Monday, 2 September 2013
We've Moving!
That's right folks, we've got ourselves an actual .com address! Just like those professional websites.
Our new site will have a new format and will include hardcore/punk/metal news as well as reviews.
We are slowly migrating the review from the site over there, but that will take some time.
As a result, we won't be updating this site anymore, so head on over there to check things out.
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Review: Modern Life is War - Fever Hunting
Modern Life is War
Fever Hunting
It’s good to see that some bands still have it. In an era where the band reunion seem
increasingly inevitable, all too many times it’s nothing more than a half-assed
final grab at the brass ring, but it looks like Modern Life is War (MLIW for
those too lazy to type four words) isn’t fucking around. After about 5 years since they called it
quits, this group of Midwestern ne’er-do-wells don’t miss a beat with Fever Hunting. In fact, this is
some of the best music that MLIW has put out, period. While I would still consider Witness their
untouchable masterpiece, this record comes in a close second.
I’m actually hard pressed to find a negative thing to say about this record....I guess there is an odd amount of repeating vocal lines, but that fades into the background and becomes a non-issue after a few listens. Besides that it’s just MLIW being MLIW....the desperate sound that comes from coming from a region whose glory days are far behind them, a dissonant sound that is often imitated (La Dispute, Defeater, Touche Amore, I’m looking at all of you) but is never quite captured like it is by this band.
All of the above AND probably the best, most concise song
writing that this band has put forth so far.
“Health, Wealth & Peace”, “Media Cunt”, “Fever Hunting” are ragers
that never fail to get stuck in my head immediately after listening. Also, how good of a song name is “Media Cunt”?
To summarize: Modern Life is War is back in a big way and is
arguably better than ever. Pretenders should
take notice and see if they can’t learn a thing or two along the way.
Buy it here (Warning: Shipping to Canada is fucking ridiculous, so hopefully they come by on an upcoming tour....fingers crossed.)
Monday, 29 July 2013
Review: Fuck The Facts - Amer
Fuck The Facts
Amer
Everyone in metal should probably sit down and take notes
from Fuck the Facts. This group of
Ottawa/Gatineau-based bastardized grinders have been putting out some of the
best ear-splitting music around for over a decade, and do so without half of
the praise they deserve. Beginning as
Topon Daz’s one-man brainchild, FTF has somehow become one of the most
well-respected and hard-working bands in metal.
I’ve seen them play in some of the dingiest, dirtiest, shittiest venues
in Ontario, and they always put on a fuckin’ show, even if it was only to 20
people.
Fuck the Facts are a band I’ve long respected and
appreciated, largely in part because of their ability to stay fresh and
interesting in a genre that is all too often guilty of rehashing old riffs and
refusing to think outside the box.
Recent albums Disgorge Mexico
and Die Miserable moved the band away
from pure-blistering grind and into darker, more ethereal territory. Luckily, each new evolution of this band has
been more interesting, mature, and more enjoyable than the one before.
Their new EP, Amer, is no different. Blending elements of grind, death, and even
groove metal, this record is damn near accessible. Now, using a term like that for Fuck the
Facts barely makes any sense, but it’s oddly applicable here. The songs are full of well-thought out
dynamics, usually run around the 2-3 minute mark, and are full of amazing riffs
and catchy vocal patterns. And somehow
they do all of this without becoming boring, generic, or soft. Pay especially close attention to tracks like "Une Triste Vue" and "A Void", as they really embody what I'm trying to say.
One caveat, if you are wayyyyy into lyrical content, but do
not have a grip on the French language, then this may not be the best album for
you. Written entirely in French, this
album has put my 6th grade French Immersion skills to the test. Nevertheless, there is little doubt about the
pain and anguish behind many of these lyrics.
So all in all, if you haven’t listened to Fuck the Facts
before this might actually be a good place to start. But really, what the hell is your problem?
Don’t you like good metal? Why haven’t
you listened to this band yet? Shame on you.
This has quickly become one of the best records of 2013 and easily my
favourite non-English record of all time (I'm not sure if that's saying much, but whatever, it's true).
Buy it here (And if you dig this record from FTF I highly recommend the Misery EP as well).
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Podcast: Ep. 52 - This is the End
Ep. 52: This is the End
Well folks, it's been real. Here at Lost Tribe we don't pride ourselves
on much, but we are proud of the fact that we have been able to give
you a quality podcast each and every week. Come hell or high water
we've always delivered a podcast that we've been proud of, and we aren't
about to start half-assing things now. As a result, this will be our
last podcast for the time being. Life just gets too busy sometimes and
with a slew of weddings, second/third/fourth jobs, vacations, etc. there
is no way that we can keep delivering a podcast every single week. For
the time being we will be going on 'hiatus'. What that means, I'm not
exactly sure, but it does allow us to return at a future date if we are
so inclined, and maybe get in on some that reunion tour money (Judge and
American Nightmare doesn't deserve it all). And for anyone wondering,
yes, we will still keep the website going, and will probably be a lot
more active posting reviews there as we no longer have the podcast to
discuss the music/movies/comics/video games/politics/etc. that we do or
do not like. So enjoy this final episode, where the boys talk about
not-so-sexy gangster rap, World War Z, and a whole bunch of other cool
shit. It's been a lot of fun, so thanks for listening.
If you are looking to download older episodes, get them while they are hot...we will be removing them from the interweb by Sept. 1st. You can currently download all 52 episodes and just listen to them whenever you want, but as of the end of the summer they will no longer be available.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Labels:
boyz ii men,
gangster rap,
Hardcore,
lost tribe,
metal,
nwa,
podcast,
Punk,
world war z
Friday, 28 June 2013
Podcast: Ep. 51 - Liberace Pussy Slayer
Ep. 51: Liberace Pussy Slayer
On this episode the boys Whole Foods, Jack Astor's, and end of another fantastic season of Game of Thrones. Seriously, how good was Season 3? And yes, we talk all about the Red Wedding and what is to come. We also talk about Orphan Black and how Canadians are rocking US-based British TV stations. We then have a rather lengthy discussion about steven soderbergh's Behind the Candelabra and whether Liberace was in fact a note-worth ladies man. He wasn't, but what if?
Get it on iTunes or here.
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Podcast: Ep. 50 - Call of Duty Dogs
Ep. 50: Call of Duty Dogs
In this episode the boys discuss international Slayer purchases, the official release of Xbox One, and the battle lines that have now been drawn between Microsoft and Sony's PS4. The reason we can have this debate is because E3 has happened and all sorts of glorious new techy things have been announced that the boys talk about, rate, and drool over. As a bonus, more invested members of Lost Tribe explain everything about the evolution of video games to those less in-the-know. Finally, Marvel movies get some talk time as everyone ponders why Guardians of the Galaxy is becoming a blockbuster.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Podcast: Ep. 49 - Air Wolf vs. The King of Kong (Light Em Up)
Ep. 49: Air Wolf vs. The King of Kong (Light Em Up)
In this episode the boys deliver the best podcast of this, or any, decade. We discuss new bands like Heartless and Greber that are great, and older music that is incredibly shitty like Fall Out Boy. Then there is a discussion about World/Inferno Friendship Society and bizarre old ass shows like Air Wolf....and no, I don't really remember it either. We talk about the new Start Trek movie and argue over how good it is, but we all agree that the technology they has is something we most definitely want! We talk about other shit, but I'm writing this at my parent's place with the worst netbook ever, so I'm not writing anymore. Enjoy.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Podcast: Ep. 48: The Future is Now, Motherfuckers!
Ep. 48: The Future is Now, Motherfuckers!
In this episode the boys discuss awesome local hardcore shows (RIP
Purity Control and hurray for Pick Your Side) and revist the Rob Ford
crack smoking scandal. The majority of the episode is dedicated to the
return of Arrested Development and how season 4 stacks up against
previous episodes (hint: we like it, but lets not go overboard, it
wasn't THAT great). Following that, the boys discuss how the future is
here, and it's going to watch you in your living room! Xbox One, PS4,
etc. are all on their way and while their technology is impressive, it
may also turn out to be invasive and downright creepy.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Friday, 31 May 2013
Review: Heartless - Certain Death
Heartless
Certain Death
I had never heard of Heartless. I didn’t know they were from Pittsburgh, I
didn’t know they were playing Maryland Death Fest, and I didn’t know they had a
new 7” coming out on Halo of Flies (which is a label I actually do know and
respect). Usually I’m ok with the fact that I’m slowly
falling out of touch with what’s new/noteworthy in heavy music, but I’m kinda
kicking myself that I didn’t know about Heartless earlier than now. Certain
Death is an incredibly heavy 7” that blends hardcore, metal, and grindcore
in an astoundingly impressive way. This
is music to destroy property to. The
production value is there, the ability to seamlessly blend styles is there, and
obviously genuine nature of this band’s aggression is consistently front and
centre.
I don’t know who decides which bands get jocked hard and
which bands have to slog it out on their own, but it really doesn’t make sense
that this band doesn’t enjoy the notoriety and success of bands like Nails. Since I can’t leap tall buildings in a single
bound or dedicate billions to developing a super high-tech cave, I’ll have to
live out my superhero fantasies by trying to get a band like Heartless the
recognition that they deserve. Fortunately,
Certain Death is the destructive
force of nature that will hopefully allow Heartless to gain the recognition
that they deserve.
Pick up the 7” over at Halo of Flies.
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Podcast: Ep. 47 - You're the Wrong Kind of Nerd
Ep. 47: You're the Wrong Kind of Nerd
In this episode the boys discuss the comedic-live-theatre genius that is The Book of Mormon and what a frustrating clusterfuck trying to buy live theatre tickets can be. In terms of music, old Nails and new The Wonder Years albums get discussed and praised while I See Star's cover of Bane gets properly ripped apart. At this point the discussion turns to the boys' nerdy youth, when Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering ruled their girl-less nights. Also, how fucking cool are 20-sided dice?
Get it on iTunes or here.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Review: Greber/Hiroshima Vacation - Split 7"
Greber / Hiroshima Vacation
Split 7"
It is a well-known fact (around my house) that I’ve had a
HUGE musical crush on Fuck the Facts for about a 11 years now, and have had the
joy of sharing stages, couches, and pizzas with them over the years. I put this out on front street because Greber
is the brainchild of Marc Bourgon from Fuck the Facts and I don’t want to be
accused of having hidden biases (I’m much more comfortable with my biases when
they are blatant, apparently). Now, in
all honesty, the sharing of personnel is one of the only things these two bands
share. Greber provides a much grimier,
sludgier style of metal than FTF’s dissonant grind, but that doesn’t make it
any less appealing. In fact, this
two-man-band (drummer and bassist) are able to outperform most 4/5 person bands
on this release, as they don’t mistake minimal for boring or simplistic. Also, my favourite song of theirs is called “Twenty
Nine Years Old”, which as a 29 year old grind fan greatly appeals to me for a
number of reasons. The other half of this split is occupied by Ithaca NY’s
Hiroshima Vacation. They play sludgy
grind/powerviolence and can keep up with anyone else in the field. If you haven’t yet, definitely check out this
band as they are bound to impress you, even though I’m sure you have impossibly
high standards like most people on the interent.
I’m very glad that I actually sat down and took the time to
listen to this release because it reminds me of when I was a teenager and would
love grindcore splits because it always seemed like you got more bang for your
buck, as 5 minutes of intense grind is always more satisfying than one
prolonged acoustic track or some such b-side bullshit. Also, having to grow up in a pre-internet
age, splits like this always gave you a chance to find out about bands that you
had never heard of. I came across this
release through a message from Greber, but are now completely turned on (not
sexually...while, kinda sexually) to Hiroshima Vacation, who I otherwise never
would have heard.
Check out some songs here or pre-order the vinyl here.
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Podcast: Ep. 46 - I'ma Give You Five Bucks Right Now
Ep. 46: I'ma Give You Five Bucks Right Now
In this episode the boys explain the absolute clusterfuck that is the
politics of the city of Toronto. Specifically, we discuss how the 4th
largest city in North America has an 'alleged' crackhead for a mayor.
Thank you Rob Ford for being an unending stream of embarassment for all
of us. On the second half of the show is dedicated to the trainwreck
that was the season finale of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. Bon
Appetite!
Get it on iTunes or here.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Podcast: Ep. 45 - Slayer!!!
Ep. 45 - Slayer!!!
This
week the boys begin by discussing Iron Man 3 (dont' worry, no spoilers)
and happy-go-lucky music that seems to have an appeal during summer
time. From there the majority of the episode focuses on the passing of
Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman and what it has meant to the metal
community and to each of the boys themselves. This was a musician who
was a true juggernaut, and almost single-handedly transformed what Trash
Metal guitar playing was. He wrote Angel of Death. He wrote Reign in
Blood. And now he's dead. Fuck. RIP.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Podcast: Ep. 44 - The Slutty Ari Gold
Ep. 44: The Slutty Ari Gold
On this horribly recorded podcast (don't worry, we've figured out our sound issues and every podcast after this one will sound like sonic gold...so don't get your panties in a bunch.) the boys talk about incredibly ridiculous and awesome sorority letter that has taken over the internet as of late. We love her. We hate her. We love to hate her. Once we get over our internet obsession, they discuss the repress of Cursed's legedary 'One' album, and other newer Toronto bands that are worth checking out. Furthermore, the initial This Is Hardcore 2013 line-up was announced, so they talk about how great Kid Dynamite is. Moving away from music, the guys talk about Newsroom, Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time, and how even non-gamers should definitely play the Bioshock games. Fuck Ayn Rand.
Get it on iTunes or here.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Review: Spaz out - Demo
Spaz out
Demo
It most likely some form of nationalism speaking, but I
honestly believe that Canada puts out a disproportionate amount of good
hardcore/metal/punk bands. As a country
that is a mere 10% the size of the USA, we pump out consistently great,
groundbreaking, and fun bands that end up making an impact despite being from
the frozen North-Western corner of the globe.
While Lost Tribe is centered out of Toronto, and we all consider TOHC to
be our hometown music, I once lived in Ottawa and still hold a fair amount of
love for the nation’s capital.
It was this geographic affection that caused me to check out
Ottawa's own, Spaz out. Now, beside the fact that it
should be spelled “Spazz” in my opinion, I love everything about this
band. The demo sounds raw (it is a demo
of course), but the intensity and fury comes through clearly on every
song. “Tangled” and “Cut the Shit pt. 2”
bring a style of early 2000s hardcore that I will always love best. “Blind to the Truth” is probably my favourite
song, mixing killer hc riffs, metal dive bombs, and a gang-vocal
breakdown. What’s not to love??!! “Losing Grip” speeds things up and adds some
metallic and punk roots to the release that fit perfectly.
Look, I know we usually don’t do track-by-track breakdowns
of what we review, but every song on this release is good in a different way,
so blanket statements are kinda hard to come by. Furthermore, when a new band puts out
something this impressive it’s worth taking a step back and appreciating each
track....jesus, now it sounds like a want to blow this band.....and I
do....musically. Only musically.
Get a free download of the demo here, and buy a physical copy whenever that becomes available.
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