos of Jaz on the cover so it’s easy to get confused.)

“Complication” (from 2008′s The Peel Sessions: 1979-1981)
This version of “Complications” is slightly stronger than the version from the self-titled debut album due to a less murky recording and a crucial backing vocal harmony in the chorus. Montreal’s Complications, named after this song, are one of my favorite current bands and put their own slant on the early Killing Joke vibe. Check out their Complications LP on Feral Ward.

“The Hum” (from 1982′s Revelations)
Between the first album and Night Time, Killing Joke started to reach out into different directions, with varying results. Their second album, What’s THIS For…!, is a strange follow up to such a strong first outing. Despite having reasonably good songs, it follows the exact formula of the first album without having material that is quite as strong. Their third album, Revelations, saw the band beginning to define the path they’d perfect on Night Time with cleaner (very “80s”) production and more melody seeping into their now patented dark, gothic dance/industrial/post-punk. Revelations‘ two best songs are its first two, but it’s a solid listen throughout and probably among the band’s five or six best records.

“Let’s All Go (To The Fire Dances)” (from 1983′s Fire Dances)
Fire Dances is a record that I must admit I forget to appreciate as much as I probably should. It might actually be a better album than Revelations, even though I find myself listening to Revelations more often and referencing it regularly. I suppose I’ll have to remedy that. This one marks the first appearance of bassist Paul Raven, a crucial part of the Killing Joke lineup and history. Fire Dances can get pretty “dance-y” and almost dips into territory that’s too tribal, but highlights like this one can’t be denied. That chorus…wow!

“In Cythera” (from 2012′s MMXII)
Remember those mid-album melodic masterpieces I mentioned earlier? “In Cythera” is that song from Killing Joke’s most recent album, MMXII. It’s a strong record, not their best nor my favorite but a very respectable entry in a career this long. Most other bands would be lucky to make one album this good, much less kick this much ass on full length number fifteen. This song is wonderful and touching.

“Total Invasion” (from 2003′s Killing Joke)
As heavy as Killing Joke gets…and it’s pretty damn heavy. That chorus hook could level city blocks. The guitar on this album has such a strange boxy, scooped quality, something I would detest in most cases but somehow works so perfectly in this context. What else can I say? This is heavy music done absolutely perfectly.

“Love Like Blood” (from 1985′s Night Time)
I’d put this in my top five favorite songs ever. Everything about this song is perfect (a word I keep coming back to throughout this commentary). In doing a little research while writing this piece, I read that Mötley Crüe took Killing Joke on tour in 2005. I wonder if that was that to repay them for outright stealing the riff from “Love Like Blood” for “Dr. Feelgood?” I love this video too.

“Eighties” (from 1985′s Night Time)
Speaking of stealing…reports differ as to whether Nirvana had to settle with Killing Joke after biting this riff for their mopey “Come As You Are”, but apparently all was sorted by the time Dave Grohl stepped behind the drums for Killing Joke in 2003. No one is above a little obvious riff-biting here and there, but for my money Nirvana never came close to Killing Joke and few songs can top the fun and sarcasm of this essential barn-burner. Another great video with Jaz at the podium, Geordie looking androgynous in his clerical collar, Raven’s red tie and pleated pleather pants and Paul Ferguson’s bouncing pompadour.

“Requiem” (from 1980′s Killing Joke)
One of the the best songs ever, with one of the best guitar parts ever, opening one of the best albums ever from one of the best bands ever. This song simply cannot be topped or duplicated. It’s absolutely wonderful and perfect, kicking off an inspiring, challenging, and unparalleled career.

*Pre-order a copy of Sister Faith here.

**Coliseum tour dates:

05-10 Louisville, KY- Zanzabar *
05-11 Columbus, OH – Double Happiness
05-12 Chicago, IL- Empty Bottle
05-13 Detroit, MI- Magic Stick
05-14 Hamilton, ON – The Casbah
05-15 Toronto, ON- Silver Dollar ^
05-16 Ottawa, ON- Mavericks ^
05-17 Boston, MA- TT and The Bears ^
05-18 Montreal, QC- Drones Club ^
05-19 New Haven, CT- Cafe Nine ^
05-21 Brooklyn, NY- Knitting Factory +
05-22 Philadelphia, PA- Kung Fu Necktie +
05-23 Washington, DC- Black Cat +
05-24 Baltimore, MD- Sidebar Tavern (Maryland Deathfest Afterparty) +
05-25 York, PA – The Depot
05-26 Asheville, NC- Static Age Records #
05-27 Durham, NC- The Pinhook $
05-28 Birmingham, AL- the Forge
05-30 Atlanta, GA- The Earl
05-31 New Orleans, LA- Circle Bar
06-01 Austin, TX- Chaos in Tejas %
06-02 Dallas, TX- Doublewide Bar
06-04 Lawrence, KS -Granada Theatre %
06-05 St, Louis- MO- The Firebird %
06-08 Grand Rapids, MI- Pyramid Scheme %
06-09 Madison, WI- The Majestic Theatre %
06-11 Indianapolis, IN- Deluxe @ Old National Theatre %
06-12 Cincinnati, OH- Taft Ballroom %
06-14 Pittsburgh, PA- Mr. Small’s %
06-15 Huntington, WV- V Club %

* w/ Anwar Sadat, Tropical Trash
^ w/ California X
+ w/ Red Hare
# w/ US Christmas
$ w/ Brokeback
% w/ Baroness

***We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Woe
Anciients
Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

One of my favorite albums so far this year, Woe‘s Withdrawal, drops on Tuesday. To mark the occasion, guitarist Ben Brand sent along the following playlist that I’m pretty sure only he could adequately describe: “In honor of the transition into Spring, I want you all to start thinking about getting that garden growing. Inch by inch, row by row. Here is a sonic checklist that should turn your thumb green and your hearts black.” In fact, we liked his theme so much that we’ve thrown aside our usual format to give his playlist its full effect. Besides the YouTube clips below, however, you can still listen along here.

First off, a good location is the key to support healthy growth. The environment must house all of the key ingredients for a successful garden. Mineral content in the soil is an important aspect to making even the shortest plants stand out.

Now that you’ve got your plot of land, you need a hole. You may need to pick up discarded yogurt containers that flew around during the great Firestorm in the ’90s. When digging, varying depths are based on what is going in the ground.

Maximizing your garden’s potential can be achieved many ways. The addition of nutrient rich products can produce plants that will have your transient neighbors taking two-steps closer to admire your crusty patch (of land).

Proper watering is crucial to all inhabitants of your garden. Utilizing a rain catch system can help immensely. If you have the space, I recommend a 36 chamber holding tank.

The majority of plant life requires sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. As spring shifts to summer, daylight becomes progressively intense.

Too much light can destroy a garden but not enough will cause your plants to get fat, never marry, submit useless comments on message boards, wither and die alone.

A successful garden will be based on your ability to monitor your handiwork and cater to individuals that may need extra care. Tragedy can be averted by a keen eye.

You’ve toiled endlessly nurturing and respecting the majesty you created and now it is time to reap what you have sewn. Take this step with a grain of salt.

Be forewarned, some of nature’s most beautiful creations have evolved to grow defense mechanisms. If you get pricked, stop and think that maybe the universe is reestablishing balance.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor and take some time to stop and smell the…

Or, spend your chump change and buy from a specialist.

*Pre-order a copy of Withdrawal here.

**Woe tour dates:

May 10 – The Acheron, Brooklyn, NY (with Mutilation Rites, Mortals)
May 11 – Democracy Center, Boston, MA
May 12 – The Railroad Tavern, Keene, NH (with Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Barren Oak, Dark Was The Night)
May 13 – Nectars, Burlington, VT (with Vaporizer, Gorcrow)
May 14 – Pandora’s Box, Quebec, Canada (with Devil Drowned, Cyanide)
May 15 – DEATHOUSE, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (with Ensorcelor, Velvet Glacier)
May 16 – Mavericks, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (with Alaskan, Occult Burial, Stay Here)
May 17 – Hard Luck Bar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (with Ischemic, The Sustained Low ‘C’ of Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”)
May 18 – Rancho Huevos, Chicago, IL (with Black September, Hedlok, Arahant, Bailout)
May 19 – Cincy by the Slice, Cincinnati, OH (with Merkaba, Highgave, Pusdrainer)
May 20 – Ultra-Dive, Pittsburgh, PA (with Glorior Belli, Wolvhammer, Anciients, Dendritic Arbor)

***We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Anciients
Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

The dudes in Anciients will release their debut album, Heart Of Oak, on Tuesday. Just in case Jeff Treppel’s lead review in our April issue or Kevin Stewart-Panko’s profile the following month weren’t enough to convince you of the Vancouver quartet’s awesomeness, guitarist/vocalists Chris Dyck and Kenny Cook passed along some of the records they’ll be spinning as they hit the road on the Death To All tour starting this weekend. As Dyck explains, “Although most of the time we have Kenny’s iPod set to shuffle, these albums will most definitely be all up in the van. These are a few of our faves to drive to—there are a ton more albums we dig, but most of these get a lot of play and I don’t see that changing any time soon. We listen to a ton of metal and a ton of classic rock [so] that [is] the vibe nine times out of ten…ELO to Mayhem, Thin Lizzy to Suffocation. If it’s good, we recognize it and dig it…haha.”

While we’ll compile all of these tour playlists into a master road warrior playlist one day, in the meantime we’ll turn things over to Chris and Kenny. You can listen along here.

Mahavishnu Orchestra—Visions Of The Emerald Beyond (1975)
I chose this record because it has been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it. The musicianship is completely mind boggling, the way they switch through odd time signatures is amazing and the combo of John McLaughlin (guitar) and Jean-Luc Ponty (electric violin) is outstanding. I still don’t understand how they are able to sync up on some of those runs. What does it the most for me on this record is the insane drumming. Michael Walden just destroys on this recording, it’s like controlled rages of awesomeness that never stray from the pocket and just the all around tone of his playing is godlike. I really enjoy this album from start to finish—just give the first two tracks a listen and you will get the overall picture.—Kenny Cook

Craft—Fuck The Universe (2005)
If I listen to any black metal a lot, it’s this record. It’s most definitely a record that puts you in the mood to crush things, like riffs and such. “Demonspeed” would have to be the track for me off of this album…either that or the title track.—K.C.

This is my favorite black metal record ever, easily. The vocals, the guitar sound, the drumming, the bass tone…everything. Such catchy parts mixed with such dissonance. An amazing record, every song rules. The title track and “Demonspeed” are my jams for life. I feel like punching through concrete when I listen to this in my Kia, it’s so rockin and so badass at the same time. A nearly perfect metal record in my opinion.—Chris Dyck

The Steve Miller Band—Greatest Hits 1974-78 (1978)
This is record I used to listen to as a kid when my mom would drive me to school. It’s the epitome of a greatest hits record, every song is great. You may want to skip “The Joker”—we’ve all heard that enough for one lifetime—but so many other songs are choice on here, “Serenade” being the best.—K.C.

“Serenade”, “Swingtown” and “The Stake” specifically, this collection of Steve Miller tunes is essential as fuck! It is classic and always, always finds its way into the mix. I’m 35, so I have been listening to this album for all my life…crucial cruisin’ tunes.—C.D.

Death—Human (1991)
The greatest Death album, and one of the greatest death metal albums of all time. Every song is brilliant…”Together as One” is my jam. This lineup was a total game changer in my opinion—this smooth, techy, brilliant, clear sound…so stoked to do this tour and see these guys lay waste to thee classic death songs on the reg. Childhood dream realized…yup.—C.D.

Steely Dan—Can’t Buy A Thrill (1972)
The first record by this supergroup of serious musicians. Definitely one of my favorites for sure—love the Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter guitar harmonies, very epic. I always thought “Reelin’ in the Years” was a Thin Lizzy song when I was young because of the guitarmonies. I have always loved the way they threw lap steel in to the mix. Perfect feel good road tunes.—K.C.

Since my brother started bringing Steely Dan to work years ago, our whole family has kinda really made it like our hangout tunes, haha. This album has several classics. What can even be said about Steely Dan—too good, amazing in every way…no comparison…so fucking smooth!—C.D.

Neurosis—Through Silver In Blood (1996)
Our friend Bonnie turned us on to these guys a few years back. Of course I have always entire known about them, duh, but never really, really got to into them. But…once I heard this album, I actually woke up quite a bit…like this record is every art/beard metal bands bible. It humbles me now every time I hear it. The title track, “Eye” and “Locust Star” are essential…beyond heavy. One of the greatest live shows I have ever witnessed…inspiration forever, truly an original band…so rare to find, and they are loud as fuck, so massive bonus points for that.—C.D.

Graveyard—Hisingen Blues (2011)
Graveyard—Lights Out (2012)
Amazing band. I just had the pleasure to see for the first time a month ago. Been listening to them for some time now and it’s just all around killer bluesy rock and roll. The vocals are just ridiculous—this dude has some serious pipes. These two records will be getting some well deserved play time through the stereo in our van.—K.C.

I got into these guys in the last couple years hard. Super classy stoner rock—evil, catchy, [done by] amazing musicians and heavy without distortion all over the place. This album is fucking mint. We just saw them in Seattle…wow. Sweden for the win once again—perfect camping/shotgunning beers album also.—C.D.

High on Fire—Death Is This Communion (2007)
This is my favourite record by HoF. Crushingly killer and perfect for the highway.—K.C.

“Rumors of fucking War”…period. The greatest song to get stoked to of all time.—C.D.

*Pre-order a copy of Heart Of Oak here.

**Anciients tour dates (* for Death To All shows):

4/13 Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues w/ Masters of Steel*
4/15 Engelwood, CO @ Gothic Theatre*
4/18 Detroit, MI@ St. Andrews Hall*
4/19 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues Cleveland*
4/20 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s*
4/21 Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues*
4/23 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda*
4/24 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza*
4/25 Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts w/ Believer*
4/26 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore (Silver Spring)*
4/27 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium*
4/28 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre*
5/15 Billings, MT @ Railyard
5/17 Des Moines, IA @ House Of Bricks
5/18 Indianapolis, IN @ Indy’s Jukebox w/ Glorior Belli, Wolvhammer
5/20 Pittsburgh, PA @ Belvedere’s w/ Glorior Belli, Wolvhammer

***We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

Last week, as part of what became an unofficial Soilwork week around these parts, the Swedish sextet’s drummer Dirk Verbeuren gave us a glimpse into his diverse listening habits. As promised, we now present five more tracks from frontman and founder Björn “Speed” Strid, each of which helped meld his musical tastes during his more formative years. Be sure to catch the vocalist and his bandmates as they continue on their massive North American tour (dates below). You can listen along to Björn’s playlist here.

Dissection’s “Night’s Blood” (from 1995′s Storm Of The Light’s Bane)
This is my essential when I need to reach a comfortable level of melancholy and darkness. It hasn’t left me since it came out in 1995—it was my soundtrack going to school, my soundtrack in the dressing room before hockey practice and still my soundtrack to just about anything. It has a bone chilling atmosphere and production to it. It really is the presence in Jon’s voice that makes it so real though, backed up with the melodies and thrashy riffs. I had a chance to see Dissection in 1996 but didn’t have any money—I’m sure there would have been a way to have borrowed that money from somebody though. I definitely regret that I didn’t push for it more.

Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” (from 1975′s Fleetwood Mac)
I discovered Fleetwood Mac when I was a teenager through Tango in the Night. Later, I discovered their ’70s stuff, starting with “Rhiannon” and I just fell in love with the band’s different voices and harmonies. “Rhiannon” is an impossible song to cover, it holds such great atmosphere and the melody is amazing. Ever since then, Stevie Nicks has been one of my favorite singers. She’s just so damn classic. Nobody can sound so out of place and so dead on at the same time. Her voice has an amazing character and her persona is very intriguing. I even have her face tattooed on my calf. “Rhiannon” is a song that I never will get fed up with. The harmonies in the chorus are amazing and somehow very comforting to me.

The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” (from 1971′s Who’s Next)
I was 14 years old and found Who’s Next in an old drawer in my parents basement. It was packed together with a bunch of other vinyls, including Leon Russell, Slade and Ofra Haza. All of the records were moldy, except The Who one. First I got pissed off because my parents hadn’t let me know their old vinyls were in the basement, but very quickly I was intrigued by the cover of Who’s Next. I ran upstairs to put on the vinyl and as soon as the intro for “Baba” started, I was hooked! It was the coolest and most powerful intro I’d heard since “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor and “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project. I used to judge music in how well it would work as an intro coming out on the ice whenever I played hockey games. I was the dude who picked the music for our home games to make a grandiose entrance too. I still get hooked on powerful intros pretty easily.

Entombed’s “Evilyn” (from 1991′s Clandestine)
This song was strangely the song that made me like death metal. Is it because the opening riff almost has a “disco-death metal” feel to it? I dunno, it has such an evil groove though. I remember that I wanted to like death metal so much but I didn’t really liked how it sounded so down-tuned and I was more of a straight forward Kreator/Slayer/Sodom kinda guy. I remember that me and my friends were planning to camp in a tent over the weekend in the summer of 1992 and I brought my walkman with a freshly new recorded copy of Clandestine by Entombed. The first night when everybody had passed out in the tents from eating too many M&M’s, I decided to blast the album in my new kick ass headphones. As soon as “Evilyn” kicked in and I was looking up through the tents ceiling and saw the summer full moon, I was sold. A new era had begun!

New Model Army’s “Purity” (from 1990′s Impurity)
In the little town where I was growing up, the first wave of Swedish Death Metal hit pretty damn hard. And New Model Army. It was almost a staple—if you listened to death metal, you also listened to New Model Army. As simple as that. I think I received a compilation tape with random death metal acts and at the end of the tape there was a New Model Army song, and I instantly loved it. That track was not “Purity” and I sadly don’t remember which track it was. A couple of days later, my friend bought a copy of Impurity with New Model Army and we listened to it on our lunch break in school. When “Purity” started, it almost brought me to tears, it had such a beautiful melody and had such a strong working-class minded lyric that it reminded me of my grandfather who worked the wharf all his life and had recently passed away. I also fell for Justin Sullivan’s voice, which was really speaking to me. Here I am today and Justin is singing on our latest album with Soilwork. Magic.

*Photo by Hannah Verbeuren

**Order a copy of The Living Infinite here.

***Soilwork tour dates (with Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning and Wretched):

04/04/13 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
04/05/13 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
04/06/13 WHISKY A GO GO – Hollywood, CA
04/07/13 Rocky Point Cantina – Tempe, AZ
04/08/13 The Rock – Tucson, AZ
04/09/13 Las Vegas Country Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
04/11/13 In The Venue – Salt Lake City, UT
04/12/13 Gothic Theater – Englewood, CO
04/13/13 The Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
04/14/13 The Firebird – St. Louis, MO
04/15/13 Trees – Dallas, TX
04/16/13 Backstage Live – San Antonio, TX
04/17/13 Jake’s – Lubbock, TX
04/18/13 Lucky Mule – Abilene, TX
04/19/13 Dos Amigos – Odessa, TX
04/20/13 Tricky Falls – El Paso, TX
04/22/13 House of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
04/23/13 Geo’s – McAllen, TX
04/24/13 Scout Bar – Houston, TX
04/26/13 State Theater – St. Petersburg, FL
04/27/13 Freebird Live – Jacksonville, FL
04/28/13 The Casbah – Charlotte, NC
04/29/13 Kingdom – Richmond, VA
04/30/13 Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
05/01/13 Mexicali Live – Teaneck, NJ
05/02/13 The Chance Theater – Poughkeepsie, NY
05/03/13 Broadway Joes – Buffalo, NY
05/04/13 Al Rosa Villa – Columbus, OH
05/05/13 Music Hall – London, ON – CANADA
05/06/13 Station 58 – Syracuse, NY
05/07/13 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

****We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

Given that Soilwork unleashed its first double album (and ninth overall), The Living Infinite, earlier this month, it’s only appropriate that the long-running Swedish outfit passed along a double playlist. Up first: a collection of tracks from drummer Dirk Verbeuren, each offering an insight into his diverse tastes (Prince is becoming quite a fixture in these playlists—just ask Early Graves and Inter Arma). Also be sure to catch Soilwork on its massive North American tour—with so many dates, there’s a good chance the band is headed your way. You can listen along to Dirk’s playlist here.

Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend” (from 1987′s Sign “O” The Times)
The first double album I heard. I can still put this on and enjoy every second of it. A double record has to take you places and Sign “O” The Times certainly does that—to me, it’s clearly one of Prince’s most adventurous recordings. The arrangements and sped-up vocals on “If I Was Your Girlfriend” strike me to this day, although it’s hard to pick a standout song. Words can’t do justice to Prince’s immense musical genius, so I’m not even gonna try—hearing His Purpleness cranking out infectiously catchy and smart tunes like “Screwdriver” 35 years into his career says it all!

Napalm Death’s “Circumspect” and “Errors In The Signals” (from 2012′s Utilitarian)
30 years down the line, Birmingham’s finest are as relevant as ever. Just go see them tear up a nearby club if you have any doubts—these guys display more sincerity, hunger and energy than most of their peers. 2012’s Utilitarian is yet another faultless album in a career that has seen them invent grindcore, then experiment with industrial and rock, then blend their wide range of influences to create their very own genre of mind-bending noise. 25 years after buying Scum and scratching my head wondering what the hell I just spent my hard-earned money on, Napalm Death is still my favorite band.

Squarepusher’s “Drax 2″ (from 2012′s Ufabulum)
When I need a break from metal, one of the genres I always end up navigating to is dark, rhythm-driven electro as created by Black Lung, Autechre, Scorn, Aphex Twin, Amon Tobin and Squarepusher. I find Tom Jenkinson’s latest to be a return to form. The twisted computerized tones of his classic albums Go Plastic and Hard Normal Daddy are back with a vengeance on Ufabulum, which also successfully incorporates the more melodic side of Jenkinson’s most recent work. This stuff is super exciting to me; I get a lot of rhythmical inspiration from it. Drummers should check this out for sure.

Beastie Boys’ “Pass The Mic” (from 1992′s Check Your Head)
Whenever I hear this song, the grooves and words inevitably get stuck in my head for days. Hip-hop and rap are what first sparked my interest in drums, and the Beasties, along with Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy and LL Cool J are the masters of catchy rhythms in my book. Anyone with a feel for rhythm just has to get infected by a tune like “Pass The Mic”. The funny thing is, out of all artists, Beastie Boys are the ones that opened me up to extreme metal thanks to Kerry King’s legendary guitar solo on “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”. And these guys rocked their instruments too. The real deal, I’m tellin’ ya!

Meshuggah’s “Behind The Sun” (from 2012′s Koloss)
I don’t know how they do it. Every time Meshuggah releases an album, I’m blown away, again. Koloss has their most amazing production ever—that instrument separation is just ridiculous!—and, especially, some of their best tunes. The opening riff to “Behind The Sun” is so catchy and enveloping I’ll happily listen to it on repeat. That Meshuggah inspired a subgenre of metal all their own is only normal. You can’t beat the originators though, especially when they’re in otherworldly shape like on this record. “Djent” or not, this is quintessential metal. Eat it up!

*Stay tuned for Part 2 featuring Björn “Speed” Strid next week

**Photo by Hannah Verbeuren

***Order a copy of The Living Infinite here.

****Soilwork tour dates (with Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning and Wretched):

03/28/13 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
03/29/13 The Exchange – Regina, SK
03/30/13 The Distillery – Calgary, AB
03/31/13 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB
04/01/13 The Generator – Prince George, BC
04/02/13 Rickshaw Theater – Vancouver, BC
04/03/13 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
04/04/13 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
04/05/13 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
04/06/13 WHISKY A GO GO – Hollywood, CA
04/07/13 Rocky Point Cantina – Tempe, AZ
04/08/13 The Rock – Tucson, AZ
04/09/13 Las Vegas Country Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
04/11/13 In The Venue – Salt Lake City, UT
04/12/13 Gothic Theater – Englewood, CO
04/13/13 The Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
04/14/13 The Firebird – St. Louis, MO
04/15/13 Trees – Dallas, TX
04/16/13 Backstage Live – San Antonio, TX
04/17/13 Jake’s – Lubbock, TX
04/18/13 Lucky Mule – Abilene, TX
04/19/13 Dos Amigos – Odessa, TX
04/20/13 Tricky Falls – El Paso, TX
04/22/13 House of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
04/23/13 Geo’s – McAllen, TX
04/24/13 Scout Bar – Houston, TX
04/26/13 State Theater – St. Petersburg, FL
04/27/13 Freebird Live – Jacksonville, FL
04/28/13 The Casbah – Charlotte, NC
04/29/13 Kingdom – Richmond, VA
04/30/13 Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
05/01/13 Mexicali Live – Teaneck, NJ
05/02/13 The Chance Theater – Poughkeepsie, NY
05/03/13 Broadway Joes – Buffalo, NY
05/04/13 Al Rosa Villa – Columbus, OH
05/05/13 Music Hall – London, ON
05/06/13 Station 58 – Syracuse, NY
05/07/13 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

*****We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

Not only did Intronaut just release its fourth full-length, Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones), on Tuesday, but the band also recently wrapped up a tour in support of Meshuggah. Needless to say, the quartet probably spent quite a bit of time driving from show to show. Sacha Dunable was kind enough to pass along his “stoney driving” playlist, any further description of which would just find us wasting words (though we will point out that, much like his peers in BATILLUS and Kowloon Walled City, extreme selections are the exception and this marks the second mention of Jaga Jazzist in three weeks). Feel free to listen along here.

Nik Bärtsch’s “Modul 22″ (from 2004′s REA)
This is probably the nerdiest shit you could ever be into, but counting out intense polyrhythms can be a great way to pass time on long drives. Have you heard this band? It’s like if Meshuggah was a jazz band. We love them and rip them off very often on the new record.

Tortoise’s “Crest” (from 2004′s It’s All Around You)
It’s really all about just letting this whole record ride, but this song is great. All their records are a great soundtrack to a drive through anything from Bavaria to Nebraska.

The Roots’ “Mellow My Man” (from 1995′s Do You Want More?!!!??!)
Ahmir Khalib Thompson presumably changed his name to Questlove not because that was a reasonable name for a human to have, but because he is one of the best musicians to ever live so who is going to tell him shit? This band and record totally smoke “like Al B Sure, for your pleasoore.”

Jaga Jazzist’s “Toccata” (from 2010′s One-Armed Bandit)
There is a video on YouTube of them playing this song live in a church, and it will blow your mind. Don’t watch it while driving on tour though. Great tune for when you want to feel like you’re manning the Death Star on a mission to nuke some Ewoks.

Augustus Pablo’s “King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown” (from 2009′s The Very Best Of Augustus Pablo Gold)
Reggae has always been up there with “Irish-themed punk rock” for me as a contender for the Weakest Bullshit Excuse for Music Ever award, but a few years ago I got turned on to some good stuff and eventually got really stoked on a lot of dub reggae, which is reggae made better and way stonier by adding delays and other effects to drums, guitars, vocals, whatever. This guy in particular is rad, and this song is my favorite from him. Most of it is actually samples from a song called “Baby I Love You So” by a guy named Jacob Miller.

The Cinematic Orchestra’s “Burn Out” (from 2002′s Every Day)
Another group that makes me feel like I am totally wasting my time trying to make music. This particular track, at about 10 minutes in length, is perfect for long drives where you won’t be interrupted by much more than some mid-slumber flatulence by your bandmates.

D’Angelo’s “Playa Playa” (from 2000′s Voodoo)
This whole record is just inhuman. I got turned onto this by my bandmate Dave [Timnick] a few years ago and now its one of my favorites for these tour drives. Dude wrote and performed most of this record himself, and when he wasn’t playing all the instruments he had Pino Paladino and Questlove step in to help. Everything is so behind the beat it should be wrong, but instead it just grooves way too hard.

Snoop Dogg’s “Fresh Pair Of Panties On” (from 2004′s R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece)
Do I really need to explain why this song is one of the most important moments in musical history? Just listen to it, unless you don’t want the rest of your day to be awesome.

Sleep’s “Dopesmoker” (from 2003′s Dopesmoker)
Proceed your weedian ass to Nazareth.

*Order a copy of Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones) here.

**We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)

BATILLUS kicked off a month of shows in support of its latest record, the awesome Concrete Sustain, at the end of February. The trek has seen them scoot across the Midwest, over to the left coast and, most recently, Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy SXSW showcase in Austin, TX (check out the band’s remaining dates below). In other words, they’ve logged a lot of miles, so it’s no surprise that guitarist Greg Peterson was in the mood to share what has (hopefully) helped keep him and his bandmates sane as they traverse our great country. “As our friends in Kowloon Walled City recently stated in this space, after listening to and playing loud music all night long, the last thing some of us want to hear in the van is more aggressive noisy metal,” he tells us. “Some pre-’80s heavy rock, maybe. Anyway, when I’m driving, I like to set my iPod on shuffle (less fiddling around with it). If you were riding with us, here’s a sampling of what you might hear…some songs about the road, some songs that sound best when on the road, and a random favorite or two.”

Check out the new track “Concrete” below (Concrete Sustain is due out on Tuesday) and then listen along to Greg’s playlist here.

MC5′s “Kick Out The Jams” (from 1969′s Kick Out The Jams)
Brothers and sisters, this song not only captures the incredible energy of their live presence but somehow the MC5 managed to harness the actual feeling of what it’s like to be on a stage, playing loud-as-hell rock and roll. Like a magic potion in a bottomless vial, tastier than gas station coffee, this song is the first thing I reach for if I’m feeling drowsy at the wheel.

Thin Lizzy’s “That Woman’s Gonna Break Your Heart” (from 1977′s Bad Reputation)
A word of warning from someone who knows better than you, made all the more potent by the insanely catchy chorus melody. Moral of the story: trying to be a player generally leads to losing the game. (Trivia morsel: while recording Concrete Sustain, I found myself dialing in amplifier settings that made this riff sound good, because I could not stop myself from playing it.)

The Flatlanders’ “Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown” (from 1990′s More A Legend Than A Band)
This number has a very relaxing effect, and is perfect for a quick retreat into the headphones. It must have something to do with the casual wording of the title, the ghostly tone of the singing saw and the melancholic yet detached sound of Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s voice. A song about seeking after that something that probably doesn’t exist, in a world you no longer believe in. Or maybe it’s just an ode to the quick hook-up.

Ellinger Combo’s “Ride Me Down Easy, Lord”
An amazing version of a fairly straightforward tune about dying of thirst face down in the dust, flashing back on good and bad times long past. The unabashedly lonesome sound of the vocal propped up by the bright little organ line is more eerie than any kvlt black metal I’ve ever heard. Why can’t country music sound like this anymore?

Wire’s “You Hung Your Lights In The Trees/A Craftman’s Touch” (from 1990′s Manscape)
Most people might tell you that Manscape is Wire’s worst album, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Take this ten minute gem, for example—a slowly unravelling conversation between the two vocalists set against minimal dark chords. “Do you still dream of having all of those things?” “How far are we apart?” I also love how the stuttering synth and drum machine rhythm that starts it off, punctuated by a bit of snare, gives my ears a false sense of the downbeat no matter how many times I hear it.

Blue Öyster Cult’s “Debbie Denise” (from 1976′s Agents Of Fortune)
To be singing along to the refrain “I was out rolling with my ba-aa-and” while actually out rolling with my band has definitely been the most meta moment of the tour so far. This band deserves to be known among today’s listeners for its music instead of that stupid SNL skit. (Alright, maybe it is slightly funny.)

Souled American’s “Six Feet Of Snow” (from 1990′s Around The Horn)
Luckily we’ve only had to drive through one brief blizzard outside of Billings, Montana. It snuck up on us from the inside of a rainstorm that came out of nowhere toward the end of an otherwise beautiful day. When you can barely see through the windshield into the impenetrable gray mass of blowing snow, your mind may wander to a cozier place. A bed in New Orleans, for example. The arms of that waiting green-eyed girl, for another. This is my favorite instance of a song going from decent to great through a cover version.

Depeche Mode’s “Waiting For The Night” (from 1990′s Violator)
Violator is one of those very rare albums that none of us ever get tired of blasting in the van. Perfectly crafted, rich in detail, and no filler anywhere. I hear new things each time I listen, and every track has been my favorite at least once. For this playlist though, “Waiting For The Night” seems appropriate as that’s mostly what being on tour involves.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane’s “In A Sentimental Mood” (from 1963′s Duke Ellington & John Coltrane)
Listening to band after band with their massive walls of sound, what I crave most is to hear unamplified instruments played by sensitive musicians, carefully placed dissonances and lots of breathing room. If anybody knows of anything matching that description better than this song right here, please let me know. Best after dark.

AC/DC’s “Moneytalks” (from 1990′s The Razors Edge)
Ending this mixtape on a random note…heard this for the first time in a great long while, and perhaps it’s just the junior high nostalgia playing tricks on me, but I’ll be damned if it’s not my new favorite AC/DC Song of the Moment. I’ll admit to not paying attention to the lyrics, but musically, no other bands have crafted so many great tunes using such relatively simple and few building blocks. So what if they’ve made the same album thirty seven times, there is subtle genius in the restraint of these riffs.

*Photo by Tommy Kearns

**Pre-order a copy of Concrete Sustain here.

***BATILLUS tour dates:

3/15/2013 Austin, TX @ Old Emo’s – Invisible Oranges Day Party w/ Today is the Day, Pallbearer, KEN Mode, Royal Thunder, Inter Arma, Baptists
3/17/2013 Baton Rouge, LA @ Mud & Water w/ Grave Robbers
3/18/2013 Lafayette, LA @ The Feed & Seed w/ Before the Eyewall, Guiltless
3/20/2013 Tallahassee, FL @ Hidden Hand w/ Attack Culture, Praying, Rovagug
3/21/2013 Athens, GA @ Little Kings w/ Pale Prophet
3/22/2013 Chapel Hill, NC @ Chapel Hill Underground w/ Backwoods Payback, Bitter Resolve
3/23/2013 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Sinister Haze, Backwoods Payback, Men’s Room

****We update one Spotify playlist for each new Decibrity entry, so feel free to subscribe to that here. Past entries include:

Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)