Bands You Should Know: The Cold Beat

Raw and catchy, The Cold Beat doesn’t need anything else other than their music to do that talking.  If you’re a fan of The Get Up Kids, The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Buffalo Tom, or Old 97′s you’ll dig The Cold Beat.

About the Band: In a little over a year The Cold Beat have released an EP, a 7” and are now back with their debut full-length, entitled Get Safe. The album expands the band’s anthemic take on punk-influenced rock n’ roll. Words like modest and working class might get thrown around rather easily when it comes to The Cold Beat but don’t let that fool you. These boys can write a melody and back it up in full force with some pounding, catchy rhythms. Featuring current members of Where The Land Meets The Sea and Dan Webb And The Spiders as well as former members of Lock And Key, The Call Up, inblackandwhite and The Murder Mile, The Cold Beat delivers an album chock full of mature roots rock anthems with a youthful punk energy. Get Safe sees the trio expanding instrumentally with flourishes of organ and horn. Those additions only enhance the band’s songwriting chops and lends to the tailor-made choruses that leave the listener searching for the repeat button. The Cold Beat’s songs remain ultra-melodic but show off a renewed depth. There is a darkness and a sense of urgency that is palpable here. Get Safe is anything but safe and the band has given us an album that breathes sincerity and authenticity. The Cold Beat sure didn’t take long to deliver on the promise of their earlier efforts. The band has arrived well ahead of schedule. [Beartrap PR]

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Bands You Should Know is a feature that will introduce you to hard-working, independent music artists that stand out from the overwhelming noise of today’s music scene.  These are bands that deserve to be heard and supported.  If you like them, please support them by going to shows and buying their music.

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Bands You Should Know: The Saddest Landscape

If you’re looking for something a bit more aggressive, but something that goes against the mainstream grain, look no further than The Saddest Landscape.  Originally formed in 2002, The Saddest Landscape quickly made a name for themselves in the “screamo underground.” But, after a handful of independent releases, they’ve remained somewhat dormant.  2010 marks their first full length album in 7 years, and while the “screamo” genre has become stale, The Saddest Landscape have not.  They’ve left that predictable sound behind and created something melodic yet aggressive and wholly original.

About the Band: Haunting and massive in its scope, The Saddest Landscape’s You Will Not Survive echoes a maelstrom of emotions while retaining a staggering poise and precision. Rarely does a record push you so close to the edge only to save you at its dying breath. The Saddest Landscape provides cathartic therapy for desperate and dark matters of the heart. With passionate vocals and pummeling, powerful musical landscapes the band never relents nor wavers as they drag you through their own personal hell. It is the fear of the journey that eventually makes us stronger and You Will Not Survive is that voyage. Time away has only enhanced The Saddest Landscape’s aggressive vitriol. The band has redefined expectations firmly reestablishing themselves back in a scene that desperately needs them. You Will Not Survive further entrenches The Saddest Landscape as an uncompromising pioneer in the ever-evolving screamo genre.

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Bands You Should Know is a feature that will introduce you to hard-working, independent music artists that stand out from the overwhelming noise of today’s music scene.  These are bands that deserve to be heard and supported.  If you like them, please support them by going to shows and buying their music.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bands You Should Know: Daniel G. Harmann & The Trouble Starts

Daniel G. Harman & The Trouble Starts took me by surprise.  Their 6th album Risk is really solid and grows on you with each listen.  Risk will be available on October 26th, 2010.

About the Band: For his sixth album, entitled Risk, Daniel G. Harmann has beefed up his sound with The Trouble Starts. Primarily a solo artist, Harmann describes the new album as a collection of “Big songs you dream about making and playing to lots of people”. Risk was recorded live over five days at Electrokitty Studios with Long Winters bassist Eric Corson. On Risk, Harmann and his band have created an intriguing collection of working class art rock with a full, sweeping sound leaving the pretense firmly at the door. Risk is lyrically all about taking chances. Harmann & The Trouble Starts has crafted an album that is difficult to pigeonhole. Risk lives and breathes at two separate corners only to meet somewhere perfectly in the middle between the elegant and the abrasive. “Call it what you will,” Harmann says, “but at its core, its rock and roll. It’s dirty and imperfect. It’s quiet and loud.” Finding beauty in the simpleness of everyday life is what sustains us all. Harmann knows this and the emotional depth within Risk is honest and remarkably uplifting. [Beartrap PR]

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Bands You Should Know is a feature that will introduce you to hard-working, independent music artists that stand out from the overwhelming noise of today’s music scene.  These are bands that deserve to be heard and supported.  If you like them, please support them by going to shows and buying their music.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Download This: Prismo Perfect

Prismo Perfect is a “noise/pop” band out of Brest, France.  Their Out Of Nowhere EP is being offered up for free at Sound As Language.  Check them out!

About the band: Self-described as noisy, fast and pop. In other words think No Age, Japandroids, Waaves etc. Basically, if you are a fan of this whole noise/pop craze, Prismo Perfect will hit a sweet spot for you. The French power trio ups the melodic pop energy and tunes down the noise ever so slightly. The result is a very nice medium that it seems many of these bands are searching for yet not really finding. The band was formed in January 2009 and Out Of Nowhere, is out now. [SAL Media]

Download This is a feature that will hopefully turn you on to new and exciting bands who are giving their music away for free.  If you like the tunes, please support the artists somehow by going to a show or throwing some cash their way for their music.

The GeekCouch: Collector’s Edition – Ep 4 (Predators, Big Tits Zombie, Psycho, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl)

This week I chat with guest host Rob Hunter (@FakeRobHunter) about new DVD/BD Releases for October 19, 2010 including Predators and Night of the Demons. Other topics include Big Tits Zombie, Psycho, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl and Bronson.

Listen to the podcast HERE or Subscribe in iTunes.

The GeekCouch: Collector’s Edition is a weekly discussion of new Blu-Ray and DVD releases with your host Sean Duregger and a revolving door of guest hosts from all your favorite movie blogs.

The GeekCouch: Collector’s Edition – Ep 3 (How to Train Your Dragon, Jonah Hex, Arn: the Knight Templar, S&man)

This week I chat with guest host Jay Hawkinson (@Sleestakk) to discuss new DVD/BD Releases for the week of October 12, 2010 including How to Train Your Dragon, Jonah Hex, Arn: the Knight Templar, and S&man. Other topics include Martyrs, Susperia, The Exorcist and Trick ‘r Treat.

Listen to the podcast HERE or Subscribe in iTunes.

The GeekCouch: Collector’s Edition is a weekly discussion of new Blu-Ray and DVD releases with your host Sean Duregger and a revolving door of guest hosts from all your favorite movie blogs.

Movie Review: Four Boxes

*This review was originally posted on BrutalAsHell.com, but was pulled and replaced with more of a well-thought out and better written review.  I stand by this review, however, as more thought was put into my review than was put into this pile of crap that is the film Four Boxes.

DVD Review: Four Boxes (2009)
Directed by: Wyatt McDill
Starring: Justin Kirk, Terryn Westbrook, Sam Rosen
Review by: Sean Duregger

Some movies are “so-bad-they’re-enjoyable-with-alcohol”.  Some movies are just plain bad and annoying.  Four Boxes isn’t enjoyable even with vast amounts of alcohol, believe me, I tried.  I’d compare this to a Horror version of The Room, but The Room is actually enjoyable on a certain level, hell it even had more gore.  Maybe this should have been called Four Rooms? Oh wait, a far superior movie already has that title. From absolutely horrible dialogue to atrocious pacing, Four Rooms is a total piece of shit and a waste of time.

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31 Days of Halloween: Splice

Day 12
Splice

Produced by Guillermo del Toro, written and directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Nothing, and the vastly underrated Cypher), Splice has been on my radar for a very long time.  What got me hooked even before I know the players was the fantastic creature design of Dren, the genetic hybrid of animal and human.  Visually, Splice does not disappoint.  It’s a cerebral creature feature that overcomes a few missteps and is now one of my favorite genre films of 2010.

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31 Days of Halloween: Human Centipede

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is a film that should work only as a cheap gross-out gimmick. It’s not a particularly deep film and not a lot really happens during its hour and a half run time. However, for what it’s trying to do, it succeeds and even rises above its exploitive nature thanks to a lean run time and a compelling performance by Dieter Laser.

This is the epitome of divisive filmmaking. A lot of people actually hate this film, and I don’t blame them. It’s short on plot and dialogue. The subject is extremely disturbing. There are gaps in logic (how does Dr. Heiter get his subjects to his living room after surgery?). Director Tom Six makes all this work with deliberate pacing, wonderful cinematography and a standout performance by Dieter Laser as Dr. Heiter.

The Human Centipede isn’t for everyone. It’s not a particularly good film and as a narrative, it suffers greatly. But, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen and was strangely compelled and riveted. I may never watch Human Centipede again, and judging from how this film wraps up, have no idea how they’re able to do a sequel. If you’re a fan of horror at least give this a shot, if anything just to see Dieter Laser’s outstanding performance.

31 Days of Halloween: Slither

Day 10
Slither

Nathan Fillian battles space slugs!  I love Slither.  Back in 2006, James Gunn unleashed this crazy film into theaters.  2 days later, it seemed like it was out of the theaters.  So, Slither became one of my highly anticipated DVD releases then. 

Slither is pretty much Night of the Creeps mashed up with 28 Days Later and The Fly.  In fact, James Gunn claims he’s never seen Night of the Creeps.  I almost call bullshit on that, but Slither is such a good time it actually makes for a great double feature with Night of the Creeps.

If you haven’t seen Slither, it’s well worth a watch.  Even though the CG space slugs look pretty poor, Slither is oozy, gory fun with everything else being practical effects.  It’s a charming and gross horror/comedy that I’ll be continuing to watch periodically.  Hopefully we see this on Blu Ray soon.