Melechesh, Leng Tch'e, Warface, Facedown Records, and reggae

Melechesh

If you were wondering where Andy from No One Here Is Asking and Jason from Sonic Corpse Glide went (and you will know them by their trail of dead blogs), they’ve joined forces in the blog merger of the year. Now they’re at Clocked In – Punched Out, which is off to a running start. Some metal, some not, no bullshit, don’t sleep.

At Stylus, Stewart Voegtlin and Todd DePalma have turned in a fine sixth edition of Left Hand Path. Stew did a feature on Outlaw Recordings, and Todd reviewed some hot buzz records – Bone Awl, Dead Reptile Shrine, Ruins of Beverast, among others.

Julie Pinsonneault has written a great feature, “Women in Metal,” for Stylus. The title is overbroad, as the article focuses on the depiction of women in metal media, as opposed to the book-length treatment such a title requires. Though I would have liked to have seen more female musicians mentioned (the article’s linchpin, Karyn Crisis, isn’t even doing music now), it’s incisive and very well-written.

Warface – Climatic Annihilation
Melechesh – Rebirth of the Nemesis
Comparison – Melechesh vs. Soulfly vs. Gregory Peck

Speaking of women in metal, at Metal Injection I’ve reviewed Warface, which features Laura Christine on guitar. Plenty of women play guitar, but few do so in metal, especially of shredder caliber. You see women behind the mic, bass, and keyboards, but not at the “skill positions” – drums and guitar. Why is that? I’ve also reviewed the new Leng Tch’e, which is, sadly, a dud.

Facedown Records has been on a hot streak, and they celebrate their 10th anniversary soon, so I un-inverted my cross and did a label profile. Look out for their new signing, Impending Doom – Christian gore grind, believe! I’ve also reviewed the sort-of-new Melechesh, whose schtick is black/thrash metal with a Mesopotamian twist.

One of their signatures is a drum pattern that totally reminds me of dancehall reggae (in “Rebirth of the Nemesis,” it’s the first beat after the blastbeats). I’ve posted an MP3 for comparison. The first clip is from Melechesh’s “Deluge of Delusional Dreams,” the second is from Soulfly’s “Living Sacrifice” (which has the same beat), and the third is from “Pocoman Jam” by Jamaican reggae artist Gregory Peck. I also hear this beat booming out of cars here in Berlin’s Turkish quarter. Does anyone know if this beat has a name?