Durf's Weekly Workout # 13: April 16th, 2021

With spring here in Idaho in full bloom, the weather is starting to warm up and the yard work is starting to begin.  Outside of the difficulties in wrangling a toddler while trying to pull weeds, or finding energy to get some work done on a random Wednesday after a ten hour day, I really enjoy working in the yard.  It's incredibly rewarding to see the results of a day (or hour's, sometimes) work, and I can feel myself totally slipping into the Wranglers of a washed, mid-thirties dad who takes way too much pride in his yard because he's convinced himself it's a hobby since it's the only thing he has time to do on the weekends.  But I digress.

Naturally, 90% of my yardwork is done with headphones in, listening to either Tigers games or music.  This year, I'm going to add yardwork to commuting and working out as "Time When I Can Listen to New Music," but I'm not as confident in that sticking as much as it has with the other two.  For whatever reason, when I step out to mow the lawn or trim the hedges, there is a certain je nais se qua that I'm looking for in an album, and I have turned off the lawnmower to switch albums mid-mow, despite being certain that what I was listening to was what I wanted to hear.  It's weird, man.  And it's definitely albums, not bands; Khemmis' Hunted is probably my all-time favorite yardwork album, but none of their other albums have it.  Sunbather and Ordinary Corrupt Human Love have it; Roads to Judah and New Bermuda don't.  Metallica's first four albums have it in spades.  Kanye's The College Dropout is an amazing yardwork album; My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a much better album but doesn't hold up as well to the grind of the grass.  You get the idea.  Anyway, as I start mowing the lawn again, and looking for new music, maybe I'll find some new classic yardwork tunes to add to my rotation and then talk about them here.  Or maybe I won't, and I'll just listen to Ride the Lightning again and keep it to myself.  Try not to let the suspense bother you.  On to the workouts!

Durf's Weekly Workout # 12: April 9th, 2021

It's April, which means baseball is back!  This is two-thirds a big deal for us at Brutalitopia, where a full 66.6% of us are huge baseball fans; Tom loves his Mets, I'm a diehard Tigers fan, and Mick is fully content to spend summer waiting for Bears season to start.  I'm always excited to watch as much baseball as possible, something that I'm sure I will not have to change or adjust at all this year despite my overwhelming sense of having absolutely no time for anything whatsoever.  Maybe I can convince work to pay me to stay home and watch baseball instead of, like, building things onsite.  A boy can dream.

Durf's Weekly Workout # 11: April 2, 2021

You know, when March started and I found myself with a second kid and a scheduled vasectomy and a work schedule approaching 55 or more hours a week, I said to myself "You can do this."  And, shockingly, by and large I've managed to, in fact, do this.  I'm pretty proud of myself, except now is the part where I say that of all the things I thought would drop from these posts over the last month, the last one I expected was this little blurb up top.  I figured I'd always have something to say, always want to shoot my mouth off about something, but that hasn't been the case.  These entry paragraphs have, in fact, been the absolute hardest part of this whole endeavor, and I woke up at 2am three times this week because I had to be at work early and still wanted to lift.  It's crazy how that happens.  And so, in the vein of cutting myself some slack, I hereby declare the intro paragraph over, and the music paragraphs beginning.  Onward!

 

Durf's Weekly Workout # 10: March 26, 2021

I got my first Covid vaccine on Saturday.  My arm hurt for like a day after, and that was it.  I feel super lucky to have had access to it, and I highly recommend everyone get it when they get the chance.  It feels like for the first time in forever, we’re closer to the end of this thing than the beginning.  There’s still work to be done, and we aren’t out of the woods yet, but for the first time in a year, I can actually picture myself in a record store or at a concert, and that ain’t nothing.  On to the music!

 

Durf's Weekly Workout # 9: March 19th 2021

Well, the streak had to end sometime.  After eight consecutive weeks, I'm sure you were all so, so sad to open your computers or phones and see that there was no Durf's Weekly Workout last week.  I feel terrible for letting you all down, but on the other hand, after getting a vasectomy because two Durflings is plenty, I really wasn't in any shape to workout anyway.  Which is fascinating to me; I've never once thought about my balls while doing a bench press or deadlifting, but it turns out that exerting yourself can put some stress on your scrotum (if you're a dude), and so after getting the ol' Satan Worsnipping Doom, you gotta lay low for a bit.  And while I could have spent my time laying around with swollen balls listening to music and then writing about it, I instead landed on a steady diet of THC/CBD gummies and alternating college basketball with episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  I have no regrets.  But this week, I'm feeling good enough to (cautiously) resume my workouts, and get back to jamming tunes in the garage.

 

Durf's Weekly Workout # 5: February 12, 2021

Something that I've been asked at least once is how do I manage to work out most every day during the week.  I'm a concrete forms carpenter, and it's a job that can be more than a little physically demanding, an eight to ten hour workout in its own right.  Then there's a family, dogs, chores and work to do around the house... life really seems exhausting when you write it all down.  So what's my secret, what heretofore undiscovered methods do I utilize to keep myself motivated, energized, and ready for the day?

 

Durf's Weekly Workout # 4: February 5th, 2021

I've mentioned before that I work out in my garage, but that hasn't always been the case.  Before COVID, I went to a small, local gym about fifteen minutes from my house.  When I started working out at home in earnest and cancelled my membership, I was concerned that my workouts would suffer, and fortunately that hasn't really been the case at all.  Part of that is undoubtedly that I'm paying a far more attention to what I'm eating and drinking than I ever have before, but I think another important part is just embracing the limitations of a home workout set up and leaning into them.  Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I've been focusing on what I can, which helps me look for more unique approaches to achieve my goals.  Plus, there are other benefits to not going to a gym.

 

Durf's Weekly Workout # 1 : January 15, 2021

Ah, the dawning of another year.  A new beginning, a chance to really get your life together this time, a fresh start.  And you know what that means, don't you?  Why yes, it's another Brutalitopia attempt at a weekly article, something that will pop up at the same time, each week!  I know, I'm just as surprised as you are!  Much like New Year's Resolutions, it is my hope that I will stick with this column, as it fulfills my two personal goals for the year; much like New Year's Resolutions, it will surprise no one if we never speak of this column again after January.

I enjoy working out in the mornings before my family wakes up/I go to work.  There's something about getting a good sweat in before the day actually gets started that appeals to me, and it's also my time.  I have a wife, a toddler, and a baby due in a couple months, and while I love them all to death, I need time to be by myself.  So my alarm goes off at 3:15, I slug down a quick cup of coffee, and then it's out to the garage for an hour to an hour and a half of me time.  If I keep this up, maybe I'll go into my actual workouts, but for now, let's get to why this belongs on a metal blog.

 

Crypt Sermon - The Ruins of Fading Light

2019 has been a strong year for doom, the fore bearers Candlemass, Saint Vitus have re-emerged and newer bands like Smoulder and Magic Circle continue to make their presence felt in the underground. But what about 2015 critical darling Crypt Sermon? Their epic ode to traditional doom, a stellar debut and this writer's top album of said year was sure to be followed soon. But life intervenes. Their bass position was temporarily held by Matt Knox of Horrendous and their drummer Enrique Sagarnaga and guitarist Steve Jansson have been busy playing shows with Daeva. So here we are four years later and finally the band has decided to put out their sophomore effort, The Ruins of Fading Light. Again vocalist Brooks Wilson is responsible for the breathtaking artwork as well as excellent pipes throughout the disc. Enter new bassist Frank Chin who was also recruited from Daeva and we have Crypt Sermon circa 2019. Will you want to go back to the Garden or head straight for the Ruins? More after the jump.

Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light

Skeletonwitch’s original claim was being a bit different from bands of the re-thrash movement of the late oughts, with vocalist Chance Garnette leading the fracas with black metal rasps and tremolo picked frets to back him; equal parts chaos and melody. Garnette was easily the most recognizable member of the band; then he was replaced. Devouring Radiant Light ushers in a completely new era for the band, even though The Apothic Gloom was their first proper material with ex-Iron Thrones and current Wolvhammer frontman Adam Clemans.

Memoriam - For The Fallen

Few bands have the clout in the death metal community that Bolt Thrower did; their name was synonymous with crushing riffs and war themed death metal. But when the band decided to call it quits after the death of drummer Martin "Kiddie" Kearns, many a tear was shed on the battlefield. Enter Memoriam and their debut For The Fallen, the first new material of a Bolt Thrower collective since 2005's Those Once Loyal. Will For The Fallen be the great tribute to a friend with a classic sound?

Ghoul - Dungeon Bastards

Do you want over the top? Carcass worship? Horror movies? If you said yes to all of the above then you will absolutely love Dungeon Bastards; Ghoul's fifth album and first in five years. The band who also moonlights as Necroticism loving band Impaled, have been using Ghoul as their main vehicle for some time now and will be shedding blood with Carcass, Crowbar, and Night Demon in the near future. The band's previous album Transmission Zero was a bit of a disappointment for those who were expecting them to continue along the path established with their classic Splatterthrash.

Hammers of Misfortune - Dead Revolution

Hammers of Misfortune continue to tow the line for so many great metal bands; Slough Feg's affinity for all things Celtic, the keyboards of ELP and Yes, and the absolute storm of guitar work which pays homage to Queen's Brian May's harmonics, then puts them over the top. It has been 5 years since their spectacular 17th Street was released and not a moment too soon. Dead Revolution continues where the band left off; making music for everyone in the rock spectrum, that just so happens to be metal. The band has been busy with many side projects such as Vhol and Vastum as well as adding a new bassist and a drummer in the interim. So how does this all shake out into one package?

Jim Breuer and The Loud & Rowdy - Songs From The Garage

American comedic icon Jim Breuer loves few things. He makes this abundantly clear through his comedy; those things are the New York Mets, Heavy Metal and of course his family. His Facebook page in particular became increasingly more popular in this past calendar year due in large part to his Mets' postgame recaps, wins or losses. His largest impacts on me prior to that were his uncompromising performances in Half Baked and his excellent comedy special Jim Breuer: Hardcore; which is still heavily quoted in my circle of friends. So his family life and heavy metal come full circle here on his debut album Songs From The Garage; a combination love letter to both things and it can be described in one word; fun.

Kvelertak - Nattesferd

Kvelertak have made quite the name for themselves since releasing their self-titled album in 2010. By combining black metal with anything that isn’t also black metal or kvlt, the band, by its very definition, is divisive ; their accessibility has also expanded this divide amongst detractors. Nattesferd will not change that by any means, but Kvelertak know who’s listening by album number three. Some felt as though sophomore album Meir was a step back for the band as it had songs that have become fan favorites, but was ultimately a top-heavy affair. So what does Nattesferd offer to fans both new and old?

Horrendous - Anareta

Horrendous are a death metal band that seemingly came from nowhere and have brought forth a strong resurgence of death metal new and old from the northeast. Their debut The Chills was a fine slab of death metal that hinted at things to come and then Ecdysis changed things up and unleashed the fury and power of death metal riffing that could easily be found somewhere within 1991. Luckily merely a year later they have blessed us with Anareta, which changes things once more and shows the band evolving on the songwriting front as well. Well how does it stack up against the others?

Lychgate - An Antidote For The Glass Pill

Black metal can be an enigmatic beast; from it's Norwegian origins to USBM to anywhere else in the world, it varies from band to band and continent to continent. Enter the UK's Lychgate and their 2nd full length, An Antidote For The Glass Pill; a thoroughly horrifying album in the best way possible. Organs are a major piece to this quintet's sound and they at times can sound like a more mysterious Mr. Bungle. The overarching atmosphere is that of say playing some of the original Resident Evil games without a strategy guide; never knowing what lurks around the corner.

Brutally Short #1: King Giant, Bearstorm, Khemmis, Valkyrie, Dreadnought

(image by our buried alive intern)

This is the inaugural post of our "Brutally Short" column. Our hands certainly aren't clean of producing them, but we know reading long-winded reviews can be tedious. In an effort to not let so many albums slip through the cracks, "Brutally Short" will deliver around five reviews or so of albums our staff has been recently listening to.

Reviews for Brutally Short #1:

King Giant - Black Ocean Waves
Bearstorm - Americanus
Khemmis - Absolution
Valkrie - Shadows
Dreadnought - Bridging Realms

Check out the reviews after the break!

Crypt Sermon - Out Of The Garden

When you are busy people like Brooks Wilson and Steve Jansson, you may find it hard to release new material as often as they do. Whether this duo is breaking necks as death metal band Trenchrot, grinding through some Nasum love as Unrest or by paying homage to the forefathers of epic doom metal in their most recent iteration: Crypt Sermon and their debut Out Of The Garden. you are surely to be impressed by the sheer variety of metal showcased by this heavy metal brain trust.

Accept - Blind Rage

German metal pioneers Accept are a band that requires absolutely no introduction; fans of both old and new heavy metal need to do nothing but pay respect to these legends who have only been on the rise since they parted ways with original signer Udo Dirkschneider. The addition of Mark Tornillo of New Jersey based band TT Quick has been a major boom and a real shot in the arm for a band that hadn't done much of anything in the 2000's prior to his arrival on 2010's Blood Of The Nations and continued that success with Stalingrad in 2012. They have embarked on tons of tours all over the world and absolutely deliver live, as was the case when I saw King's X open for them in Sayreville, NJ in 2009. But what about Blind Rage? Does it hold to the same heavy metal and hard rock that the band is famous for? Let's find out.