Liquigas start of strong.

On a twisted course not so suited for time trial bikes, Liquigas take the first stage of the Giro and the pink Jersey. This is a hell of a season for Liquigas who got wins at Het Volk,Liege Bastogne Leige and ,GP Toscano. Grabbing the this stage is huge for them. This was the first suprise of what should be an amazing Giro. Astana and CSC took 2nd and 3rd. Several teams rode the course on their road bikes instead of time trial bikes. Tomorrow should be a showdown between Pettachi, Haedo, and McEwen. But who else will try and spoil the party?

Bone Awl 2x7"

Double seven inch from necro masters Bone Awl on Hospital Productions. 5 songs Graphics are killer-kind of off kilter primitive kind of cartoon meets wood cut or something.
Opens up with some feedback and than a brutal assault of over driven noise. Vocals are distorted and drown out a lot of the music. Guitar sound is not quite as brutal as I would have liked. The Production is pretty brutal-in a noise on noise necro four track way. The production is almost another instrument on "Vein" slathering noise onto the tracks and bleeding them all together. "Offering to Me" and "Black Kali Bride" are the 2 best tracks. "Offering..." has a nice breakdown to bass and drums that killer. This is not bad, but not up to the standard they set with the Meaningless Leaning Mess" LP. Hospital Productions threw this out in a limited run (300 and something?). Seems like a lot of non metal dudes are putting out metal records. I guess everyone was teenage metal head, but who knows.... The double 7" format is a pain in the ass as well, but no matter what this is a fucking great band who deliver a powerful style of raging, primitive black metal. These guys mine that Necro metal vein where at times the lines between Venom/Hellhammer and Punk or Crust get a little blury. That isn't a bad thing.

The Zimmers My Generation

Thanks to Rich C for the tip on this one.

Coffins/Otesanek split LP

Nice gatefold lp on Parastic Records. Cover is some dark demented shit. Layout is good and the vinyl is heavy duty. Otesanek drop one side long track, "Narcotic Hues" that opens slow with some drones and low screaming. Once it kicks in, they drop some heavy Burning Witch/Grief type of slow sludge. 3 guys doing vocals so they're some grunts and screams. Tortured, slow heaviness that trudges along as if the band had to pull the weight of the world along with them as they played. If Aquarius was reviewing this there would be at least 10 "O"s in DOOOM. or extras "L"s in SLLLUDGE. A twisted journey, but not one I will take again soon or too often.

Coffins drop 3 tracks including a cover of Goatlord's "acid orgy". Doom mixed with Hellhammer worship from these Japanese "former members of" masters. Super heavy guitars, powerful production. Vocals are a gutteral shout-kind of crusty. These guys deliver. Check out their other cds.

US cycling battling in Europe

Both Navigators and Slipsteam are slugging it out at 4 Days of Dunkirk (a race that lasts 7 days. go figure). But news of the week is the BMC cycling team won the team time trial at the Giro del Friuli Venezia Giulia. This puts BMC's Jonathan Garcia in the overall lead. Nice! Some tough racing ahead if BMC hope to defend. Nice to see us mixing it up in these races.

The Minutemen - Corona - Acoustic 1985

LEATHERFACE - Do The Right Thing (promo)