For Those About to Squawk: Waldo’s Pecks of the Week

Wow, well, I TOTALLY blew a deadline, but I’m here to spit some vitriol here, get some bird poop out on the new releases. So, like, let’s get to it, huh? I mean, there is stuff coming out. Just how much of it is beakworthy?

DANZIG is still kicking his corpse around, and is coming out with a covers record called Skeletons. The cover is a play on David Bowie’s Pin Ups, and, well, let’s just say this is a Danzig record. The production here is like every other Danzig record, and the vocals sit WAY on top of the mix. There are some obscure tracks here, and, all in all, it’s not horrible, but it’s really not good either. The Troggs cover sticks out as being a worthy endeavor, as does the Young Rascals, but boy does this N.I.B. cover SUCK. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Danzig took some risks with his voice, i.e, the Less Than Zero soundtrack, and Glenn should take a page out of his own book. Some covers just don’t lend to the bluesy pick-squealing treatment this record gives them. It’s hard for me to crap all over this, but saying its good is REALLY a stretch. 3 Fucking Pecks

I’m actually pecking digging this PESTILENCE reissue of the demos entitled The Dysentery Penance. Featuring the “classic” Malleus Maleficarum lineup, with the pre-LP material from the first two demos and a couple bonus tracks from a previous released compilation album. Subtle, this is not. This is classic death/thrash getting bashed out in a pure fashion that reflects nothing but the love of the music. This kind of thing, although not for everyone, is kind of charming: a fledgling band finding its voice. The mastering job by Dan Swano lends to the overall feel and is pretty impeccable, considering what the source material must sound like. Again, this isn’t for everyone, and really only for fans of the band, but it’s kind of cool (although not super necessary). 5 Fucking Pecks.

So, I’ll try to review this CLOAK OF ALTERING even though I’ve only heard parts of it. Manifestation is the new record by the alter ego of Gnaw Their Tongues, a sort of industrial black metal electronic mish-mash. This is interesting to say the least: dense and aggressive riffs weave among electronic glitches, break beats and orchestral drone. This is a tough one to review, as I kind of like it, but I’m not too sure I “get” it. This is what black metal should be; it takes risks and is definitely an unsettling listen. If I had one real gripe, it would be that the production is a little off, like too high-endy, and I’m not sure what’d going on with the vocals, but they are weird, kind of android-ish. So, not really being able to put my beak on this, I’ll give it 6 Fucking Pecks.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back and a little more timely next month (like you care).