Daikaiju Kick My Ass... Once Again

Epic 

There is very little these days which inspires me to write a concert review. Most concerts I attend leave me feeling a combination of disappointment, envy, and frustration. But there is, however, one band that leaves me feeling none of those things; and that band is Daikaju.

For the uninformed, Daikaiju is a Japanese-inspired surf rock band from Huntsville, Alabama. The group tours non-stop all around the country and even makes trips to Europe. Some might call what they do a gimmick, but I just call it pure rock'n'roll fantasticness.

When the band plays, they not only play to the audience, but they play with the audience. Often times the guitarists jump from the stage, run about wildly, and hand off their instruments to wide eyed concert goers and joust them into playing. The whole affair plays out like a maniacal-psycho-carnival-opera. I was amazed the first time I saw it, and was unsure if they could ever top that first performance which ended with them gathering the audience onto the stage, making us the performers, and the band sitting before us as if we were meant to entertain them.

When the two guitarists ran into me during their off stage escapades I could feel the fresh sweat dripping through their uniforms, and smell the weeks of of dried perspiration as they flew past me. In fact, as I recall, their has seldom been a time when my Facebook's event invite box was not filled with a slew of upcoming Daikaiju live dates. They simply are always on the road.

But this performance was somehow different from the others had seen. It brought for me a new perspective after having met lead guitarist “secret-man,” as he likes to be called on the Daikaiju website. Slightly small in stature, skinny, and bearing grey tattoos on his uber-tanned skin, the wild affroed frontman of the group is, in person, nothing but a joy to interact with. After seeing him perform live, there is little left to be said in a traditional conversation, and as I am already generally opposed to the notion of small talk (I much prefer big-talk, harahar), was perfectly happy to simply shake his hand, exchange a smile and give a few words of encouragement. Yet, it was upon this latest viewing of the band that I realized the depth of this band's commitment. To me, the psychotic live act is no longer new, or fresh, or whatever synonym you want to call it. It's simply Daikaiju. It's simply the best rock'n'roll five bucks can buy in an indie-hipster town such as Athens.

The life these men have chosen is an honorable life of rocking. As lame and corny as that may sound, perhaps there are real life dilemmas that come with it. Things that we average joe's take for granted, such as showering daily and having lasting relationships with loved ones, must be put on hold as the deluge of a tour takes precedence. I sometimes wonder if I, myself a musician, could handle such a life, and with so much abandon as Daikaiju exhibit? I don't know the answer to that question, since I've honestly never had the opportunity to test it. But perhaps in the meanwhile I'll let Daikaiju hold the torch for the rest of us bedroom rockers searching for a way out of the dismal mundanity of watching Netflix, cooking Bertolli, and training for half-marathons every day. At least while they are in town, I can feel a sense of hope, and a sense that all is right in this always revolving world. At least from my perspective, Daikaiju is timeless, living the dream, and will always be there to show me a good time on a Wednesday night in downtown Athens.

See you guys next year. Rock on. \m/

On Why Downloads Are No Longer Free At Artistsofwar.net

Recently I’ve come to a hard realization: money is the driving force behind the movement and progression of our world. It is the physical manifestation and representation of accumulated power. It is the building block beneath the socio-economic hierarchy that forms the differences of our various cultures. Even in relation to religion, money is king.

All that said, as an individual citizen and artist living in a capitalist state, I’ve got to succumb and face facts: what I’m creating is essentially a product designed to be shared, but for a price. That price not only represents my ability to house, feed, and support myself, but also a deeper philosophical value that is placed upon my work. It is important to my own sense of self respect that I value my music according to a system that 99% of other people can understand.

Furthermore, I am not selling digital rights to my songs, but merely digital copies. The market, or rather Apple Inc., has deemed copies of songs to be valued at $1 each. So, in order to associate myself in the same vein of “value” as other artists, I have to list all my songs for $1, lest they be considered “less valuable,” in an economic sense. That’s something that wasn’t so important to me six months ago when I was planning the free release of Peace. While morally it felt good to release my music for free, and not to reiterate, but I’ve simply had to learn that we as individuals must use the skills we have to make a living, even if we have idealistic principles that clash with that.

My primary skill to this point has been music production, so I need to capitalize on that as much as possible. I would love to someday release all my music for free in digital format, thereby lending to my idealist world view that everything can be equal and all people and products can coexist in harmony (See "I'm A Metalhead-Hipster," pg. 496). But until I have millions stashed away to provide for my present and future needs and desires, that just can’t happen.

Thanks to all those who have supported me up until now and I hope that you will continue to do so

- Brad (AKA The Dragon)

Album Review: MAKE - Trephine

Rarely do I find good reason to write a review that is positive. I find that good reviews lack tension and are generally boring to read. But I felt it necessary to thank the North Carolina band MAKE for their album Trephine. It is a record that simply sings to me on multiple levels and hits the listener right in the gut, at just the right moments. Its swaying dynamic flourishes are not boring or unnecessarily repeated like on your typical Isis or Neurosis record, but rather are used as tension relievers between the titanic riffing (I don't use the word “Titanic” lightly. I am fully aware of how cliché it must sound). There is this sense of triumphant beguile that comes from the repetition and slight variation of Trephine's multitudinous and layered riff sequences. On top of that these dudes know how to scream in a way that is atmospheric, yet complimentary to the body of the songs. Although you could call this an instrumental record, I couldn't see it having the same effect without the raunchy, growled vocals these dudes put forth. There's a sort of undeniable groove that permeates everything they do and forces you to listen as if your life depended on it. Sadly, the record looses a bit of it's momentum near the end, possibly due to its slightly long running time, but it is nonetheless one of the most spiritual and powerful metal records of the past five years. Whilst bands like High On Fire and Mastodon impress with their sheer technical and imaginative prowess, their music's edge wears off over time and their music becomes mundane. The atmospherics of this record make it such a hefty beast to take in, that the riffs are blanketed and hidden in such a way that you have to listen to it multiple times before you can get the full picture, and even then there seems to be more sonic intricacies left undiscovered. It's an album that relies on the listeners imagination to fill in the blanks. The technical skill and writing prowess of MAKE is impressive, but on Trephine it's what they don't play that shows how great of a band they are.  

Album Review: Behold! The Monolith - Defender / Redeemist

Now that is some freaking album artwork.

Behold! The Monolith's second record, Defender / Redeemist, is a step up from their debut in many ways. Primarily the arrangements and performances are tighter and more visceral. However, despite overwhelming potential for killer live performances, the band does not show originality or ingenuity when it comes to studio recordings. The guitars are mixed way too loud, making the other instruments seem less important, and the vocals are so low in the mix that they are relegated an atmospheric element rather than a melodic driver. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but in the case of this album the songs really needed a soaring vocalist to make the indulgent guitar lines sound a little less egotistical.

However, I don't want to be too critical of this guitar player, because he has some serious chops. Out of all the modern stoner-metal guitar players, he is probably the most sophisticated technically. But from his impressive skill comes a fundamental flaw: he lacks spirit. The stoner and doom genres were founded upon rawness, and it's the lack of this fundamental element that makes him sound less like Tony Iommi and more like Randy Rhodes trying to impersonate Tony Iommi. In short, it just doesn't sound natural.

Assuming that he is the primary creative and writing force behind this group as is likely considering the overbearing placement of guitars in the mix, he needs to focus less on cramming as many ideas as possible into songs and more on making one or two good ideas fit together seamlessly. The transitions between riffs on Reedemist are not only abrupt, but also predictable. Abruptness works in thrash, death, and black metal, but Monolith's band aesthetic and tonal nature indicate that they don't want to be Anthrax, Dying Fetus, or Venom. They want to be the new Sleep, yet they end up sounding like YOB trying too hard to be Mastodon.

Of course the typical comeback argument is always, “Nah man we just want to be ourselves.” Let mm just say that that is not only the typical artist's response, but especially the typical stoner artist's response. When I listen to a lot of today's “stoner” metal I often think that the people producing it are simply so stoned when they are writing that the recycled rip-offs they produce actually appear to them to be completely original ideas indicative of their envisioned idea of their band. They are effectively really loud DJ's creating playlists of their favorite artist’s music, changing a few things around, and calling it their own work. Sadly record labels releasing this stuff don't seem to care too much either since a large portion of their market wont hear it as ripped-off, or if they do will also be too stoned to care, they will consider it totally “new” and desirable. The genre with its dystopian, tormented, and wounded humanist themes deserves better, yet band's like this continue to spit it out with the balls already lobbed off.

Some groups can meld genres blatantly, and it works, like Mastodon, whilst others need to pick one or two grooves and explore them organically, allowing the riffs, rhythms and melodies to ride out and compliment each other as needed. What's abrasive about this record is not abrasive in an intentional way. No, here tension exists sheerly from the warring forces of the band's collective mind as it struggles to discover who it is whilst clinging to prefabricated ideas of who it should be. Lie a moody teenager yearning to fit in, yet instead of fighting the powers that be, giving in to them and interpreting what it thinks is “cool” into something that is the complete opposite.  

Album Review: High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis

De Vermis Mysteriis is a perfect fusion of traditional High On Fire chug and Sleep's undeniable grooving. Des Kensel's drums are clearer than ever, but never overbearing like on Snakes for The Divine. Meanwhile, Matt Pike's vocals sit just below the almighty guitar riffs and Jeff Matz' bass swings melodically, adding perfect balance of depth and movement to the songs.

This album is by and far better than Snakes For The Divine. While the guitar tone might not be as present, the overall mix of the record makes up for it. The songwriting here is rawer, more potent, propulsive, and less self-indulgent.

However, some songs on De Vermis do feel like rip-off's from High On Fire's back catalog. Most notably opener “Serums of Liau” gets its primary vocal melody and 4/4 power chord swagger from “Brother In The Wind,” a track off the band's 2005 LP Blessed Black Wings. Also, the next track, “Bloody Knuckles” primary riff is a scathing copy of Blessed Black Wings' title-track. However, these songs strip away the excess meandering of their predecessors and replace it with pure aggression that makes them a more compelling listen.

But enough of that. This album kicks ass and here are a few songs that show why. The Sleep-inspired “Madness of An Architect” features a riff-progression as inspired as “Bastard Samurai,” but Kurt Balou's mix allots even more listenability. And closer “Warhorn” might deceive with its somewhat standard noun+medieval title, but in reality it is a plodding dirge featuring some of High On Fire's most well executed dynamic flourishes. The song paints images of a corrupt general's maddened quest across a post-apocalyptic landscape raping and pillaging the remnants of a lost civilization. Sad, heavy, and brilliant, it is a fitting closer to this great album, although I wish they would have repeated the outro riff a few more times. Also notable is instrumental “Samsara” which recalls later Ozzy-era Sabbath with its atmospheric vibes and sees High On Fire finally getting the instrumental format right. “Romolus & Remus” is another highlight which features a chugging riff akin to “Fire, Flood & Plague,” but with more to offer in its structure and originality.

Start to finish, De Vermis Mysteriis is High On Fire's best album since Surrounded By Thieves. All instruments, riffs, and aspects of production come together in a master-display of cohesive heaviness. But compared to the burgeoning sludge metal landscape it is released into, is it better than Black Cobra's recently released “Invernal”? Maybe, but better than “Snakes For The Divine” and 95% of what's been released since by comparable bands (including the ever disappointing prog-lords Mastodon)? Oh hells yes. Some songs on De Vermis are utterly simple, while others are indefinably complex, but the album as a whole proves that although High On Fire may not necessarily be traversing new ground, they are continuing to refine their style, and while occasionally recycling old riffs, remain entertaining in a burgeoned field of mediocre performers.  

The Record Industry Is Communist (And It's A Bad Thing)

The record industry is a system which rewards mediocrity. For every Kesha that is signed, there are ten or more Black Cobra's who are forced to wallow in destitute. Why are the Kesha's signed and not the Black Cobra's? Because of their perceived marketability. The record industry is no longer in the business of pressing records, they are in the business of marketing and promotions. Their sole goal is to get as many people as possible interested in their artists and buying merchandise. Meanwhile, they forget that the artists whom they sign need to have something significant to offer. In an ideal record industry the music would be by the people, of the people, and for the people.

The board of discretioners who dictate whether or not sign a band are very much akin to the community board of representatives which passed legislation in the former USSR and in present day China. A more democratic, and yes, socialistic system could be achieved through embracing the internet as the ultimate decider of artistic and commercial success. Let the consumer decide who should get radio airplay, promotion, who should tour, and who should be paid to release albums. Let every band begin the same way; as an idea in the ultimate marketplace of ideas: the internet. Let the idea be deemed a reality as the people determine it to be desirable in the grand scheme of musical evolution.

For this to succeed, the internet must be rid of pointless advertisement and transfigured into a pure stream of information and ideas. Although promotional resources are a valuable commodity, the owners of those resources should not discount the fact that the products which they are promoting are the primary focus and source of income. To allow marketing professionals who are likely to choose artists to sign based on their perceived marketability, or the ease with while they can be promoted to a mass audience, is to discount the merit of true art. This further slows musical innovation, artistic progress and human cultural evolution.

Originally published in Heavy Giant, vol. 1.

Beyond The Veil of Dogma

The sand was dry, the air salty, and I was head under water, blacked out. When I woke up I had washed ashore several feet from where my parents were sitting. I remembered only blackness. I ran to my parents, but couldn’t explain what had just happened. The truth was that at seven-years-old I didn’t know what to think of it. Was it a near death experience? Perhaps, but I didn’t see any golden gates, only the black of unconsciousness.

In our society many legends, conspiracy theories, and supernatural stories pervade. Ghosts, UFOs, and sasquatch are three prominent examples. While some evidence to prove their existence does exist, much of it is unaccepted by mainstream science, leaving individuals to decide what to believe in based on their own judgments. But really, is the concept of God any different than these other supernatural theories?

In his paper “The Cognitive Psychology of Belief in The Supernatural,” Dr. Jesse M. Bering proposes the idea that god is a manifestation of people’s desires to attach meaning to the chaotic events of their lives. “Not many people would classify their beliefs in God or heaven as ‘supernatural,’” he says, “even though that's precisely what they are.” Faced with a traumatic experience, a person could turn to faith to find an answer: “Could a belief in God have evolved to help people tear off bits of meaning from an otherwise meaningless existence?” In so doing, they might gain a sense of control and belonging – feelings sought after by most human peoples.

Man’s quest for knowledge has driven him to the conclusion that there must be a God. However, because an internal drive (desire) is the cause for this conclusion, it must be discredited as a possible reality since it is essentially an external manifestation of a non-external factor.

But emotional factors also play a role in belief. Lisa Lansing, president of the UGAtheists, can attest to this: “My mom committed suicide a year ago and I had those thoughts of ‘Oh I hope I get to see her again,’ but my beliefs were already established by then and I had to accept that I would never see her again and instead just be happy for the time we had together.” Although this sense of grief could lead one to believe in God to seek comfort, it is a belief based in emotion, or a temporary response to present circumstances. “You see a lot of patterns in religions,” she says.

Cal Clements, owner and yoga instructor at Rubber Soul Yoga, is a self-proclaimed “Imaginative Atheist.” He concurs with Lisa’s proclamation that religions are systemic: “There’s all these religions in the world, but they’re all basically saying the same thing; we’re right and you’re wrong.” The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines dogma as “A point of view put forth as authoritative without adequate grounds.” Dogmatism is the antithesis of free-thought and when dogmatic views clash, wars can be the result. “When one side says the other is wrong it threatens their personal immortality,” says Cal, “It’s the cause for most of the worlds wars.”

On rare occasions, a devout atheist can revert to their former religious beliefs. Rich Suplita, a UGA Psychology lecturer, is one such Christian turned Atheist turned back to Christian. On the subject of dogmatism, Rich says “I don’t believe it [Christianity] to be dogmatic, but rather, exclusive.” Like many Christians, Rich relies on the Bible for much of his personal evidence to support his claims that Christianity is the correct religion. “Revelations is written as apocrypha – literature in symbolic terms. But the gospels report to be historic literature,” he says. Despite his devout belief in the bible, Rich remains a free-thinker and says that “I believe that it is possible for all religions to be invalid, but as a Christian I don’t follow that.”

Another Atheist Journalist, William Hamby of the Atlanta Examiner, interviewed Rich and attributed his flip-flopping between beliefs to the long term effects of childhood indoctrination. “Where I see psychological mechanisms compelling him towards familiarity, nostalgia, and comfort, he sees the invisible hand of God pointing out the most compelling reasons to return to faith,” he says.

If no God exists, then after death we simply return to nothingness, like any other animal. But is nothingness truly worse, or different from the concept of an afterlife? “They’re not fearing death itself,” says Lisa, “they are fearing the experience of death.” Because who really knows what awaits us after death? Nothingness or singularity in heaven are equally plausible and mysterious outcomes. Both are also completely beyond comprehension within the human experience since by definition they exist outside of life itself, further justifying the lack of significant evidence to prove either as actual realities.

But perhaps believing in an idea is better than believing in a scientifically supported reality. Josh Wooton, a minister at the LifeChruch of Athens, an avant-garde Christian church that is based on the Baptist denomination, says “Does it take less faith to believe in evolution than God? If we all came from the primordial soup, then where did the soup come from?” He theorizes that there are only a handful of scholars who can understand the creation of the universe through evolution and that it is just as plausible for a divine creator to have been involved. “It takes some kind of faith to believe in evolution,” he says. “The greatest scientists in the world can’t explain where the first piece of matter came from without God.”

University of Georgia theology professor William L. Power says that belief in something should not be based solely on observable evidence. “There’s emotional and moral factors that must be taken into consideration when determining what one is to believe,” he says. “There are several levels to faith: First is to just believe it. Second is to believe on someone else’s authority. Third is to believe because of a personal experience.” To expound on Power’s third level; some people claim to have witnessed supernatural forces. To them, these things are real, but to another person their claims must be justified through credibility. Dr. Power, then suffering from a cold, gave an example: “I’m going to see my doctor tomorrow to get this cold checked out. I trust that, because he has gone to medical school, he is going to give me an accurate assessment. But I would have to go to medical school myself to truly believe what he is saying.” Similarly, Christians trust (have faith) that what the bible is telling them is true based on evidences such as it’s widespread acceptance that lend to its observed credibility.

The communal aspect of church is a large draw for many religious peoples. People yearn for belonging and thus believe in things regardless of their absolute knowledge of them as truths since the belief alone provides them with a sense of belonging and collective comfort. Some atheists would argue that to them it is better to suffer the fear of the unknown in mass than on one’s own. But atheists are not immune to the natural human desire for community; the UGAtheists meet once weekly on campus to discuss philosophical matters regarding life after death and the greater meaning of life, albeit without a god. – Is this truly any different than attending church every Sunday?

In an ideal world all believers would weigh the three evidences equally, but many do not, choosing instead to seal themselves within the confines of dogmatism. Perhaps this is due to laziness, ignorance, fear, or a combination. Regardless, millions of people have died to protect their dogmatic beliefs since the idea of another religion being correct threatens their personal salvation. Furthermore, they fear the idea of death, or nothingness - but those ideas are no more or less tangible than ghosts, UFO’s, sasquatch, or heaven. To humanize these ideas using man-made literature such as the bible and quoran is essentially a fallacy since the idea of god is intended to be beyond human understanding. And yet it is human nature to quest after knowledge and understanding of the unexplainable. “Religion is man’s attempt to understand God,” Josh says. People should never stop trying to understand the natural world or theorizing about the world that awaits them, but it should be done through a veil of personal skepticism, not from behind the blinding mask of dogmatism.

I stood at the

surface

of a frozen pond

and wondered what was inside.

But then I realized

it didn’t matter,

because what’s there

was in my mind.