One Less God

Reasons to rejoice over the Godless 7": 1. It's fucking Godless! 2. Rough versions of "OCA", "Equal" and "Blood and Tears." 3. Two exclusive tracks. 4. A ripping Sin 34 cover. As unpolished as the production is, the recording dates indicate that this may have been their last release. The band also added two more musicians, freeing Leslie up to focus solely on vocals; but rest assured, this is the same Godless of Portland who caroled at your virtual door last Christmas, ate all your cookies, drank all your schnapps, and left a year's worth of melody on your lips.

The Godless 7"

Shrieking in Three Movements

Alarido is an anomalous arctic blast, ravaging the sun-smitten Nevada desert landscape. The band's first cassette is a three-part odyssey of what Painajainen calls "crust/d-beat with black metal influences," and that sums it up as well as any label could. What he's too modest to say is that this tape completely rules. What turns out to be nineteen minutes of music, seems like only five, as the band seamlessly navigates through violent blizzards of blast-beats, searing d-beat siroccos, and the occasional rest on an inland sea of acoustic tranquility. You definitely don't want to miss this one, or the next tape which is in the works.

Buy the first cassette here

Download here

Crashin' Down the Halls & Bouncin' Off the Walls

Words are so two-dimensional, that to describe the majesty of Icon Gallery's debut LP would surely be an exercise in falling flat. Each of these nine tracks seems to have its own life, its own deep subtext, and so much energy the air itself seems electrified when needle hits groove. Driving each are the red-hot, punk rock pistons of the rhythm section, but the guitar leads take cues from Iron Maiden and Sonic Youth, and all this is spearheaded by a woman with the voice of the Avenging Angel. Icon Gallery is everything you've ever loved about rock, minus all the cheeze you've been forced to tolerate. Even the most calloused crusty has an inner place for music like this, so put aside your pretenses, and take the plunge...

Icon Gallery LP

gallery.icon[at]gmail.com

dearskull[at]gmail.com

Kevin and band were kind enough to allow us to download the album, but I strongly recommend contacting them or Dear Skull Records at the above addresses and buying a copy. The LP looks and sounds too amazing to pass up. In fact, I may remove the link after a while to encourage such a transaction. Their equally amazing demo and 7" are available through the above addresses as well.