Gruesome Greg

Blogs, Featured, Gruesome Greg October 15, 2011

The guitar player from Solstice and the bass player from Pagan Altar log on to a board. Hilarity ensues!

Take this posting about the new Pagan Altar/Mirror of Deception split 7″, for instance, in which PA bassist Manny Cooke reveals that the song his band contributes is a guide track–not the full lineup, just Al & Terry Jones with a drum machine. What happens next can only be described as a flame war of epic proportions, the best bit of doom drama not involving Bobby Liebling since Andy Beresky’s epiphany.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio October 3, 2011

Black Cobra – Invernal

Don’t get me wrong, I like my sludge metal, but I’m more into bands that bring something palatable to the table. If I were to liken the genre to a Mexican restaurant—I also like me some Mexican food—Black Cobra would be the basket of plain tortilla chips they put out before the main course.

Blogs, Featured, Gruesome Greg September 17, 2011

Kyuss Lives! Long Live Kyuss!

Last nite, Kyuss Lives! kicked off its North American tour in Toronto, with support from The Sword and MonstrO. To say that the venue was a little out of the way would be an understatement, and the support was a little underwhelming, but I woulda given a kidney to see 90 minutes of Kyuss tunes in the flesh. I’m just glad I didn’t have to!

Blogs, Featured, Gruesome Greg September 3, 2011

Sonic Boom, Two Inches to the Left

There is an old episode of That 70’s Show where the Foremans hire Hyde’s stoner pal Leo (played by Tommy Chong) and his contractor buddy (a cameo from Richard Karn, aka “Al” from Home Improvement) to renovate their basement. The pothead contractors do their thing, much to Red and Kitty’s dismay, moving everything in the basement two inches to the left. I was reminded of this episode when I visited the new Sonic Boom on Bathurst today, right around the corner from their old space on Bloor. I had to wonder if the contractors who oversaw the relocation called their creation “Sonic Boom, Two Inches to the Left.”

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio August 31, 2011

Rwake – Rest

An original effort of epic proportions, Rest takes the music of Neurosis/Isis into the 21st century, with their own unique southern touch. Often, songs this long have me nodding off, but there is enough dynamic fluidity, changes of tempo, pace and styles to keep me interested throughout.