✝ BANG 'EM 'TIL THEY BLEED ✝ - A MIX BY ANNA HALLSTROM

 

Here is a fantastic guest mix, curated by long-time Maniac Anna Hallstrom, back in 2013. 

It was fully restored when rebuilding the music hard-drive earlier this year and felt it is far too good to be sat there, so it is time you all got a blast of this one.

I found some now-all-time favorurites from this (Black Rose's "Sucker for Your Love", being one) and who knows, it may even end up being your spring/summer 2025 mix...

OBITUARY:
1. PERSIAN RISK - DON'T TURN AROUND
2. NIGHTMARE - WAITING FOR THE TWILIGHT
3. ALIEN FORCE- TO YOU
4. BLACK ROSE - SUCKER FOR YOUR LOVE
5. OBSESSION - BANG 'EM TIL THEY BLEED
6. HERETIC - ENEMY WITHIN
7. QUEENSRŸCHE - DELIVERANCE
8. LIZZY BORDEN - GODIVA
9. ARMORED SAINT CAN U DELIVER
10. ACCEPT - CHINA LADY
11. PICTURE - UNEMPLOYED
12. KILLER - READY FOR HELL
13. SEDUCER - BLIZZARD
14. DEATH DEALER - SHERRY
15. ZONE ZERO - WIN OR DIE

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OR STREAM FOR FREE VIA PATREON

The 2024 Show, Pt. II

OK, so due to the lengthy gap between December's 2024 show and 2025's first show on January 29th, I have uploaded a part two to the last show—another two-hour special of more 2024 releases—to my Patreon. I have kept the subscriber fee as low as possible, as I don't expect too many subs, but will be adding lots of stuff throughout the year.

But first up, The 2024 Show, Pt. II. Enjoy.

OBITUARY:
1. LIFELESS DARK  BROKEN MIRRORS
2. HELVETETS PORT - BLACK KNIGHT
3. NECROMANIAC - GREAT IS THE THIRST OF THE RESTLESS DEAD
4. OLD WAINDS - THE ETERNAL, THE DEAD, THE ARCANE  
5. SABBATH - SABBATICULT
6. FLAGELADÖR - CONJURAÇÃO
7. BLACK CURSE - RUINOUS PATHS
8. SATURNALIA TEMPLE - ASCENDING THE PALE
9. GOAT SEMEN - LOS OJOS DE JUDAS
10. COMMAND - TWISTED MIND
11. DØDSKVAD - LENKET TIL BUNNEN
12. DEATHLESS VOID - PURPLE TRIAD
13. CONCRETE WINDS - POUNDING DEVOTION
14. VITRIFICATION - ABERRATOR
15. MYSTIC SPEAR - GARDENS OF LUMINESCENCE
16. DEATHRITE - BOTTOMLESS GRAVES
17. TRANSHUNTER - MINIMAL ZOO
18. DESTRUCT - THIOKOL
19. GOAT WORSHIP - DEAD'S PATH
20. TROLLCAVE - INTRO/GROTESQUE ABYSSAL TRESPASSER
21. DIPYGUS - THE OCHOPEE SKUNK APE

HERE

Midnite Madness C—God-Fisting 100!

Alright, in-fucking-deed! Show 100. Never thought it would carry on so long, etc, but been great hosting and will continue to do so until it isn't.
There was a long shout-out at the end, but kinda forgot to thank all the bands for making the show/life possible—ETERNAL HAILS.
This wasn't a best-of, per se, more just some cool stuff I maybe hadn't played before, so enjoy it. Be back next month, September 20th, for more MIDNITE MADNESS.

A Fist In The Face Of God presents... 1-800-666-1986

ALRIGHTTT. Just a little New Year gift to all my loyal maniacs. Yes, I know, it's a repost of a mix I did last year, but I have removed my talking in favour of an extra track and it is now available for both download and to stream on its own. And I also made the pretty killer new artwork above. Shouts again to the Satan Made Me Do It guys for playing this out previously and for all their hard work spreading the forgotten language of HEAVY METAL across the data airwaves. Soon!

Just demo tracks from 1986. Not an essential list or best of, etc, as I've played out a bunch of the really killer stuff on my show or on featured mixes, so just what I felt like playing at the time and what I haven't gotten round to playing out so far. As all came from MP3s with varying quality, sound may fluctuate from good to, well, kinda shit, but hey, they are ALL killer tracks. Shouts again to the guys Satan Made Me Do It Guys again for being patient, appreciative and all-round good people, makes it all the more worthwhile. This one's for you, Satan!

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Midnite Madness XCI—2016

ALRIGHTTT. Show 91, the year's closer, has me showcasing my favourite releases of this very year, 2016. Not necessarily, the best, but the ones I listened to most. Hails again to you all for listening, NTS for hosting, and also to all the music and promo-makers—without these four elements the show would not happen, so thank you.
I will return with more MIDNITE MADNESS every four weeks from January 11th, 2017. Here are all my show-dates for next year:

JANUARY 11th

FEBRUARY 8th

MARCH 8th

APRIL 5th

MAY 3rd & 31st

JUNE 28th

JULY 26th

AUGUST 23rd

SEPTEMBER 20th

OCTOBER 18th

NOVEMBER 15th

DECEMBER 13th

Haven't really figured out the format for next year's show, but I am thinking with the hour I have, the way I did it this year works best. So expect my month's listening, which will almost always be 30 mins of Golden Era metal, with 30 mins of newer stuff, give or take. Soon!

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Oh, and one last thing. APOLOGIES to the few who requested download links for the last four shows I just didn't get round to uploading. I have done all four now plus the new one above, and they're below, or links on the individual show pages.

MM LXXXVII—Bad Reputation

MM LXXXVIII—Possessed by Metal

MM LXXXIX—Lords of the Abyss

MM XC—Addicted to Madness

A Fist in the Face of God presents... Live Evil Mix 2016

And we return, like the evil itself. Welcome back to the realm of real metal that is the Live Evil festival, returning to its rightful home, London's Boston Arms, after a cracking edition out in Berlin earlier this year.
Legendary doom metal pioneers Pentagram headline the festival's culmination on Sunday evening, but before they show us all how it's done there will be rare performances from NWOBHM heroes and relative obscurants, Demon and Millennium, respectively; black-thrash maniacs from down under, Destroyer 666; and hell, even the classic blues rock band Groundhogs are assembling a new lineup, featuring the original drummer, for this year's madness.
In what is perhaps the most varied lineup yet, there will be bands playing almost all styles, from death, thrash and black metal to a lot of traditional heavy metal styles – but don't miss out on the soon-to-be-legendary Black Magic returning to the UK for a rare appearance of their own. In fact, there will be a fair amount of newer bands playing bluesier/hard rock styles, which should mix up the audience a little. So in case you're worried that scary older brother types with cooler patches than yours will steal all your beer money, don't, because there'll be plenty of kids in flares looking a bit lost, wondering why they're not in a forest watching Wytch Hazel.
Anyway, I can say what I like here, but all you lot are interested in is the mix, so let's go. Thanks again to tall the bands for supplying the permission/tracks for the mix, and to Marek and Oscar for keeping it alive.

TRACKLIST:
1. Demon (UK) - "Intro: An Observation/Don't Break the Circle" [1982]
2. Antichrist (Sweden) - "Put to Death" [2010]
3. Horisont (Sweden) - "Odyssey" [2015]
4. Black Magic (Norway) - "Death Militia" [2014]
5. Millennium (UK) - "The Devil Rides Out [Re-recorded]" [2016]
6. Wytch Hazel (UK) - "We Will Be Strong" [2016]
7. Live Burial (UK) - "Forced Back to Life" [2016]
8. Insurgency (UK) - "Destined for Death" [Rough Mix]" [2016]
9. Barrow Wight (Canada) - "No Sleep Till Gondor" [2016]
10. Inconcessus Lux Lucis (UK) - "Corona" [2014]
11. Vulture (Germany) - "DTD (Delivered to Die)" [2016]
12. Pentagram (USA) - "Burning Saviour" [1987]

1986-6-6 Mix on Rádio Quântica

ALRIGHT. As promised, albeit a little later than I originally thought, here is my first guest mix (!), compiled for the maniacs of Rádio Quântica's Satan Made Me Do It show. Yes, I guess Satan Made Me Do it guys made me do it, but I had blast making this. It was actually supposed to be Midnite Madness 86, but it felt like an old Maniac Monday show, and those guys seems to love the old format, so I decided to give it to them instead.
Just demo tracks from 1986. Not an essential list or best of, etc, as I've played out a bunch of the really killer stuff, so just what I felt like playing at the time and what I haven't gotten round to blasting on my show. As all came from MP3s with varying quality, so sound may fluctuate from good to, well, kinda shit, but ALL killer tracks. You can listen below. Maybe if enough people want it solo, I can maybe upload it, but just enjoy it whatever (I am up in hour two).
Shouts to the guys again for being patient and appreciative and all-round good people, makes it all the more worthwhile. Who knows, maybe I will return next year with a 1987 demo mix for them... Kill the weekend!

A Fist in the Face of God presents... Live Evil Berlin Mix 2016

 No, you haven't awakened from a deep sleep where summer totally passed you by. It's not October, and – if you live in Tufnell Park – your neighbourhood isn't about to be taken over by long hairs. Instead, the organisers of Live Evil have decided to indulge in some Channel-crossing, taking their now-legendary underground metal festival to Berlin. And boy, have they got a lineup for you.

The invasion takes place at Cassiopeia from May the 27th to the 28th—with the pre-show elsewhere—showcasing a range of bands both new and old, hailing from the USA to Brazil to Finland and beyond. In fact, a few of the bands playing this year's event were literal nobodies when the first Live Evil took place back in 2010, a point I raised with Tooth Log of Brooklyn's Natur at last year's festival. His reply was simple, yet very American: "WE'RE ALUMNI NOW, DUDE!" And right he was.

Take Occvlta, too. Their appearance back in 2010 was their inaugural desecration; now, the world waits as they prepare to drop their debut LP. So you've got some of the underground's success stories playing, with everyone's thrash favourites Antichrist closing proceedings at the after show on Saturday. Unfortunately Manilla Road declined to appear on this mix, citing their music is available online to listen to, but Live Evil did come up with this little 8-bit teaser. Damn, that really took me back to playing Castlevania on the SNES as a mulletted young Slayer-tee-wearing lad.

But onto the mix: almost 70 minutes of heavy, death, black, thrash, etc. All bands sent their songs over, and some even contributed exclusive tracks, so hails to them for their work in making both this and the festival happen. As not to show bias, I used the running order of the festival to arrange the track list, so it can also double-up as a kind of band time guide, or something. Shouts to Marek, and Ezio and Ricky of Wolf City, for making it happen. Snap up the few remaining tickets here.

TRACKLIST:
1. Nachash (Norway) "A Necromancer's Lament" [2015]
2. Vulcano (Brazil) "The Tenth Writing" [2014]
3. Morbid Panzer (Germany) "Sodomizer of Death" [2015]
4. Hard Action (Finland) "Tunnel Vision" [2016]
5. Occvlta (Germany) "Last ov the Sabbaths (Live)" [2015]
6. Zex (Canada) "Wild Blood (Alternate version)" [2014]
7. Dungeon (UK) "Innocent Evil" [2016]
8. Chapel Of Disease (Germany) "Symbolic Realms" [2015]
9. Indian Nightmare (Germany) "Betrayers" [2016]
10. Degial (Sweden) "Savage Mutiny" [2015]
11. Amulet (UK) "Levitation (Hawkwind cover)" [2016]
12. Bulldozer (Italy) "Another Beer (It's What I Need)" [1984]
13. Vorum (Finland) "Current Mouth" [2015]
14. Natur (USA) "The Invitation" [2015]
15. Antichrist (Sweden) "Terror Dimension" [2011]

A Fist in the Face of God presents... Too Fast to Die!!!—Sgt. Salsten's Raging Metal Mix!

Since Sergeant Salsten moved to Tasmania, his band workload has gone down, understandably (even though he is working on a speed metal project down there called Torpedo, shhh), and his time for making insanely cool mixes has increased. I've posted a lot of killer compilations on here over the years, and many have surprised with me with their selections, but Daniel's are something else.

First of all, he draws his own covers, and secondly, he usually sends what most people would consider two, maybe even three mixtape's worth of tracks, this one being no exception. I can't praise this one enough, but at over two hours running time it really shall separate the die-hards from the dabblers. I'll leave the the rest in his more than capable hands...

So Dylan asked me to do another mix and I thought this time I'll make one with only violent death and thrash metal. Some of the bands actually lean more towards speed or black metal, but most importantly it's all fast and ripping, no wimpy shit guaranteed! So grab a six-pack or two and break your neck with these intense tunes for a couple of hours if ya got the balls. This mix is way long so only for sick maniacs, thrash to the death cuz there is no tomorrow!

TRACKLIST:
1. Aggression (Canada) - "Blaspheming at the Altar" [1985]
2. Savage Death (USA) - "Legions of Doom" [1985]
3. Slaughter Lord (Australia) - "Die by Power" [1986]
4. Vellocet (Germany) - "Assassin on Attack" [1986]
5. Vomit (Norway) - "Armies of Hell" [1987]
6. Terminal Death (USA) - "Judge Death" [1985]
7. Kruiz (Russia) - "Poslednij Rassvet" [1987]
8. Invocator (Denmark) - "Dismal Serfage" [1988]
9. Debustrol (Czech Republic) - "Antikrist" [1990]
10. Mein Kampf (Japan) - "Speeder" [1985]
11. Disaster (Chile) - "Desquiciado" [2004]
12. Kreator (Germany) - "After the Attack" [1988]
13. Bombarder (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - "Speed Metal Manijak" [1991]
14. Spectral Birth (Australia) - "Frog of Fear" [1990]
15. Witchhammer (Norway) - "Curiosity About Death" [1990]
16. Leviathan (USA) - "Destructive Aggressor" [1987]
17. Korrozia Metalla (Russia) - "Чёрный террор" [1988]
18. Backwater (Germay) - "Rock Hard" [1984]
19. Vader (Poland) - "The Final Massacre" [1989]
20. Dorsal Atlântica (Brazil) - "Depressão Suicida" [1986]
21. Second Hell (Holland) - "Homicide" [1986]
22. Devastation (USA) - "Apocalyptic Warrior" [1986]
23. Xandril (Germany) - "Nearly Dead" [1988]
24. Evil Blood (Croatia) - "Kill with Napalm" [1986]
25. The Beast (USA) - "Pitbull Terror" [1986]
26. Metal Storm (Germany) - "Suicide Commando" [1987]
27. Pyöveli (Finland) - "Metal Forces" [2003]
28. VooDoo (Poland) - "Da Czadu VooDoo" [1987]
29. Casbah (Japan) - "Death Metal" [1986]
30. Dismember (Sweden) - "Substantually Dead" [1988]
31. Atomic Aggressor (Chile) - "Bloody Ceremonial" [1989]
32. Outrage (Germany) - "Into the Abyss of Belial" [1985]
33. Mutilator (Brazil) - "Evil Conspiracy" [1986]
34. Sodom (Germany) - "Live from Hell" [1984]
35. Acheron (USA) - "The Enochian Key" [1992]

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Live Evil: Volume Two

 

London is preparing for the return of darkness and Live Evil, once again. That's right, my favourite real metal festival is back and, as usual, they've somehow managed to produce another impressive line-up. This year's edition sees Bulldozer and Tygers Of Pan Tang headline, with a killer pre-show on the Friday before a weekend of headbanging heaven.

The guys at Live Evil—Marek and Oscar—have included a free cassette compilation of some of the bands playing the weekend—featuring some exclusive tracks—free with each ticket, and they've been kind enough to let me preview it for your ears to get you all pumped up and ready to destroy Tuffnell Park this week. Hell's fire!

Here, some words from Marek:

Last year was the best Live Evil yet, which is saying something. The Dome is the perfect venue for us and the atmosphere was electric. This year will be even better, with our biggest and best line up and loads of great extras in place, including the free cassette. Our headliners are going to blow the doors off; we have all the young bands we wanted, including Helvetets Port (finally); and Chaos UK and Stray give us a slightly different flavour with the best hardcore punk and classic rock currently playing in the UK. I'm expecting to hear: "This is the best festival in the world, mate" at least ten times a day.

There are still some tickets available, so be sure to clear the calendar of all that lying around hungover for some heavy metal mania. All info here and tickets here.

TRACKLIST:
SIDE A
1. Mindless Sinner (Sweden) - "We Go Together"

2. Flight (Norway) - "Flight" [03:39]
3. Nekromantheon (Norway) - "Cryovolcanic Eruption"
 [08:29]
4. Helvetets Port (Sweden) - "Hero of an Age"* [14:00]
5. Vampire (Sweden) - "Night Hunter"* [17:25]
6. Witching Hour (Germany) - "Once Lost Souls Returned"* [20:40]

SIDE B
7. Speedtrap (Finland) - "No Glory Found" [28:02]
8. Bulldozer (Italy) - "Cut Throat (Live At Rock Hard Festival 2012)"*
 [32:10]
9. ZOM (Ireland) - "Flesh Assimilation" [33:54]
10. Krossburst (Norway) - "Goddess of Midnight"* [38:38]
11. Seven Sisters (England) - "Lost in Time"
 [42:55]
12. Dungeon (England) - "Unholy Speed Attack"* [47:26]
* Exclusive tracks for Live Evil: Volume Two


Thanks to all the bands, Fenriz, Joel De'ath, Joseph Oremus, Costin Chioreanu, James Gall and the staff The Dome, plus all hard rock advocates.
 

Trapped Under Vice

It has been almost five years to the day since the last in the so-far-five-part mix series, Trapped Under Vice, was posted on this very blog. The original links for these mixes got lost to DMCA complaints etc. so I have finally re-uploaded all five volumes for your downloading and listening pleasure.
The series spanned a 14-month spell from July 2009 to September 2010 in which the prolific mixmaker, now simply titled DJ Fenriz, supplied me with five killer mixes, each one an almost entirely different genre to the last, which undeniably had its influence on my radio show. Of course, he went on to do more sweet mixes for this blog and others, before finally starting his own radio show earlier this year.
So here, once again, for all those who weren't around then or didn't know/care, are the mixes. I had to "remaster" some of the artworks due to the odd mistake and bad typeface, but if you want more info on the mixes such as tracklistings and wise words from the man himself about each compilation, click through the title to get to the original post for each respective mix. Cry out!

VOLUME I

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VOLUME II

DOWNLOAD

VOLUME III

DOWNLOAD

VOLUME IV feat. SINDRE SOLEM

DOWNLOAD

VOLUME V

DOWNLOAD

I will be (slowly) re-uploading all the missing links for all the AFITFOG mixes in time. 'til then, keep it locked to Radio Fenriz (especially the CULT METAL shows), for similar listening. Thanks again to Fenriz for keeping the flame lit and to all heavy metal maniacs worldwide. Hell awaits!

A Fist in the Face of God presents... DVP: Shredding The Iron Curtain - A Mix by Florian Grill

The summer may have ended somewhat prematurely, but the mixtape mania has not. This month I welcome a new name to my illustrious team of compilers, one Florian Grill, head of the excellent Dying Victims Productions label and author of the biblically-sized annual zine, Thrash Attack.
We've been corresponding rather sporadically since meeting a few years back, but I always keep an eye on the stuff his label puts out, as he's always championing two things I love: forgotten 80s bands and new bands that raise the spirits of the ancient metal gods. So I asked him to compile some of his best stuff from this year and some forgotten gems, and fail he did not, by showing me some bands I hadn't even heard of. On with the battery!

Over to Florian:

Having played some of my material previously on the Midnite Madness radio show, Dylan suggested I should put together a small mixtape with some material from Dying Victims Productions. I chose the more recent releases, which came out in the last three to four months, but I also included a second lot of tracks. Basically, it's a mixture of killer bands from East Germany who have released or are on the edge releasing their debut albums, with the other half being American bands that never made it over the demo stage in the 80s—except for Hirax obviously, but they sound totally different on this demo— but easily tear apart many properly recorded albums. Enjoy! [This tracklist is a little different to the one posted on VICE as it contains five extra tracks adding 28 minutes to the mix.]

TRACKLIST:

Recent releases on DVP:

1. Deathstorm (Austria) - "Massgrave" [shredding death thrash]
2. Bastardizer (Australia) - "Demons Unleashed" [Whipstriker is known to your followers, that’s why only the 2nd band from the split is represented here]
3. Poseidon (Germany) - "Beyond the Seven Gates of Hell" [forgotten thrash from the late ‘80s]
4. Dresden (Germany) - "Sound of Silence" [‘86 thrash covering Simon and Garfunkel!] 
5. Vigilance (Slovenia) - "Tower of Black Sorcery" [raw black speed]
6. Throaat (USA) - "Evil Dead" [New York’s filthy death/thrash/heavy brigade]
7. Iron Kobra (Germany) – "Cult of the Snake" [amazing track by the heavy/speed metal warriors]
8. Sanctifying Ritual (Germany) - "Carved in Rotten Remains" [dirty underground death metal]
9. Satan's Cross (Mexico) - "Sumerian Night" [cool death/thrash/doom mix]
10. Witch Blade (Sweden) - "Ljusets Apostel" [traditional heavy metal]
11. Mion's Hill (Norway) - "Eaten Alive" [putrid black/death metal]
Other killer bands (New bands from East Germany and old overlooked demo stuff from the USA):
12. Nocturnal Witch (Germany) – H.M.S.S. [blackened thrash]
13. Fatal Violence (USA) - "Violence Is Golden" [power/speed metal, ’85]
14. Serpent (Germany) – Possessed by Night [Nwobhm inspired heavy/speed metal]
15. Blood Spill (USA) – Phantasm [totally possessed death/thrash, ’86]
16. Have Mercy (USA) - "Show Me Your Rage" [great power/speed metal, ‘84]
17. Schafott (Germany) - "Total Cleansing" [some more blackened thrash]
18. Gargoyle (USA) - "Burning Marrow" [raging thrash metal, ’86]
19. Hellhound (USA) - "Killing Spree" [killer speed metal band with long songs that never sucked, ‘85]
20. Division Speed (Germany) - "Blazing Heat" [war speed metal]
21. Savage Death (USA) - "Evil Dead" [insane early death metal,’85]
22. Hirax (USA) – Believe in the King [obviously known, but the demo is totally different but rips, ‘84]
23. Chörnyj Woron (Germany) - "V2 Over London" [2008 speed metal cult]

DOWNLOAD

You can stream the 18-track version below also.

Midnite Madness LXXIV—Recollecting The Beast

ALRIGHT. This month's show saw me recalling the best of the older AFITFOG mixes, some of which date back to 2009. I will be re-uploading these sporadically over the next days/months/years, so keep checking back for new links.
Thanks as always to you for listening and making last month's show was Number 1 in the Mixcloud Metal Charts (!?!), and to Flo for his killer new mix that will follow this post shortly. I will return with more darkness and evil on August 25th. I kinda feel an old school black metal show brewing, but then I have four or five ideas for shows ready to be devoured... In time!

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A Fist In The Face Of God presents... The Initiation—Carefully Compiled By Janny Ratten

Image by Jan Utecht

Jan from Occvlta is one those multi-talented people who, no matter what he seems to try his hand at (his artwork for a recent mix still kills me every time I see it), is perpetually great. I first heard his band, Occvlta, in the lead up to the very first Live Festival back in 2009, where legend has it he basically told the former organiser that they were playing the festival, no questions asked. I was helping out with interviews for the zine to accompany the festival, but finding them was tough, as, back then they weren't even listed on Encyclopaedia Metallum (Wikipedia for metal-nerds, basically), such was their relative newness.
So we got to the interview eventually, and Jan was the ideal interviewee. His confidence in getting a place at the festival (their first show, if I'm not mistaken, and first-up on the bill of what would be a legendary festival) wasn't unfounded. They fucking slayed.
Then, when VICE's music site Noisey was launched, I travelled to an Occvlta show in -16° Berlin, in December of 2010, to see them desecrate White Trash alongside infernal death-bangers, Deathhammer, and 80s Italian speed metallers, Fingernails. This performance was captured and features in their Noisey show. Jan had just had his first-born around he that time (hey, Grimur!), but as his lady and offspring were out of town for a few days, he put me and few other beer/weed/sweat-stinking metalheads up in his ludicrously cheap Kreuzberg apartment for a few nights, and the allegiance formed.

Jan (middle) in Berlin, 2010

Anyways, recent-ish-ly he did a mix for the prestigious Lodown Magazine, which is mostly made up of just weird stuff and no metal, and it reminded me, 'Hey, wasn't he supposed to do me a mix?' So here it is, all ready to be devoured, below a few words from Jan himself.

Well, this mix. What to say about it. In a way, it's a mirror of the metal I listen to and how I feel at the moment. Which is mostly black and heavy, haha. You'll find obscure stuff and songs you've probably known for ages, but I think that makes the MIX. Actually, I don't listen to "Life Eternal" that often, but it really is one of my absolute favourites. And then there is Winterhawk. Also a true masterpiece. I thought it sucks, when hearing it for the first time. Too much guitar. But I let time decide what I like, if I don't feel in the mood for something new, well, if the gods want, we are gonna meet again. There is so many great bands it took years for me to like/understand, and it feels so good to know that there is no hurry and a lot more. So who cares. A lot of the songs I was introduced to by friends or my brother. Hanging out with cool people listening to cool music ... on facebook, haha.

"Devil Eyes" and "Princess of the Night" I owe to my brother, Torm [Occvlta drummer]; Sapphire I owe to Tooth [drummer of New York band Natur], "Lady of Mars" to Marcelo [Evil Spirits], and Winterhawk I think was originally introduced to me by Henry [Yuan of Electric Assault Records], but it took a few years until Torben played it and then BOOM. There you go.

TRACKLIST:

1. Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind (USA) - "Main Title 'The Shining'" [1980]
2. Aura Noir (Norway) - "Towers of Limbs and Fevers (Original Version)" [1994]
3. Mighty Sphincter (USA) - "Ghost Walking" [1985]
4. Isengard (Norway) - "Our Lord Will Come" [1991]
5. Darkthrone (Norway) - "As Flittermice as Satans Spys" [1994]
6. Kringa (Austria) - "Pearly Gates, Abhorrent Ascent (Unreleased)" [2015]
7. Mayhem (Norway) - "Life Eternal" [1994]
8. Mercyful Fate (Denmark) - "Devil Eyes" [1982]
9. Sapphire (England) - "Encounter" [1982]
10. Dark Star (England) - "Lady of Mars" [1981]
11. Saxon (England) - "Princess of the Night" [1981]
12. Winterhawk (USA) - "Free to Live" [1982]

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A Fist in the Face of God presents... Loud & Raw—Hectic Tunes Selected by Sergeant Salsten

Artwork by Salsten himself

On my last trip to Norway, back in February of 2012, I stayed with Deathhammer frontman Daniel "Sergeant" Salsten in his downtown Oslo apartment. Fenriz and I had been out thrashing in a remote town called Drammen with Salsten the night previous, and when we rocked up at Sergeant's place he was still going, a crate of stubbies on the living room table and an old live Exodus VHS. Thrash living 100%.

Fenriz was DJing a house club that night and was only staying a short while, but Daniel played us some records from the crates littering his hallway, many of them songs neither of us had heard before. I think this was the first time I asked him if he'd be up for doing a mix.

Then, quite deservedly, he and Sadomancer's band Deathhammer became pretty big (for an underground thrash band) and started touring more or less consistently across the globe, and we would meet at Live Evil every year, continue the jokes and hazy cloud that seems to follow us, and then get chatting about doing a mix again.

It took him to move to Tazmania as recent as January just past (seriously), for him to finally get the project started and from the off, it was never going to disappoint. In one of the most tinkered with mixes I have ever received, he managed to trim it down to almost 90 mins of loud and raw metal and punk. Almost pure perfection. He had this to say about the mix:

thrashing out and spacing in with dylan at last years live evil festival, and the talks of creating a mix for this killer radio blog began. after floating in the back of my mind for a while, the theme of the compilation ended up being some intense aggressive shit. it's a mix of hardcore, speed and black metal, mostly quite fast. the crossover blend of hardcore and thrash is highly present - for those relentless moods when the blood is rushing and the neck is loose. it's a natural fusion i wish was more around these days really. i trimmed the mix down to contain only the most ripping and max filthy tunes, energetic rapid stuff ideal for a rotten wasted night. if you are also obsessed by raw power and thrashing rage this compilation is for you.

Before adding this about the insanely cool cover he drew:

here's the cover, inspired by how cool i felt wearing a chicago bulls cap as a child hahah.

Play this one loud!

TRACKLISTING:
1. Impetigo (USA) - "Sinister Urge/Faceless" [1990]
2. Pokolgép (Hungary) - "Vallomás" [1987]
3. Raw Power (Italy) - "A Certain Kind of Killer" [1985]
4. Rudimentary Peni [England] - "Nothing But A Nightmare" [1983]
5. Crossfire [Belgium] - "Feeling Down" [1985]
6. Kafka Prosess [Norway] - "90 Åra" [1985]
7. Angel Dust (Germany) - "Fighters Return" [1986]
8. Agnostic Front (USA) - "The Eliminator" [1986]
9. Abhorer (Singapore) - "Zygotical Sabbatory Anabapt" [1996]
10. Kaaos (Finalnd) - "Mellakka" [1982]
11. Sauron (USA) - "Demonic Invasion" [2004]
12. Turbo (Poland) - "Sztuczne Oddychanie" [1986]
13. 666 (Norway) - "Alkohol" [1982]
14. Descendants (USA) - "I'm Not A Loser" [1982]
15. Cryptic Slaughter (USA) - "Rest in Pain" [1982]
16. Biest (Germany) - "Motortraum" [1987]
17. Victimised (Norway) - "Lot Deg Ligge" [2004]
18. Carrion (Switzerland) - "Evil is There" [1986]
19. Thrust (USA) - "Overdrive" [1984]
20. R.K.L. (USA) - "Think Positive" [1985]
21. Celtic Frost (Switzerland) - "Journey Into Fear" [1985]
22. Nuclear Death (USA) - "Prolong the Agony" [1988]
23. Kohu-63 (Finland) - "Huorra" [1982]
24. Ghoul-Cult (Norway) - "Bulletbelt Berserker" [2002]
25. Gang Green (USA) - "Sick Sex Sick" [1987]
26. Impaled Nazarene (Finland) - "Condemned to Hell" [1993]
27. Sodom (Germany) - "After the Deluge" [1986]

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A Fist in the Face of God presents... Full Speed Ahead Vol II - A Mix by Hades & Fenriz

Artwork by Jan Utecht

After the relative success of last year's Full Speed Ahead speed metal compilation, its composer—Hades Omega of Greek speed metal outfit Omega—informed me of a follow-up, this time brining more of the proto-speed metal sounds that set the sub-genre in motion for the early to mid-80s. This time he enlisted the skills of one DJ Fenriz, who picked out almost half of the tracks on this second volume of heart-pounding ripping metal.

Live from Kniven

They actually played the mix out at Oslo's finest metal bar Kniven, last weekend. Oh, and he even had the multi-talented Jan Utecht of German speed/black metal band Occvlta draw up the artwork for the mix. And a fine job he did, too. A real group effort, nice one.

I asked the guys if they had anything to say about their selection and Fenriz started by adding:

yeah, it's dopi from machetazo that sent me a whole bunch of old spanish metal from the 80s and i picked out my faves from that and put on this comp, atleast 4 spanish tracks i think. when i heard the whole comp i quickly deducted that the black magic track ruled the whole comp, btw.

Before Hades weighed in with:

Since last year's compilation went pretty good and many people got into it, i thought it's time for a second speed metal attack!  This time though, i was thinking about asking my friend and music trader Fenriz (Darkthrone), since he is the BIGGEST speed metal maniac i know, to join me and choose together the tracks. We even decided presenting the compilation LIVE at Kniven bar (Oslo), while hitting a few beers! I really like how it turned out, cuz there are many obscurities and interesting releases to dig from old and even new bands!! So i hope people will enjoy it , as much as we did!

TRACKLISTING:

1. Hades - Toxic (USA) - "Heart Attack" [1986]

2. Fenriz - Banshee (Canada) - "Breakdown" [1984]
3. H - Gillan (UK) - "What's the Matter" [1982]
4. F - Banzai (Spain) - "Coche Rapido en La Noche" [1983]
5. H - Dio (USA) - "I Speed at Night" [1984]
6. F - Hades (Spain) - "Entre El Fuego y La Crue" [1985]
7. H- Black Magic (Norway) - "Thunder" [2014]
8. F - Jonah Quizz (Sweden) - "Attack" [1982]
9. H - Scorpions (Germany) - "Dynamite" [1982]
10. F - Paradox (Germany) - "At Night Never Twice" [1986]
11. H - Flight (Norway) - "Escape" [2014]
12. F - Sable (Spain) - "Simbolos de Rebelion" [1987]
13. H - Blood Money (UK) - "Metalyzed" [1986]
14. F - Triton (Spain) - "Triton" [1985]
15. H - Outcast (Australia) - "No Tomorrow" [2014]

16. H - Satan (UK) - "Fuck You" [1986]

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A Fist in the Face of God presents... T.W.N.B.P. - A Mix by Hateful Abandon

Early last year, my old mix-making buddy and Salute rager Tom Swine sent me the promo of a record he'd been working on with Hateful Abandon founding-member, Vice Martyr. It took me by surprise. He'd kept his dealings with this project low and, as a result, I had no preconceived ideas before I hit play – but a great record it turned out to be.

It did make me wonder where they got their sound from, though, and seeing as the original band member's name is Vice I figured a mix collecting the band's musical origins would be more fitting than another box-ticking interview. And here it is, with words from Mr Swine himself about the mix, the album and its reception.

There are several reasons to be cheerful about being asked to do something like this: it gives us another excuse to blast loads of music while choosing tracks to play from past to present; there's the excitement of maybe bringing bands to people's ears that they may never have heard of; and finally, it's exciting to show everyone where we're coming from with regard to our music tastes.

No disrespect intended whatsoever to Candlelight Records, who have been very open-minded and supportive, but we feel a little misrepresented by the media at large. Because we're on a predominantly metal label, outlets automatically assume that we play metal, and so react with disappointment and often utter confusion, aggressively making the point that "there is little to no metal to be found here", accusing Hateful Abandon of having "little regard for traditional song structure".

If "traditional" means your typical metal song structure, then no, we do not. And really, there shouldn't be a standard song structure outside mindless pop music – because that makes music incredibly predictable. And that's boring. Break free and take the blinkers off.

As for the mix, it came together pretty easily. There are a TON of tracks we missed off or didn't have time to include, such as Iron Fist of the Sun, Trepaneringsritualen, Alaric, Krieg, The Walker Brothers, David Bowie, DAF, The Fall, Suicide, etc, etc, etc. I hope you all enjoy what we managed to squeeze in!

Salut.

 TRACKLIST
1. Eyeless in Gaza (UK) - "Ever Pitch and Bite" [1981]
2. Godflesh (UK) - "Slavestate" [1991]
3. Pinkish Black (USA) - "Fall Down" [2012]
4. Lycia (USA) - "Nine Hours Later" [1995]
5. Dead Can Dance (Australia) - "Frontier" [1984]
6. 1919 (UK) - "Scream" [1983]
7. Sektor 304 (Portugal) - "A Vessel of Guilt" [2011]
8. Haus Arafna (Germany) - "Heart Beats Blood Flows" [2011]
9. Non (USA) - "Total War. Edit." [1997]
10. Vatican Shadow (USA) - "Contractor Corpses Hung Over the Euphrates River" [2013]
11. Zombi (USA) - "Times of Troubles" [2011]
12. Shahram and Hafez Nazeri (Iran) - "Enchanted" [2001]

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A Fist In The Face Of God presents... Live Evil Mix 2014

Artwork illustration by Andrew Walter

Live Evil festival is back for another year, and this year's line-up is as strong as any previous, if not the toughest lineup yet. So if you live near The Dome in Tufnell Park, be prepared to spend next weekend sharing the streets with lots of men wearing patched vests, bullet belts, moustaches and leather, as well as plenty of women in very similar get-ups, minus the facial hair, hopefully.
So, in annual fashion, here is a mix featuring one track from each of this year's participants. I lovingly pieced the tracks that curators Marek Steven and Oscar Tuttiett sent me over, with tracks running in chronological order from oldest to newest. There's even a brand-new, exclusive track on here from the mighty Deathhammer's soon-to-be unleashed third album, Evil Power, and also some brand-new stuff from the Marek's own Amulet, and Italy's speed metalpunks Bunker 66. I will let the guys do the rest of the talking followed by the mix.

What we have here are some of our favourite tracks from the amazing 19 international acts from this year's Live Evil Festival. Every year of the fest so far has been legendary and we will feel genuinely lucky to help this event happen. There is something very special about the atmosphere that is inclusive, fun, and completely unhinged, all at the same time. Every year we have bands that get huge shortly afterwards and others who remain unappreciated cult acts, and this year we genuinely think it's the best line-up yet. Still some tickets left so don't miss out - we look forward to hosting you!

Marek Steven and Oscar Tuttiett—Live Evil

1. Quartz (UK) - "Satan's Serenade" [1980]
2. Manilla Road (USA) - "Hammer of the Witches" [1985]
3. Vulcano (Brazil) - "Spirits of Evil" [1986]
4. Nifelheim (Sweden) - "Storm of the Reaper" [2007]
5. Division Speed (Germany) - "Ominous Silence" [2009]
6. Antichrist (Sweden) - "Dark Sorcery" [2011]
7. Wytch Hazel (England) - "Wytch Hazel" [2011]
8. Lizzies (Spain) - "Sacrifice" [2013]
9. Ranger (Finland) - "Steel Dawn" [2013]
10. Nocturnal (Germany) - "Rising Demons" [2014]
11. Bunker 66 (Italy) - "(She's Got) Demon Eyes" [2014]
12. Deathhammer (Norway) - "Powertrip (Unreleased)" [2014]
13. Nocturnal Witch (Germany) - "Black Star" [2014]
14. Nightmare City (Sweden) - "Nightmare City" [2014]
15. Morbus Chron (Sweden) - "Towards A Dark Sky" [2014]
16. Lecherous Gaze (USA) - "End Rising" [2014]
17. Riddles (England) - "Psychedelic Power Engine Iron Claw Thunder Mistress" [2014]
18. Amulet (England) - "Glint of the Knife" [2014]
19. Portrait (Sweden) - "Mother Sun [Judas Priest cover]" [2014]

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And don’t forget there’s a pre-Live Evil show next Wednesday the 15th at east London’s premier blackout drunk vortex, The Alibi, featuring one of the festival’s act’s, the USA’s Lecherous Gaze.
Also, next Tuesday I will hosting a special Live Evil show on my radio transmission, Midnite Madness, 12am next Wednesday morning. You've been warned!

A Fist in the Face of God presents... Shallow Sanction

It seems that when it rains mixtapes, it pours. Not even a full week after I offered up an audible chasm of darkness in the form of Fenriz's latest opus comes a somewhat different mix altogether, this time compiled by two of the minds that make up east London's finest post-punk band, Shallow Sanction.
Well, post-punk isn't quite fitting, but before I started using words like "gothpunk" to describe their sound, I asked guitarist Jake Gill if making a mixtape would sum up the band's sound better than an interview full of questions they've likely already answered. He and frontman Jesse Cannon came up with a 60-minute trip into the psyche of Shallow Sanction, accompanied by these short, but fairly profound words:

Here lies a blitz of UK punk and industrial music for your aural pleasure. This mix for A Fist In the Face of God/VICE was pieced together by Jake Gill and Jesse Cannon, consisting of 15 tracks of prominent pieces of underground music that have influenced us and Shallow Sanction.
We are swimming in the lunar sea, drowning in insanity between the devil and the deep blue sea – our world is dying and nobody's driving!

TRACKLIST:
1. Amebix - "Monolith/Nobody's Driving" from Monolith [1987]
2. Part 1 - "Ghost" from Pictures of Pain [1985]
3. Killing Joke - "Tension" from What's THIS For...! [1981]
4. Whitehouse - "Wriggle Like a Fucking Eel" from Bird Seed [2003]
5. Rudimentary Peni - "The Psycho Squat" from Death Church [1983]
6. Conflict - "Cruise" from Increase the Pressure [1984]
7. Vex - "World In Action" from Sanctuary [1984]
8. Crisis - "No Town Hall" from No Town Hall [1978]
9. Flowers In the Dustbin - "Nails of the Heart" from Nails of the Heart [1985]
10. UK Decay - "Middle of the Road Man" from The Black 45 EP [1980]
11. The Grey Wolves - "Beyond Hypocrisy" from Catholic Priests Fuck Children [1996]
12. Throbbing Gristle - "E-Coli" from D.o.A. The Third And Final Report [1978]
13. Flux of Pink Indians - "Tapioca Sunrise" from Strive to Survive Causing Least Suffering Possible [1982]
14. Omega Tribe - "Is This a Future?" from Angry Songs [1982]
15. Alternative TV - "You Bastard" from How Much Longer/You Bastard [1977]
16. The Mob - "Witch Hunt" from Let the Tribe Increase [1983]

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Midnite Madness LXIII - Unholy Forces of Evil III/O.O.O.O.O. feat. DJ Fenriz

AVE. Sorry for the delay in posting this latest offering, been having serious hard drive woes to the extent that this show almost didn't get made. But it did, and thanks to DJ Fenriz, it is a ripper. Thanks again to him for compiling this evil little 75-minute mix, which can be downloaded separately on the post below. He went for some newer stuff that I will admit to hoarding a bit myself for the final show, the annual end of year show.
The next show will be a Live Evil special on October 14th, and will feature tracks from all this year's participants selected by none other than LE mastermind and Amulet riff-wizard, Marek "Heathen" Steven. Beware!

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