‪Midnite Madness CLXIX—2022, PT. I

Part one of two 2022 shows. I heard so many good releases since I started listening to 2022 stuff in Novemeber, that one part would not suffice, so watch out for part two in early 2023. 

Thanks again to all the bands, labels, promo senders, etc for keeping the flame well and truly lit. 

OBITUARY:
1. BLACK GRAIL - REFLEXIONES EN CICUTA
2. WARTHOG - TERRESTRIAL PROGRESS
3. NEGATIVE PLANE - POISON AND THE CRUCIFIX
4. SALUTE - STYX STYX STYX
5. STATIC ABYSS - JAWBONE RITUAL
6. METALIAN - FIRE ON THE ROAD
7. HEARSE - WHISPERS OF SORROW
8. BONES - WITHERING
9. DARKTHRONE - IMPECCABLE CAVERNS OF SATAN
10. NITERIS - U SJAJU OLUJE

NTS Tuesday · A Fist in the Face of God presents: Midnite Madness 061222

Midnite Madness XCVIII—Life After Midnite (The Beast Returns)

Eternal hails to the mighty Salute! See again on July 26th for more MIDNITE MADNESS.

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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Maniac Monday XXVI - 2000AD

Apologies for the delay posting this, the NTS guys only just posted the show last nite. Slightly theme-free—only playing release from the year 2000-on, doubling up as a kind of Band Of The Week show too. Enjoy. 

Next show is on Monday 24th, so hold tight for more lunacy, maniacs.

Maniac Monday, obituary IX - Hail Quorthon

Sorry for the delay posting this, I only just found it online now. Total Bathory worship to mark the mighty Quorthon's 8-year anniversary last week. Thanks to him for making some of the best records EVER and to Fenriz, Daniel Salsten, Sindre Solem, Brad Smith, and Tom Swine for taking some time out to talk about Bathory for the show.
Next show will either be 1986-only or another heavy metal set. Not sure yet, trying not to play thrash every week haha so I may go with the latter. Tune in at 2100GMT on Monday June 18th to find out!

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A Fist in the Face of God presents... Sounds From The Compound, Vol. III

It has been a slight rotation of the moon since I last spilled more ancient blood on the altar of metal, but guess what? I have another mix—this time of a more mixed variety, with metal from every decade since the 60s, except for the 90s—courtesy of Tom Swine of Bristol black speed metal trio—he calls it "grinding pain metal' or 'tough street metal"—Salute. That's a picture of him getting down and dirty for the never-to-be-released-even-on-DVD remake of Cobra. Words from the man after I shut the fuck up.
So I guess the diehard posse are probably familiar with almost every track on this new mix but that's not the point RIGHT!!!
This is a mix full of the real deal, stuff I love to listen to in the Salute compound whilst smashing beers and writing riffs/looking at vinyl!

Black Magic and Bunker are on there for all who are going to LIVE EVIL ROUND 2! See you in hell...

SWINE
Alright, ready? Let it loose!
TRACKLISTING:
1. Savage (England) "Let it Loose" (1983)
2. Oz (Finland) "Free Me, Leave Me" (1983)
3. Death (USA) "You're a Prisoner" (1974)
4. Widow (England) "Devil's Disciple" (1984)
5. Black Magic (Norway) "The Ritual/Night of Mayhem" (2010)
6. Warfare (England) "Dance of the Dead" (1984)
7. Bunker 66 (Italy) "Blasphemous Ignorance" (2010)
8. Hell Darkness (Israel) "Heartfelt" (2009)
9. Arson Anthem (USA) "Crippled Life" (2010)
10. Can (Germany) "Sing Swan Song" (1972)
11. Flower Travellin' Band (Japan) "Kamikaze" (1972)
12. Leaf Hound (England) "Stagnant Pool" (1971)
13. Steppenwolf (Canada/USA) "The Ostrich" (1968)
14. Sam Gopal (England) "Grass" (1969)
15. Black Sabbath (England) "Falling Off the Edge of the World" (1981)

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Sounds From The Compound, Vol. I
Sounds From The Compound, Vol. II

A Fist In The Face Of God presents… Sounds From The Compound, Vol. II

Tom Swine, of the mighty Salute, has made me a new mixtape, the second installment of his Sounds From the Compound series. The theme this time is blues rock—perfect summer listening, I am sure you’ll agree. I will leave the rest to the music. Enjoy.

Sounds From The Compound, Vol. II (2010)

1. Journey (USA) “Intro/Of A Lifetime” (1975)
2. Uriah Heep (UK) “If I Had the Time” (1973)
3. The Doors (USA) “Indian Summer” (Release 1970, recorded 1966)
4. Blue Öyster Cult (USA) “She’s As Beautiful As A Foot” (1972)
5. Fleetwood Mac (UK) “Rattlesnake Shake” (1976)
6. The Obsessed (USA) “Skybone [Original]” (1991)
7. Mountain (USA) “You Better Believe It” (1974)
8. Dust (USA) “Ivory” (1972)
9. Slade (UK) “In Like A Shot From My Gun (1972)
10. Space Opera (USA) “Holy River” (1973)
11. John Martyn (UK) “Head and Heart” (1971)
12. Fleetwood Mac (UK) “Closing My Eyes” (1976)
13. Spooky Tooth (UK) “Pyramids” (1973)

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Listen: Sounds From The Compound, Vol. II

Mix is split into individual tracks this time. If you missed the first mix, click here. Thanks again to Tom for everyhting.

Mixtape & Interview with Tom Swine of Salute

Salute are one of England's best new metal acts from the last decade, playing that real metal sound I know you all love. I managed to catch up with frontman Tom Swine for an interview prior to their appearance at the Old Blue Last this weekend (details below). Here's a little of what we spoke about...

You guys started out back in 2004, when you were still doing your solo project Swine. Is that project still alive?
Tom Swine: Yeah, started Salute properly in 04 just after I did the Swine album. A few projects started around 01/02 that became Salute eventually. I'd like to do another Swine album eventually, just really hard to find time. Next one would be ten times better though!

It seems you're incorporating more black metal/grimness into Salute's sound, would you agree?
The first demo/EP we did was actually black metal through and through, with some thrash here and there. So that has always been with us. We just hated playing fast black metal live and got bored. We listen to so much music that we just moved on quickly to the first album, which is more rock n' roll. The new one is the best though and more like how I want Salute to sound. Fucking dark and heavy with plenty of groove. Although our third album will be THE ONE!!!

Killer. Got any more info? Is there a title for the next one?
We have roughly four songs complete for the next album, Grinderland. We hope for it to spill out this year some time. Darker, sharper, nastier, and more soul! We just want to get the new album out before the end of the year. Summer would be good but no date as of yet.

Where do you think metal is going this decade? It seems heavy metal and death metal are becoming very popular again, you think it will impact over here?
I hope not, 85% of new heavy bands I hear are fucking awful. I hardly listen to anything new. Only different types of music that's new. The underground is there though, and there are some great bands. Most play an old-school sound though. Any new big scene is always gonna suffer as its been done before.

Exactly, its a tough one. I gotta say, mainstream metal is one of the worst genres of music there is, ha ha
Exactly! That is how I feel. If that's what it is to be a heavy metal fan these days, no one of us in Salute could be counted as one. Obliteration released one of the best death metal albums ever last year, and Deathhammer crush. I love Obliteration and they are great people. Also really into Midnight and Evil Army from the U.S.

Fenriz has much admiration for you guys btw, how did you come into contact with him btw?
Fenriz actually contacted us just to say we kicked Darkthrone's ass, which was fucking funny as hell. After that we stayed in touch and I trade (tapes) with him. Thing is, we all have always listened to Darkthrone, every album (Ravishing Grimness being my favourite). So it was very cool for us to get the appreciation. He's helped us out a lot.

So a bit off the subject, you're from Bristol. How is the scene down there?
We're actually all from the countryside 40 mins south of Bristol, but Kaptain, the guitarist, lives there now. Not much of a scene for heavy metal, but Denim and Leather Promotions put on some great doom shows and they gave us a break playing our first shows in the city. Plenty of other good music in Bristol though (Portishead's new album kills).

Lastly, what are you inspired by outside of music?
Trying to be a better person; travel inspires us. I personally want live more self-sufficient in the future, with friends and family close. Keep the good people close. It all sounds very hippie-ish but England is turning to cheese and the generation below us all seem to be dumb as hell, Americanised beyond the point of no return.

Its like the whole fucking country is happy to be lobotimised by X Factor etc. Their loss! Are you doing anything on the festival circuit this summer?
We never get asked to do summer fests ha ha, but we have some shit lined up. The Fenriz curated Live Evil festival in London 23/24th of October (more to come on that soon, but Vulcano have confirmed!), and maybe some other gigs in between then.

Oh yeah, I forgot one, why Salute?
At first it was the best name we had that wasn't too 'metall-y'. At first it was kinda meant as a homage/salute to the old-school bands, or just heavy music that came before us. Now it just means whatever! Its good though because abroad as it means 'cheers' in a lot of places, so that gets the booze flowing just right!

For Salute merch, records and news, please visit their myspace here.

He also did a mix, it is in one track, but it's banging. Rip it. Also, Fenriz's Trapped Under Vice, Vol. III is on its way...

SOUNDS FROM THE COMPOUND, VOL. I (2010)

01. Vangelis (USA) - “Bladerunner [Main Titles]” (1982)
02. David Bowie (UK) - “Warszawa” (1987)
03. Killing Joke (UK) - “$0.36″ (1980)
04. Killing Joke (UK) - “Exit” (1981)
05. The Fall (UK) - “Reformation!” (2007)
06. The Ruts (UK) - “S.U.S.” (1979)
07. Saxon (UK) - “Street Fighting Gang” (1980)
08. Diamond Head (UK) - “Sweet and Innocent” (1979)
09. Amebix (UK) - “Time Bomb” (1987)
10. G.B.H. (UK) - “Time Bomb” (1982)
11. The Exploited (UK) - "UK 82" (1982)
12. Inepsy (Canada) - “The Aftermath of Progress” (2003)
13. Aura Noir (Norway) - “The Stalker”(2008)
14. Darkthrone (Norway) - “The Winds They Call the Dungeon Shaker” (2008)
15. PiL (UK) - “The Order of Death” (1984)

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