Tiamat - The Sleeping Beauty Live In Israel

The first three Tiamat albums were transcendent and revolutionary.  Absolute masterpieces ending the trilogy with their jaw dropping "Wildhoney."  This EP is a live recording from Tiamat recorded in Israel in 1993 on a tour to support their sophomore album, "Clouds."  

Tiamat claim there were no overdubs on this fabulous performance, and whether that is true or not is up to debate, but this is an excellent documentation of an amazing band at the height of their career.

I found this EP at a small record store in Missoula, MT in 1994 right when it was released.  It was the only good record they had.  More info on the EP HERE and download the damn thing HERE.  

G.G. Allin - Carnival Of Excess

One of my favorite GG records.  His best bleak country record.  A must hear, even for GG haters.  GG was notorious for his punk rock and his stage antics, but this album shows another side of him.  

Alongside Dee Dee Ramone, GG was the real deal, a true punk rock genius.  He even covers "Carmelita" on this record, a Hank Williams song, and now Hank Williams III covers a GG Allin song live.  It all comes full circle.  Download and recognize the tourtured genius that was GG Allin.

Oh yeah, and a big thank you to Nick Wusz for making me listen to GG and discover one of my all time favorite artists, and a big FUCK YOU to Asa who hates GG.  But he will learn...

Download HERE

Mr. Bungle - OU818

Mr. Bungle's last and best demo was called "OU818", the title being a send-up of Van Halen's "OU812" album.  The demo was recorded in June of 1989 and was released on cassette.  A year after this demo was released, they inked their deal with Warner Brothers and re-recorded four of these songs for their debut album.

Years later, the demo was re-released on a bootleg CD called "Excrement" which doesn't differ in content, but for some reason the track order has changed.  What I am presenting here is actually the "Excrement" Bootleg version because the sound quality is so much better.  

It is really interesting to hear these songs in demo form, but the real gem here is the only studio version of "Mr.  Nice Guy," a track that was never officially released, but the band used to play frequently.   The other gem is the Milli Vanilli reference that has become somewhat of a legend amongst Bungle freaks.  See if you can recognize it.

More info on the orginal cassette demo HERE and more info on the bootleg HERE and you can download the bootleg HERE.  

Pan Thy Monium - III Khaooohs And Kon-fus-ion

I don't care what anyone says, Pan Thy Monium is the best Dan Swano project.  I like Edge Of Sanity and most of his other projects, but there will never be another Pan Thy Monium.  The band was only around for a short period of time, and only released three full length albums, a demo and an EP, but in that short period of time they turned death metal on its ear.

"III Khaooohs And Kon-fus-ion" was their last album, and their best.  It's impossible to describe  properly, it just must be heard to be believed.  This is one of the best examples I can think of of a truly great experimental avante-garde metal album.  When boundaries are pushed, and new things are tried, and it all works,  flawlessly.  More info on the band HERE and download the album HERE. 

Legenda - Autumnal

Ever pull out Impaled Nazarene's "Suomi Finland Perkele" just to listen to "Blood Is Thicker Than Water?"  I know I have, and if you are like me, you wish there was an album of songs just like that one.  Well, there are two.  Kimmo "Sir" Luttinen of Impaled Nazarene got together with his buddy Niko Karppinen in 1997 under the name Legenda and released "Autumnal."

Of course it doesnt really sound all that much like "Blood Is Thicker Than Water," but that is a good point of departure for a description.  The band released two albums, this one and then in 1998 they released their last album "Eclipse," both on Holy Records.

This album shows what a great songwriter Kimmo is outside of goat worship and blast beats.  More info on the band HERE and download the album HERE.

Confessor - Confessor EP

In 1991 Confessor's debut album "Condemned" was received by many like a turd in a punch bowl.  It was strange, unsettling, and no one had ever hearad anything like it.  Strange ass off-kilter drums, and grating soprano vocals over mathy doomy guitar work.  Nothing has existed like it since.

Confessor are truly a "Love 'em or hate 'em" type band, and I love 'em.  Like caviar, they are a required taste, but man, the fruits they bear are worth trying again and again, they are a singular experience.

Today fans on Confessor regard them as legendary.  Members from Pantera to Sepultura to various death metal bands all over the world have cited them as an influence.  in 2002 the band reformed and released a demo, an EP and a full length to mixed reviews.  

This EP was released in 1992 and features two Trouble covers and two originals.  The Ep is a rare taster into this extraordinary band.  Find more info on them HERE and download the album HERE.

Eric Friesen - The Friesenberg Concertos

One morning in June of 2006 I got up early and went to work.  When I got to my office I checked my Email and there was an Email from an Agalloch fan passing on his condolences of the passing of my friend Eric Friesen of Windham Hell.  I thought, there must be some mistake, I havent heard of Eric dying, how would some random guy on the internet know?  I called his best friend Leland, the mainman behind Windham Hell, and he confirmed the news.  Eric died due to complications with his diabetes.

Now that it has almost been 3 years since his death, I thought I would post his last solo album, plus a couple of bonus tracks.  He had two solo albums, and both were self released, limited ventures that got no attention and weren't distributed hardly at all.  Friesen was a guitar genius, a real virtuoso that sadly never got the recognition he deserved.  

Presented on 'The Friesenberg Concertos" are his interpretations of everything from Vivaldi to Bach, to Beethoven to Mendelssohn with everything performed by Friesen.  At the end I tagged on a couple of experimental pieces that were never released, at least to my knowledge.

You can find more info on Eric HERE and download the album HERE.