From Dethbridge to Westeros (spending time with Desi Wood)
Good things come to those who wait, the saying goes. And it’s no exaggeration when I say that I’ve almost given up of having Desi’s answers in the Rubber Axe webzine, but sometimes just things have their own peculiar way to reach us.
Locked down in Russia (an interview with Sergey Krechetov)
We’re no strangers to Russian underground scene – but we’ve only started to dip in the large reservoir of the sounds and noises coming from there. That’s why I always welcome the opportunity to learn more about various artists/labels from Russia. You could be familiar with Olga Tlen (and you should), and now, let’s welcome another noise artist – Sergey Krechetov.
Water Bottle Bong / job4abrokeback / Zombie Raiders (digital 3-way split review)
During the conversation after finishing our video interview Ian Berling has mentioned the upcoming 3-way split which would feature his band Zombie Raiders. And to his surprise (and my delight), the material was already released just a day before! Talk about good timing!
Black Fucking Cancer / Gloam – Boundless Arcane Invokations (split review)
The year of 2019 saw some pretty cool releases, and while it’s taken time to check many of those (well, they are really many to check), it’s still better to hear some later than never.
Barkasth – Hear My Void (digital promo review)
This one is with me for some time, and finally I’ve kicked myself in the ass to give it a listen. That’s not a fault of Barkasth, I just haven’t been in a mood for black metal storm lately.
Going Russian (J. R. interviews Excoriation)
Excoriation hails from Russia. A three-piece band from the Moscow area offering up splattery and slammy death metal. Their self-titled debut album on New Standard Elite remains one of my favorite death metal albums to blast in the car. Heavy, unrelenting, absolutely bulldozing music which puts me in a nice meditative state! Perfect driving music! Keeps me sane in a world of terrible drivers. I mean seriously, would you rather sit in traffic listening to some blabbering on the radio or put yourself in a mental trance of heart-pounding blastbeats? I choose the blast.
One day in a very noisy life (with Jay Watson of Placenta Recordings)
One of many things I love in exploring and discovering new genres, labels and artists is the variety of opinions, the untapped reservoire of sounds, melodies and (dis)harmonies – not to mention absolutely fantastic approach of people to each other. The instant and constant cameraderie is a feeling to be felt and a real thing indeed. And that’s why here in the Rubber Axe we strive to give a shout to people who deserve the appreciation.
Today, dear folks, we had Jay Watson from Placenta Recordings here and we’ve had a blast time chatting. About what? Well, see for yourself…
Bathyum – Rituals of the Damned (album review)
I have a confession to make. I’ve had the opportunity to listen to this debut album of Bathyum when it was released back in February 2016 and I was like …yeah, this album rules, I will review it!
At Their Mercy – Disawowed (digital release review)
Do you recall my review of Aggressus’ 2008 demo I’ve posted the other day? Well, if you do, good news for you, At Their Mercy’s artillery is served by the same guy, Dominic “Dom” Hardy. And I have to say he has his hands full here as well!
Aggressus – Cleansing of the Mind (demo review)
When I’ve decided to change my playlist for a moment and was looking for some good thrash metal from the UK, I’d encounter quite a few bands no longer existing. Shame, but I guess that’s life.