R.I.P. Jacques Wiltse

You gave me the best 14 and a half years I could have asked for.

"Are you ready", asked the Veterinarian as he steadied the syringe. "Yes", I responded tearfully.

You licked my face one last time and then it was over.

Cherish your time with you pets.

No man should have to kill his best friend.

BLACKLISTED "No One Deserves To Be Here More Than Me" LP

I was never a real BLACKLISTED fan prior to this, I always thought that they were pretty mediocre considering how "successful" they were so here I am having to review a horrible record by a pedestrian hardcore band. Ugh, yeah it's as bad as you've heard. There is a heavy mid-90's Seattle influence here...including an acoustic jam, lots of attempts at singing, a couple of moody interludes to break up the songs and some really bad jazz-like guitar work (most evident on "Palisade" but it pops up a couple of other places too). I suppose this is post-hardcore? Perhaps for the more adventurous and accepting out there, they could find some value here but I like hardcore...plain and simple and hardcore this is not. So bad that it doesn't deserve a little quote in italics under the LP cover.

NAILS "Unsilent Death" LP

"Scum Will Rise"

Ever wonder what it would sound like if you mixed TALK IS POISON with DISMEMBER? I'm probably oversimplifying but there is definitely some great Scandinavian death metal guitar work filtered through one of those abrasive and caustic Prank Records type bands. Unsilent Death begins with "Conform" a 30 second blast that would do NASUM proud and is one of 5 tracks that don't break the one minute mark . NAILS combine grind, dirge, d-beat and thrash to near perfection. I love fast as much as Pushead did but its songs like "Depths" and the title track that are standouts for me and are true auditory evidence that NAILS can craft as well as blast. Now what if I told you that Todd Jones, ex-CARRY ON and TERROR member was the main man behind all this? I know, fucking weird right? Well, it matters not to me cause this record fucking peels paint. Highly recommended...