Is It Can Be Mehtullz Tiem Now Pleez?

Playlist for Sunday, November 22nd, 12am-2am

2009-12-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

During the show, I interviewed NY symphonic black metallers ANTARES. Interview excerpts to be posted soon!

Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/antaresmusicny or on their official website:
http://antaresmusic.com/

The playlist for the show goes as follows:

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

ABSU : Amy : Absu
THE OCEAN : Nazca : Fluxion
IMMORTAL : Mount North : All Shall Fall
ANTARES : Now That the Sky, The Earth, and the Wind are Silent : (Demo)
ENSLAVED : Clouds : Vertebrae
BORKNAGAR : Colossus : Quintessence
ANTARES : Different Light : (demo)
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS : The Departure : In The Shadow of 1,000 Suns
KORPIKLAANI : Vodka : Karkelo
ANTARES : Flowing Stream : (demo)
IHSAHN : Misanthrope : angL
EMPEROR : Empty : Prometheus
FINSTERFORST : Von Glorreichem Shmerz : Weltankraft
DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND : Bend it Like Bender : Addicted!
RAMMSTEIN : Wiener Blut : Liebe ist fur alle da

Right after the interview, their drummer quit. If you're a drummer and are interested, definitely contact them for more info!

\m/

Playlist for Saturday, November 21st, 2009 1am-2am

2009-12-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

TROLLFEST : Inni Dem Grotte : Brakebein
ARKONA : Tropoiu Nevedannoi : Goi, Rode, Goi!
ANTICOSM : Valhalla (Blind Guardian cover) : Valhalla
DYSTROPHY : Thirst for Blood : (2009 Demo)
REVOCATION : Re-Animaniac : Existence is Futile
IMPIOUS : I Am the King : Death Domination
HYPOCRISY : Hang Him High : A Taste of Extreme Divinity
HYPOCRISY : Fire in the Sky : Into the Abyss
OPETH : Bleak : Blackwater Park
ENSIFERUM : Stone Cold Metal : From Afar

I was originally supposed to switch nights with someone, but they called out sick, so it was last minute. An hour of metal is better than no metal!

Playlist for Saturday, November 14th, 2009 12am-2am

2009-12-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

GORGOROTH : Rebirth : Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt
SARKE : Old : Vorunah
KAMPFAR : Vansinn : Heimgang
MARDUK : Nowhere, No one, Nothing : Wormwood
BORKNAGAR : The Genuine Pulse : Empiricism
ENSLAVED : Clouds : Vertebrae
ISENGARD : Vinterskugge : Vandreren
EMPEROR : Empty : Prometheus
FALKENBACH : ...Of Forests Unknown : Heralding the Fireblade
NATTEFROST : Jon Carter, Man on Mars : Engangsgrill
ASMEGIN : Fandens Maelkebotte : Arv
IMMORTAL : The Rise of Darkness : All Shall Fall
ARKONA : Nevidal : Goi, Rode, Goi!
VADER : Dark Heart : Necropolis
ARCH ENEMY : Demonic Science : The Root of All Evil
SVARTSOT : Skonne Moer : Ravnens Saga
KORPIKLAANI : Vodka : Karkelo
BELPHEGOR : Enthralled Toxic Sabbath : Walpurgis Nacht
AGALLOCH : Falling Snow : Ashes Against the Grain
EAGLE TWIN : And It Came to Pass That Birds Rain Down as Black Snakes : The Unkindness of Crows
HYPOCISY : Hang Him High : A Taste of Extreme Divinity

I wanted this show to be eternally grim and frostbitten. Parts of it were... but some death metal got mixed in at the behest of my intern... and I can't resist being a folky bastard.

Playlist for Saturday, October 31st, 12am-2am

2009-12-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

ROB ZOMBIE : Living Dead Girl : Hellbilly Deluxe
ROB ZOMBIE : Scum of the Earth : The Sinister Urge
ROB ZOMBIE : Dragula : Hellbilly Deluxe
TYPE O NEGATIVE : Black No. 1: The Least Worst Of
TYPE O NEGATIVE : Halloween in Heaven : Dead Again
TYPE O NEGATIVE : Wolf Moon : October Rust
KMFDM : Wrath : XTORT
IMMORTAL : Call of the Wintermoon : Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism
IMMORTAL : The Rise of Darkness : All Shall Fall
BOBBY BORIS PICKET : Monster Mash : The Original Monster Mash (Request)
RUINS : Cauldron : Cauldron
MISANTHROPY LEGION : The Mass Has Ended : Eidolon
SEPULTURA : Inner Self : Beneath the Remains (Request)
METAL CHURCH : (My Favorite) Nightmare : Metal Church (Vinyl)
KING DIAMOND : Trick or Treat : Abigail
KING DIAMOND : Six Feet Under : A Spider's Lullabye
BLACK ANVIL : Margin for Terror : Time Insults the Mind
BELPHEGOR : Crosses Made of Bone : Walpurgisnacht - Hexenwahn
PARADISE LOST : The Rise of Denial : Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us
ENSLAVED : 793 (Slaget Om Lindisfarne) : Eld

A Halloween themed show. How trite.
I found a copy of Metal Church's first album on Vinyl at a Vinyl fair, so I had to play it!

Playlist for Saturday, October 17th, 2009 - 12:30am - 2:30am

2009-11-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

TANKARD : 666 Packs : 25 Years in Beer
TANKARD : Tantrum : Chemical Invasion
MEGADETH : Peace Sells : Live in Buenos Aires
FUELED BY FIRE : Thrash is Back! : Spread the Fire
SWASHBUCKLE : Drink Up! : Crewed By The Damned
CHILDREN OF BODOM : Looking Out My Back Door : Skeletons in the Closet
DEBAUCHERY : 8 Days a Week : Back in Blood
KATY PERRY : I Kissed a Girl : (youtube power metal cover)
TEN MASKED MEN : You Spin Me Round : (youtube death metal cover)
FINSTERFORST : Rasuschende Nacht : Weltenkraft
TYR : The Wild Rover : Eric the Red
MOONSORROW : Tulkaapa Aijat : Suden Uni
KORPIKLAANI : Happy Little Boozer : Tales Along This Road
TROLLFEST : Brakebein : Brakebein
TROLLFEST : Helvetes Hunden GARM : Wilkommen Folk Tell Drekka Fest
TROLLFEST : Yameeka : Brakebein
MANOWAR : Die For Metal : Gods of War
3 INCHES OF BLOOD : Deadly Sinners : Advance and Vanquish
EXODUS : Metal Command : Let There Be Blood
ENSIFERUM : On More Magic Potion : Victory Songs
ENSIFERUM : Goblin's Dance : Ensiferum
ENSIFERUM : Hero In A Dream : Ensiferum
FINNTROLL : En Maktig Har : Ur Jordens Djup
FINNTROLL : Trollhammeren : Nattfodd
EMPEROR : Inno A Satana : In the Nightside Eclipse
BORKNAGAR : Colossus : Quintessence
DISSECTION : Where Dead Angels Lie : Storm of the Light's Bane
ENSLAVED : The Watcher : Vertebrae
WINDIR : Arntor, A Warrior : Arntor

So, my show was preempted by a football game.

METAL > sports
Rutgers lost. I could have predicted that, but at least now they have a 110 million dollar stadium to lose games in!

I got pissed that this crap should interrupt great music. I put together a showcase of songs that did one (or more) of the following:

-Had lyrics that glorify how awesome metal is
-Cover a non-metal song and make it awesome by infusing it with metal
-Have lyrics about partying/drinking
-Make you want to dance like an idiot

However, around the end, I played a lot of the proggy black metal songs I might want played at a marriage ceremony of mine, should I choose to get hitched.

ROCK!

Playlist for Saturday, October 10th, 12am-2am

2009-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

ARCH ENEMY : Beast of Man : The Root of All Evil
BELPHEGOR : Walpurgis-Rites : Walpurgis Rites - Hexenwahn
OBITUARY : List of Dead : Darkest Day
GOATWHORE : Shadow of a Rising Knife : Carving Out the Eyes of God
DETHKLOK : Murmaider II - The Water God : DethAlbum II
VADER : Dark Heart : Necropolis
THE ABSENCE : The Murder : Riders of the Plague
ARSIS : The Face of My Innocence : Celebration of Guilt
MEGADETH : Headcrusher : Endgame
HYPOCRISY : Roswell 47 : Abducted
HYPOCRISY : Eraser : The Arrival
REVOCATION : Enter the Hall : Existence is Futile
REVOCATION : Across the Forests and Fjords : Existence is Futile
KALMAH : Holy Symphony of War : For the Revolution
BEHEMOTH : Ov Fire and the Void : Evangelion
ENSIFERUM : Heathen Throne : From Afar
ENSIFERUM : Goblin's Dance : Ensiferum
DEATH : Born Dead : Leprosy
TYR : Turid Torkilsdottur : By the Light of the Northern Star
AMON AMARTH : The Sound of Eight Hooves : The Crusher
ANNUNAKI : Through Chaos : Throne of the Annunaki
IMMORTAL : The Rise of Darkness : All Shall Fall

Playlist for Saturday, October 3rd, 12am-2am

2009-11-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

GOJIRA : Oroborous : The Way of All Flesh
EX DEO : Storm the Gates of Alesia : Romulus
PRIMORDIAL : Autumn's Blaze : A Journey's End
FINSTERFORST : Sieg und Ewig Leben : Wiege der Finsternis
TROLLFEST : Inni Dem Grotte : Brakebein
GOATWHORE : Apocalyptic Havok : Carving Out the Eyes of God
THE ACCUSED : The Splatterbeast : The Curse of Martha Splatterhead
AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE : Trapped Under Ice : Double Brutal
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME : Obfuscation : The Great Misdirect
3 INCHES OF BLOOD : Rock in Hell : Here Waits Thy Doom
THE FACELESS : Leica : Akeldama
SLAYER : Jesus Saves : Reign in Blood
TANKARD : 666 Packs : Alien
ENSIFERUM : Twilight Tavern : From Afar
FINNTROLL : Maktens Spira : Ur Jordens Djup
TURISAS : Sahti-Waari : Battle Metal
SVARTSOT : Spillemandens Dase : Ravnens Saga
BEHEMOTH : Diamonos : Evangelion
THE OCEAN : Nazca : Fluxion
DYING FETUS : Ethos of Coercion : Descend into Depravity
GWAR : The Uberklaw : Lust in Space
ABSU : In the Name of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee : Absu
ENSIFERUM : Tumman Virran Taa : From Afar

Playlist for Sunday, September 27th: 12am-2am

2009-11-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Title : Album

KMFDM : Boots : Boots
KMFDM : Flesh : Nihil
KMFDM : Stray Bullet : Symbols
LAIBACH : Gebert Einer Nation : Gebert Einer Nation
DAATH : Sharpen the Blades : The Concealers
VADER : Devilizer : Necropolis
BLACK ANVIL : Deathsomnia : Time Insults the Mind
CHILDREN OF BODOM : Looking Out My Back Door : Skeletons in the Closet
ENSIFERUM : Stone Cold Metal : From Afar
ENSIFERUM : Iron : Iron
TYR : Ride : By the Light of the Northern Star
DETHKLOK : Bloodlines : Dethalbum II
GWAR : Make a Child Cry : Lust in Space
KORPIKLAANI : Juodaan Viinaa : Karkelo
CHTHONIC : Blooming Blades : Mirror of Retribution
RITUAL DAY : Ritual Day : (unknown)
NOVEMBER'S DOOM : A Eulogy for the Living Lost : Into Night's Requiem Infernal
3 INCHES OF BLOOD : Battles and Brotherhood : Here Waits Thy Doom
MEGADETH : Headcrusher : Endgame
AMON AMARTH : Masters of War : The Crusher
EX DEO : Surrender the Sun : Romulus
OBSCURA : Choir of Spirits : Cosmogenesis
ABSU : Pillars of Mercy : Tara
ABSU : Between the Absu of Eridu and Erech : Absu
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER : Necropolis : Deflorate

Awesome sauce. Had just seen a KMFDM concert the night before, so I was more than stoked when I came to do my show. Had to start it with some industrial metal.
Ritual Day makes me happy. Found it through the documentary "Global Metal."

Playlist for September 20th, 2009

2009-11-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Title : Album
MEGADETH : This Day We Fight : Endgame
HAVOK : Path to Nowhere : Burn
GWAR : Damnation Under God : Lust in Space
BLACK ANVIL : Release the Kraken : Time Insults the Mind
SWASHBUCKLE : Pegleg Stomp : Back to the Noose
MUNICIPAL WASTE : Wrong Answer : Massive Aggressive
TANKARD : Echoes of Fear : Thirst
THE ACCUSED : Bodies are Rising : The Curse of Martha Splatterhead
WOLF : Speed On : Ravenous
SONATA ARCTICA : Zeroes : The Days of Greys
BEHEMOTH : Ov Fire and the Void : Evangelion
GOATWHORE : Apocalyptic Havok : Carving Out the Eyes of God
ANGHER : Numb : Hidden Truth
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER : I Will Return : Deflorate
SWORN ENEMY : Run For Shelter : Total World Domination
EMMURE : I <3 EC2 : Felony
AMARNA REIGN : Into the Sky : Atonement
AUGUST BURNS RED : Thirty and Seven : Constellations
THE AUTUMN OFFERING : The Curtain Hits the Cast : Requiem
KITTIE : My Plague : Into the Black
SLIPKNOT : Spit it Out : 10th Anniversary
OTEP : Rise, Rebel, Resist : Smash the Control Machine
MADDER MORTEM : Formaldehyde : Eight Ways
TRAIL OF TEARS : Triumphant Gleam : Bloodstained Endurance
CHTHONIC : Blooming Blades : Mirror of Retribution
DEVIL DRIVER : Forgiveness is a Six Gun : Pray For Villains
DYING FETUS : Shepherd's Commandment : Descend Into Depravity
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE : Never Again : Killswitch Engage
ENSIFERUM : Tumman Virran Taa : From Afar
OSI : The Escape Artist : Blood

For this show, I stepped WAY outside my comfort zone and played things I would never play normally, or even listen to. I can't be an elitist all the time. Who knows? Someone out there might like this stuff. So if they did, and they enjoyed the show, that's not a bad thing.

Playlist for September 12th, 2009

2009-11-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

ARTIST : Title : (Album)
ENSIFERUM : Victory Song : Victory Songs
ENSIFERUM : LAI LAI HEI : Iron
ENSIFERUM : Goblin's Dance : Ensiferum
ENSIFERUM : From Afar : From Afar
MOONSORROW : Jumalten Kaupunki : Kivenkantaja
SONATA ARCTICA : Deathaura : The Days of Greys
SONATA ARCTICA : Victoria's Secret : Winterheart's Guild
KORPIKLAANI : Sulasilma : Karkelo
TYR : Turid Torkilsdottir : By the Light of the Northern Star
THYRFING : En Sista Litania : Hels Vite
EX DEO : Romulus : Romulus
CHTHONIC : Hearts Condemned : Mirror of Retribution
MANEGARM : Visioner Palsen : Vargstenen
TROLLFEST : Saegen Om Suttungs Mjod : Wilkommen Folk Tell Drekka Fest!
TROLLFEST : ...Na Ma Du Drikka Mest!!! : Wilkommen Folk Tell Drekka Fest!
MEGADETH : This Day We Fight : Endgame

Oh, for the love of...

2009-11-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Well, Rammstein want you to put things in your vaginas (or other body cavities) when you buy their album. Yup.

Metalsucks also gave their opinion of Rammstein's career turn, so my previous post is just the same thing with more academic padding.

C'est la vie.

Playlist for Saturday, September 5th 2009

2009-10-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

This show started out all normal like, and then quickly became things to expect at college.
There are plenty of songs about drinking, puking, hating the world, finding out who your real friends are, finding yourself, how much life sucks when you're young, hedonism, wanting to kill people (your dude-bro room mate), and being corrupted by things your parents tried to hide when you were young. Yup, that's college alright! Oh, and school. A little bit of learning is involved.
WELCOME IN, FRESHMEN!!

ARTIST : SONG TITLE : ALBUM

TANKARD : Stay Thirsty! : Thirst
GWAR : Let us Slay : Lust in Space
GWAR: AEIOU : Hell - O
ALESTORM : Keelhauled : Black Sails at Midnight
KORPIKLAANI : Juodan Viinaa : Karkelo
MOONSORROW : Pakanajuhla : Suden Uni
ENSIFERUM : Hero in a Dream : Ensiferum
BLACK ANVIL : Margin for Error : Time Insults the Mind
JOB FOR A COWBOY : Constitutional Masturbation : Ruination
HACKNEYED : Gut Candy : Death Prevails
NECROPHAGIST : Stabwound : Epitaph
DEVILDRIVER : Pray for Villains : Pray for Villains
MEGADETH : Dialectic Chaos : Endgame
MUNICIPAL WASTE : Shredded Offering : Massive Aggressive
RED RIGHT HAND : Plotting Your Death : Plotting Your Death
ANTHRAX : I'm Eighteen : Fistfull of Metal
PSYCHOSTICK : The Hunger Within : Sandwich
PSYCHOSTICK : Minimum Rage : Sandwich
OBITUARY : List of Dead : Darkest Day
AMON AMARTH : Death in Fire : Vs the World
TYR : Hold the Heathen Hammer High : By the Light of the Northern Star
DAATH : Self Corruption : The Concealers
IMMORTAL : Call of the Wintermoon : Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism
TESTAMENT : Henchmen Ride : The Formation of Damnation
IRON MAIDEN : Wasted Years : Flight 666
JUDAS PRIEST : Living After Midnight : British Steel

What more could you ever need or want in college? Do they have a song about Ramen?

Here's what you should also expect!

Sucking up to parents and donors during admissions tours! Oh my!

Dude bros, Dude bros, everywhere! (Hint: these are best repelled with textbooks.)

A typical dorm room, much nicer than the closet you'll be issued!

Other misc shit you'll regret later.

Playlist for Saturday, August 29th, 2009

2009-10-17T22:35:00.001-07:00

So, it's late, I'm trying to keep my mind off things, and I have a Darkthrone album playing. Time for an update!

PLAYLIST!

ARTIST : SONG TITLE : ALBUM
BEHEMOTH : Diamonos : Evangelion
PORCUPINE TREE : Anesthetize : Fear of a Blank Planet
THE OCEAN : Nazca : Fluxion
EX DEO : Storm the Gates of Alesia : Romulus
OBITUARY : Lost Inside : Darkest Day
ANNUNAKI : Through Chaos : Throne of the Annunaki
DEATH : Born Dead : Leprosy
CORE DEVICE : Spiritual : Spiritual
IHSAHN : Invocation : The Adversary
1349 : Uncreation : Revelations of the Black Flame
EAGLE TWIN : In the Beginning There was Sercam : The Unkindness of Crows
ENSLAVED : Kvarsir's Blod : Eld
THE ACCUSED : Festival of Flesh : The Curse of Martha Splatterhead
ANAAL NATHRAKH : I am the Wrath of the Gods and the Desolation of the Earth : In the Constellation of the Black Widow
ABSU : Pillars of Mercy : Tara
ULVER : It is Not Sound : Blood Inside
MUNICIPAL WASTE : Divine Blasphemer : Massive Aggressive
KORPIKLAANI : Vodka : Karkelo
TYR : Turid Torkilsdottir : By the Light of the Northern Star

This just in, Anaal Nathrakh is long winded as hell.

You Have A Pussy, I Have I Dick, We Have a Problem

2009-09-26T15:38:00.001-07:00

Rammstein never fail to shock the world with their antics. I was sitting at my desk last week when there was a definite air of chaos. I heard music coming from various computers that was unmistakeably Rammstein, but it was followed by shocked groans and comments from my co-workers.

I got wind later that Rammstein released a video to promote their new album titled, "Pussy", which featured hardcore pornographic material. "Color me bored" I thought, and made a note to take a look at it so I could engage in some cocktail hour banter. Then I looked at the album cover:

It was just as I expected. A naked model lying like a piece of meat to be consumed like the other food at the table. What's worse, one of the band members is poised with a meat cleaver, as if ready to hack off a piece of this model. A piece of meat. The (male) band members are all clothed. The (female) model is the only one exposed. Typical, and pretty boring. This trope has been used by many bands (I'm looking at you, Manowar!), and you'd think Rammstein could think of something a little more original.

The song itself is nothing special really. It's catchy, and falls under "generic Rammstein". I'm a casual fan of Rammstein at best.

It makes me sad that a lot of people don't see right through this watered down advertising strategy. Everyone knows that if you want to sell things, put naked people all over it. Make sure those naked people are female and look a certain way (thin, white, big breasts, etc). People are shocked by this when they shouldn't be. They see it every day in commercials, and on the internet when the door is locked and their pants are down. Rammstein co-opts this imagery, and all of a sudden, it's artistic. Rammstein are not stupid, they know what will grab people's attention. It's not subversive. It's marketing.

However, it's not just the lack of originality I take issue with. There's a lot that's problematic with Rammstein's new approach to selling records, and this "artistic vision" of theirs. It's just another testament to how pushing the envelope a little will get you the attention you want. American culture and music has become incredibly porn-ified. This is not necessarily a positive thing.

In music video culture, if you don't push the boundaries of "acceptable" in some way, no one will pay attention. As the imitators latch onto your strategy, the landscape becomes saturated, and the comfort zone needs readjusting once more. The viewers become desensitized to what was once "innovative" and "shocking". And this has happened with Rammstein's use of porn.

Usually, when anyone says anything negative about porn, the first reaction is, "Oh, go buy a dildo, stop being so afraid of your body, and rent Debbie Does Dallas, you fun-killing, out of touch prude!" It's an easy way to dismiss critique of porn so you don't have to think about what you're looking at. Maybe you just want to get your rocks off. Well, here's the critique: Porn does not equal sex (sorry to break it to you).

These videos and culture are displaying only one kind of sexuality. This kind of sexuality is being celebrated and seen as the pinnacle of ALL sexuality. If you grow up only seeing thin, white women commodified to titillate you, you will recall those images when you begin to explore sexuality on your own. Young people see these images long before they've had sex education in schools (if they get any at all), before they take those tentative steps to exploring their own sexuality as a teenager, and before they can truly contextualize them. Thus, these images are important because they have a hold on our culture, which simultaneously celebrates and condemns sexuality.

Rammstein was sure to include common porn tropes before unveiling any breasts. The seventies fonts introducing the band members as though they were porn stars was not lost on me. The female models used are mostly interchangeable with conventional "good looks". The tired stereotypes are trotted out: the maid, the cheerleader, the dominatrix, the secretary, the cowgirl. They shimmy around a little and titillate the band members individually in vignette style. This eventually leads to these folks disrobing and putting body parts inside other body parts. Insert tab A in Slot B. Yawn.

This was definitely inspired by modern porn, which everyone has seen or looks at regularly. The models have no pubic hair. Their breasts are stuffed full of silicone and stick out at unnatural angles. Whatever, some people go for that. We've all seen it before. Cue the fake moaning and a cheesy non-Rammstein soundtrack, and I'll go get some chips and dip. You want anything from the fridge?

The only thing that struck me as interesting was the shot where the model is filming herself as she masturbates. I interpret this as a nod to everyone's desire to be on camera and have their 15 minutes of fame, even if it is by exposing themselves on the internet. We truly are a culture obsessed with fame, recognition, and celebrity. Celebrities make sex tapes now as a career enhancement. It's a surefire way to get attention. It's the validation some people feel the need.

LYRICS

The lyrics are laden with innuendos, as should be expected.

"Mercedes-Benz and motorway,
alone in foreign driving,
Voyage, voyage, driving experience
i will just fun,
i do not fall in love"

The non-idiomatic translation not withstanding, I get it. Cars. Driveways. "Fun".

"You've got a pussy,
I have a dick,
So what's the problem?
Let's do it quick."

The problem is a lot of metal fans are male, and this is addressing women, who are apparently the ones who possess "pussies". You need to do better market research, Rammstein! Oh, and don't suggest to your male fans they have "pussies", or a lot of masculine posturing and cries of "You're a ph@g! No, you're the ph@g!" will ensue.

However, this direct (if not particularly articulate approach) would be instructive to this guy's approach to talking about sex! ("Wink wink nudge nudge say no more!" XD)

"So take me now before it's too late
Life's too short, so I can't wait.
Take me now, oh don't you see,
I can't get laid in Germany."

So, you're going to bang foreigners? Or go abroad in search of sex? Well, sex tourism is a huge problem in many parts of the world. So is human trafficking. I don't think Rammstein was really commenting on that, though.

They DO comment on penis size, however.

"Too big, too small,
Size does matter after all."

Ok, that's a little progressive, I guess...

"Nice lady, want some more?
Blitzkrieg with Fleischgewehr!
Schnapps in the head,
you holde Brau,
Stick sausage into your Sauerkraut!"

*cue image of model playing with sausages*
So they liken vaginas to Sauerkraut? That's bizarre, to say the least.

MORPHING THE BODY

Rammstein are no strangers to using their bodies to shock people. This is why it's so sad that they've gone the more mainstream and acceptable route (which is ironically, porn). They've used makeup, dramatic role play costumes, and bizarre getups to make a statement before. Their statement was always lost on me. They experimented with their own size.
A snapshot from the Keine Lust video:

However, for the promotional photo for "Pussy", they photoshopped their shoulders, arms, and heads onto female bodies.

Yes, there's "variation" in pubes and tattoos, and the singer chose a pregnant model to photoshop his face onto. Maybe that's shopped, as well. Is this a genderfuck? Doubtful. I give it 2 colors out of the homo rainbow. I'm not entirely sure any of the band members really identify as differently gendered. Everyone knows the images are edited. It's definitely not the same as a genderfuck because they had to use other people's bodies to make this point.

This brings me to the question of the production of this material. The hardcore shots in the video don't show the faces of the band members. Thus, you don't know if they're exposing their real bodies completely. They could be using other actors for those disembodied hardcore shots.

I also wonder how they found those actresses, and what the terms of their contracts were. Who had artistic control of the video? Rammstein would frame it as a way to do what they want without help from MTV, and without the need to censor themselves.

I guess this quote, taken from their official website says it all:
"Carried by a gigantic wave of testosterone, Rammstein unsheathes its sword and presents what makes man an animal."

Porn makes man an "animal"? I was aware humans were mammals, but everyone, not just men, has desires. I don't think Rammstein sees it that way. They present people PAID to have sex on camera. That's commercial exchange, not biology. There's no way to frame these images as primordial, since they're produced in a particular historical and cultural moment.

Anyway...

I know this will probably be met with, "will you Lighten UP?!" or "It's just superfluous entertainment, it's not hurting anyone" or even "Wow, you're very un-metal for bringing up these points and seeing it this way".
So what? These are important questions.

Furthermore, even if it is superfluous entertainment, it started a conversation. That's not so horrible.

We live in a different world than the one our parents grew up in. We need education to inform and contextualize all this information and these images. This is connected to teen pregnancy, eating disorders, and other social problems. We cannot censor these images, but we can educate.

My critique is informed by these sources. If you're interested in media studies or anthropology, these are great places to start your studies:

Sut Jhally, media anthropologist: Dreamworlds 3: Desire, Sex, and Power in Music Video
Jean Kilbourne, journalism and media studies: Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women
Pamela Paul: Pornified: How Pornography is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families

I would STRONGLY encourage you to look at these materials. Pornified is available at most academic libraries.

Quick Funneh

2009-08-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

Relapse Record's new addition, Black Anvil, REALLY needs a new press photo, a new image, a new something! They're going to start attracking the wrong kind of white people!
They need to fire their makeup guy. Seriously. It looks like they're on the way to the Juggalo Fest.

BEHOLD THE HORROR!!! (not for the metalhead who is faint of heart...)

Playlist for Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

2009-08-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, I'm catching up on old playlists. I don't remember why this Friday sucked for me, but I had been having a particularly bad day and dubbed the show "youtube emo health awareness". Jared just had Bubblegum Octopus on, and I couldn't find my external hard drive, which had an effect on my music choices.

Anyway, on to the playlist from that monstrosity, which turned out much better than I could have hoped, all things considered.
I also gave jared a huge vat of maple syrup, but that's neither here nor there. He also needed songs with lots of Meedley meedley to help coil wires, so I obliged.

It also started to rain really hard towards the end of the show, which didn't quite dampen my spirits, but it was getting there. So I ended with a song that would ruin all of my metal cred, but hey, it was fitting! The streets were flooding and I had a lot of fun walking home through that downpour.

ARTIST : Song Title : Album

MUNICIPAL WASTE : Divine Blasphemer : Massive Aggressive
WOLF : Curse You Salem : Ravenous
WINTERSUN : Winter Madness : Winter Madness
HAVOK : The Root of Evil : Burn
RED RIGHT HAND : Machine : Plotting Your Death
BEATALLICA : The Battery of Jaymz and Yoko : Masterful Mystery Tour
HAMMERLORD : Metalization : s/t
SWASHBUCKLE : Splash N' Thrash : Back to the Noose
CAULDRON : Dreams Die Young : Chained to the Nite
PRIMAL FEAR : Six Times Dead : Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
CAGE : Power of a God : Science of Annihilation
HALFORD : Electric Eye : Live Insurrection
PRAYING MANTIS : Threshhold of a Dream : Sanctuary
DELAIN : April Rain : April Rain
FAIRYLAND : Elanie Uelle : The Fall of an Empire
MANOWAR : Black Wind, Fire, and Steel : Fighting the World
STRATOVARIUS : Higher We Go : Polaris
TRAIL OF TEARS : Take Aim. Reclaim. Prevail. : Blood Stained Endurance
TYR : Into the Storm : By the Light of the Northern Star
ALESTORM : Leviathan : Black Sails at Midnight
KORPIKLAANI : Juodan Viinaa : Karkelo
TOKI WARTOOTH : Underwater Friends! : Metalocalypse
RIHANNA : Umbrella

Here's the Kriegest of the krieg!!

Playlist for August 15th

2009-08-28T22:21:00.001-07:00

So, this was one of my favorite shows. Wooo!

The playlist goes as follows:
ARTIST : Song Title : Album

TROLLFEST : Inni Den Grotte : Brakebein
GWAR : Make a Child Cry : Lust in Space
TANKARD : Myevilfart : Thirst
ANTICOSM : Black hearts : Valhalla
MISANTHROPY LEGION : The Mass Has Ended : Eidolon
DYSTROPHY : Through Scenes of Buried Pain : (demo 2009)
ANNUNAKI : Blunt Scalpel Extraction : Throne of the Annunaki
SWASHBUCKLE : la Leyenda : Back to the Noose
KORPIKLAANI : Vodka : Karkelo
ALESTORM : Wolves of the Sea : Black Sails at Midnight
TURISAS : Sahti - Waari : Battle Metal
FINSTERFORST : Rauschende Nacht : Weltenkraft
GLITTERTIND : Landkjenning II : Landkjenning
TYR : Hear the Heathen Call : By the Light of the Northern Star
THE ACCUSED : By the Hook : The Curse of Martha Splatterhead
VREID : Left to Hate : Pitch Black Brigade
HOWL : Kings That Steal : Howl
EAGLE TWIN : And it Came to Pass that Birds Rain Down as Black Snakes : The Unkindness of Crows
1349 : Maggot Fetus : Revelations of the Black Flame
GOATWHORE : Apocalyptic Havok : Carving Out the Eyes of God
OBITUARY : List of Dead : Darkest Day
EX DEO : Storm the Gates of Alesia : Romulus
OLD MAN'S CHILD : Ferden Mot Fienden's Land : Slaves of the World
EMPEROR : The Tongue of Fire : Prometheus
HERMH : Eyes of the Blind Lamb : Cold Blood Messiah
TOMAS LUIS DE VICTORIA (performed by the Tallis Scholars) : Ave Maria : Best of Tallis Scholars

First Show in 3 weeks!

2009-08-14T18:31:00.001-07:00

Last week was pretty damn awesome. I got back from an exhilarating week of music in Seattle (early music, the metal of the Renaissance), to my first show in the new FM studio. This studio is the best in the state, and I think it's super sweet.

This occasion was marked as a tragedy as well, because WRSU's music director emeritus Jared lost the beard. The beard he's been rocking for 11 years. He shaved it on the air and went through a whole lot of razors.

In honor of the event, I played lots of Korpiklaani. You know, songs about lumberjacks, drinking, and partying! Worthy. He just was not wearing enough flannel to qualify. The beard will be donated to a good cause: a charity for hipsters who lack their own scruffy beard.

So, here's the playlist (in a slightly different format):
Artist : Title : Album
Korpiklaani : Metsamies : Korven Kunigas
Korpiklaani : Juodan Viinaa : Karkelo
Korpiklaani : Journey Man : Voice of Wilderness
Korpiklaani : Happy Little Boozer : Tales Along This Road
Trollfest : Brakebein : Brakebein
Tyr : The Wild Rover : Eric the Red
Tyr : Turid Torkilsdottir : By the Light of the Northern Star
Alestorm : The Pirate Song : Black Sails at Midnight
Glittertind : Varder I Brann : Landkjennint
Manegarm : Dem Gamle Talar : Vargstenen
Solefald : Flourescent (The Total Orchestra) : The Circular Drain
Tribulation : Curse of Resurrection : ??
Nifleheim : Desecration of the Dead : Envoy of Lucifer
1349 : Serpentine Sibilance : Revelations of the Black Flame
Gorgoroth : Gorgoroth : True Norwegian Black Metal
Falkenbach : Heralder : Heralding the Fireblade
Hermh : I Bring You Fear : Cold Blood Messiah
Moonsorrow : Jumalten Kaupunki : Kivenkantaja
Anaal Nathrakh : In The Constellation of the Black Widow : In the Constellation of the Black Widow

\m/

BEHOLD!!!

2009-08-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Really? Is it? This is the question I ask eternally...

Randomness

2009-05-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

Been buzzing around. Graduation in imminent, and thus begins another transition.
I've been to more shows these past few weeks than I have in years.

And I'm only up to Spring Break with updates. I need to get on that...
In the meantime, I've had lots of great interviews, lots of great shows, lots of great cohosts.

Anyway, here's a playlist from the end of break.

Playlist for March 22nd, 2009:

Radio Playlist: March 14th, 2009

2009-04-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

One dark, stormy night, I had to return to campus just as my break was beginning to play... METAL!

Jared picked the first two songs because I rolled in late. I also had fun with guest DJ Delysiosa on board.

Covering for Jazz from the Hub

2009-04-22T19:08:00.001-07:00

I covered the legendary "Jazz from the Hub" on Monday, March 9th at 6pm. I scared one of the new interns with all the metal, and I'm pretty sure I gave the listeners a great surprise. No, it wasn't Jared's 'Jazz from the Beard' when he covers the show, but it was amazing.

I got a call from a guy caught in traffic, and he said, "I'm not usually into metal, but I enjoyed this." It's always great to get calls like that.

Radio Playlist: March 7th, 2009

2009-04-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

Sometime in this show, there's a very high probability that I went back to the cantina... and weirded my intern out big time!

Radio Playlist: February 28th, 2009

2009-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

For this show, the almighty Jared covered my show, because I was seeing the almighty Anticosm at a barn in Howell, NJ called the Grange. If you have not been there, you need to check it out. Great show, great band.

As Jared would say, "Go out more, Damnit!"

They don't need me anymore! He can do my show pretty well, and he's not a metal person. Maybe it's just because he's that awesome.
I later got a text from him that read, "I'm in ur metalz...yelling METAL!!"

So stay tuned for the METAL!!!

Good times!

Dethroned

2009-04-21T09:19:00.001-07:00

WRSU Manager Elections were Sunday. My assistant is taking over as Chief Announcer, meaning I can focus my energy where it belongs, on metal!

No more training headaches, demos, or people who just don't listen.

I have someone in mind to succeed me as Metal Director. She kind of rules.

Radio Playlist 2/21/09

2009-04-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Purpose and all that

2009-04-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, I like metal. A lot.

I'm currently Metal Director over at 88.7fm WRSU (Rutgers Radio). I go to metal shows. I do air guitar in my room when no one is looking (or... are they? *shifty eyes*).

So, I'm devoting this blog to updates in the world of metal radio (playlists, charts, etc) and Metal Humorist Musings. In such an extreme genre of music, there is AMPLE room for humor! Anyone who tells you differently is lying, or has something large and spiky stuck up their rectum.

Enjoy! I know I will...
\m/
Suslin

Moving!

2009-04-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

I'm moving from a previous blog on a crappy website.

In the meantime, enjoy this photo!