Two weeks ago, our in-house photographer Lorenzo & I headed to the The Blvd in East L.A. to witness sonic mayhem. Gallery, Destroy Judas & Embers all totally fucking wrecked shop. First up was Gallery, who just pounded the room with an onslaught of crust-ridden sludge. What I really like about them is how they slap you in your face with their filthy voodoo doom groove. Then Destroy Judas took the stage & ripped apart my ear drums. They are super heavy & super loud, but keep you transfixed with their breed of slow-moving Apocalyptic Blues. Their show is rad – they turn off all of the lights & have a giant projection screen behind them. So the whole time while they are performing, thought-provoking films created by the band’s drummer are being played. Finally, Embers were on point from their very first song. This bands plays killer dark ambient black metal that sounds epic live. Keep in mind that all three of these superdelic bands have powerful albums this that you all must have! What also made this a cool night was the fact that Lorenzo Flournoy was on hand to capture this stellar night of mayhem on film. So after the jump, enjoy our photo essay…

THE EMBERS.

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Nick Blinko, the talent behind the wacky album covers of Rudimentary Peni, is about to have his first one-man show at the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, UK, from June 21st to August 7th, 2011. Considering he has been recognized for his art since at least 1981, when Rudimentary Peni released their first EP, this is a long time coming. I guess he isn’t known as an “outsider artist” for nothing. His artwork is profound in its’ density and texture, and the ominous figures that overlap one another seem to leap out at you despite their very 2D appearance. His Wiki page says that his art is produced while NOT under the influence of psychotropic drugs, which may or may not be true considering Wikipedia’s reliability, but regardless his artwork definitely has an element of the disturbed to it. Maybe Blinko is just better at seeing through that part of his mind than most of us, since we are all disturbed anyway. But the lines that fill the entire canvas and frame the subjects with darkness create a sense of being completely surrounded, and almost suffocated. Some of my favorite pieces have been the Rudimentary Peni covers themselves, but upon exploring more of his artwork I have seen a new and more complex dimension to what Blinko creates. After the jump, take a look at a selection of his artwork, and do me a favor, if you happen to be anywhere near West Sussex in June, go to his exhibition for me!

Weird before his time, insane before his time, full of dirge before his time, Nick Blinko, the creator Rudimentary Peni, did everything before his time. The record Death Church, released in 1983, was ground-breaking & pushed the limits of anarcho punk. Rudimentary Peni composed an album that was a perfect mix of punk angst with the right balance of death rock ghost vibe. The lyrics went places that other bands were not going at the time, with song titles like Flesh Crucifix, Blasphemy Squad & Vampire State Building. Mind you this band came out of the Crass camp, not from the Batcave. I was 14 when this record came out, & I thought it was super awesome at the time – I was like damn, now Christian Death has an English brother. Rudimentary Peni were unifiers; they brought together the peace punks, the hardcore kids, the positive punks & the death rockers. Everyone said fuck the labels, we all dig this band. The sound of Death Church has this metallic layer that lurks in every song. With all their albums, Rudimentary Peni had the power to create songs that sound ugly, but that transport the listener to a beautiful dark cave. Plus, they have songs that are groovy as fuck – some of the basslines are just sublime. The dirge vibe is supreme on this album, & to this very day I can’t find a record that sounds anything like it. Death Church was actually a life lesson for me when I was young, and told me it’s OK to be different. That idea still plays in my thoughts to this day.

Rudimentary Peni: Love Is Not


Rudimentary Peni: Dutchmen


Rudimentary Peni: The Cloud Song

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I smell the stench of rotting death thrash & black metal being cooked up by the band Volcanic Slut. This Florida band commands the power & speed of demonic hellhounds on meth. Blasphemaster, their three song demo, is more than rad – it’s maggot-infested awesome. Volcanic Slut plays blackened death thrash metal on their own terms. The production quality of these songs is perfect, with just the right amount of lo-fi vibe. The vocal delivery is urgent & filled with a deathly pain that sounds epic! The Volcanic Slut guitar player is so insane, his riffs could disembowel the executioner. They also have this chaotic melodic layer to their songs that just draw you in. Just say fuck the world, it’s all about Volcanic Slut! I can’t wait to hear more from these killers. Make sure to check out their song “Lunar Activities” on the new CVLT Nation Mixtape Vol.1.



Volcanic Slut: Blasphemaster

Horseback is an awesome band that creates music that moves you beyond the boundaries of your imagination & then some. CVLT Nation had the opportunity to interview these transcendental music makers. I will go on record one more time: ‘The Gorgon Tongue: Impale Golden Horn + Forbidden Planet’ is a very special album that comes out on May 25th via Relapse records. This is what happens to me: from the very first song, I find myself transfixed in a state of blissed-out euphoria. So after the jump, enjoy this thought-provoking interview with Jenks of Horseback.

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Finding myself in darkness, finding myself in sadness, losing myself in youth, losing myself in what I thought was real – through all of this, I found myself in Joy Division. This is one band that helped shaped who I was & who I have become. I remember the first time I ever heard them in 1982 & the impact it had on me. At a very early age, their music made me ponder what our existence is all about. Joy Division is a band that has truly transcended genres & time itself. They created classic soul music that was for their sanity & not for their chart position. I really don’t care what kind of music you listen to; Ian Curtis’ lyrics can change your emotional make up. He wrote things that most of us don’t even like to think about & sung them in a way that empowered us all. Joy Division as a band played music like no other: the drums & bass were always in the pocket. Bernard Sumner had his own awesome way that he played guitar that was totally moving. What is often not said is that these four humans were like brothers & they rose from their bleak Manchester existence to change the face of music forever. Much has been written about this band, but this documentary you are about to see covers Joy Division better that anything I have ever read or watched. So after the jump, enjoy some really rare photos & the Joy Division documentary Under Review.



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Witchcraft Hardware hails from the UK, and makes skate gear for a kvlt following. Owned & operated by our homie French, Witchcraft unabashedly takes its’ influence from death and black metal, and from Satan himself. The decks all feature handcrafted artwork masterpieces from a group of extremely talented artists, including French himself. From rotting nun corpses to orgies of goat-worshiping, Witchcraft is nothing to fuck with. They also do a clothing line featuring one of a kind artwork from the same artists that design the decks. Basically, Witchcraft is a one-stop-shop for everything the Satanic Skater needs to destroy the pavement. The Witchcraft skate team shreds globally and even has a member from my hometown of Canada. They have some rad videos up on their site of their team storming the UK like a demon army. So if you feel like your talents must have come from the underworld, then after the jump check out Witchcraft’s fine products, plus their awesome promo vid…

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There is a bad taste in my mouth, but the sickness tastes good. I know what this disgusting stuff is…I’m listening to DISGUSTER. This band creates ultra-raw cycodelic crushing black metal. Their 2009 demo, Flesh and Fear, is totally off the chain. The songs on this demo are filled with black chaos that also has this insane punk energy. The production is the way I like my black metal – lo-fi as hell with a “we don’t give a fuck” attitude! What is also rad about DISGUSTER is the vision they have behind what they create. This band knows how to compose dark, spacey & sinister music that amazes me. DISGUSTER’s Flesh and Fear demo is a black dirge classic!



DISGUSTER: Wretched Defiler


DISGUSTER: Flesh and Fear

When music keeps you alive, changes your existence, is a puzzle, makes your mind wonder, is life, it’s LUNGFISH. This post-hardcore band was formed in 1987 in Washington, D.C. & put almost all their recordings on Dischord. LUNGFISH is a band that I love on a whole different level because they gave me strength when I had none. Daniel Higgs, the singer, is one of the illest lyricists around. The words he writes are simple, but at the same time they are way beyond complex. He has the power to change energy with his words. His delivery is part bluesman & part post punk riot. LUNGFISH musically create these sonic portraits of emotional audio art. Their second album, Talking Songs for Walking, is a classic. The song “Put Your Hand in My Hand” is a encounter of a special kind. From the very first song, this album will move you to a different plane. A place where the grey days are not real forever. After the jump, check some epic flicks & awesome videos.



LUNGFISH: Put Your Hand in My Hand


LUNGFISH: One Face


LUNGFISH: Friend to Friend in Endtime.

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Two Bands, Six Songs,  One Noisey 7″. Electric Funeral are a band who I have been a huge fan of and since first hearing them, I have been telling people to listen to and after hearing this 7″ I am not going to stop any time soon. What I love so much about Electric Funeral is despite the power of the noise and distort everything is clear as a bell, which may sound a bit of an oxymoron, but its true everything is perfect. As always full of energy and air punching d-beat noise to keep ya tied over till their next release. Go Filth Go who I hadn’t listened to previously but these Greek D-Beaters bring some chaotic  d-beat  noise to the split with galloping drums, Disclose styled vocals and noise guitars and a more stripped down and raw sound, the same sort of raw feel as of 80′s Hardcore the type that only the Scandinavians can do, which gives the 7″ a more destructive nature.Check out all of the details after the jump.
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