We asked some of our friends around Seattle and Portland to come up with a list of things they loved in 2014, and these are some of the responses we received. Thanks to everyone who sent us something back.
-James B.
Adam Noble Bass from Ladies’ Choice Productions
Boyfrndz – Breeder
Dust Moth – Dragon Mouth
Prizehog – Re-unvent the Whool
Dope, Guns & Fucking in the Street Vol. 13
Fat White Family & Taman Shud – Split EP
Ladder Devils – Clean Hands
This T-Shirt is a Record/Seattle Noise Vol. 1 presented by Cha Cha Lounge
Secret Cutter – S/T
Fortune Club – The First Three Songs
Coffinworm – IV.I.VIII
Floor – Oblation
Top Upcoming Shows:
1. Pig Destroyer at El Corazon’s 10th Anniversary Party, January 10th
Congratulations to ElCo for a decade of polarizing events! I think people need to bury the hatchet with this place, not too many places in Seattle bother to fly-in bands like Pig Destroyer (and the security and otherwise staff are not nearly as bad as some people rant about).
2. Russian Circles 10th Anniversary Tour with Mamiffer at Neumo’s, January 20th
Even though I’ve been a fan since their first recording, replacing their departing bassist with Botch/These Arms are Snakes/Roy’s Brian Cook was fucking genius, and their decade hallmark tour is more than reason to celebrate (and don’t get me started on what Everylovely Lightningheart’s Faith, and her project Mamiffer featuring husband Aaron Turner of ISIS/Old Man Gloom fame, are capable of. She digs DEEEEP)
3. Helms Alee, Marriages & Grenades at Neumo’s, January 31st
I’ve missed Marriages first two Seattle shows, third time’s the charm with these amazing Red Sparowes veterans, and to see them with two of Seattle’s most charming commodities puts this on my list EASILY
4. Napalm Death, Voivod, Exhumed, Iron Reagan, Black Crown Initiate, Theories at Studio Seven, February 18th
FINALLY get to see Voivod, I’ve been waiting years, especially after that whole Fear Factory/Soundwave tour thing fell thru (I have a promotional beer koozie from that tour-which-never-was that reminds me all the time). It’s also worth mentioning, S7 is another venue that can get an unwarranted bad rep around here: they book a lot of great metal tours, so if that’s yr thing than GET INTO IT! If you don’t like the opening bands, don’t show up too early (but if you can track them down, they do sell cheap tix, nothing wrong with that! I really don’t think it’s the same pay-to-play practice that earned that system the shunning it receives)
5. Retox/Whores. Tour at the Black Lodge & Ash Street Saloon, March 7th & 8th (respectively)
Y’all know I love Michael Crain & Justin Pearson’s RETOX, but it was only during the end of this last year that I finally caught WHORES., at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. And, believe the hype, they were phenomenal! So ready to see them back-to-back in the NW, already got our Portland tix!!!
6. Bleak Outlook Vol. 3 with Helms Alee, Rabbits, Lozen, CaveRage and more, in Tacoma at various venues, March 20th thru 22nd
Another case of Third Time’s the Charm, I’ve finally being enticed back to T-Town for their greatest showcase of the year, nine shows in three days, surely a joyful noise or two will be ringing in my ears in the days following
7. Stumpfest 2015 at Portland’s Mississippi Studios, April 23rd thru 25th
Though details haven’t been released, the first few years of Stumpfest are legendary, taking place in the wonderful Mississippi Studios & featuring such luminaries as Floor, Red Fang, Lord Dying, Tweakbird, Yob, Trans Am, Black Cobra and more awesome NW bands than you can shake a phat joint at! D.C. and the lovely Stump Sisters cannot be stopped!!!
8. Psycho California 2015 with Kylesa, OM, Earth, Russian Circles, EYEHATEGOD, Conan, Old Man Gloom, Atriarch, Lord Dying, Bell Witch, Radio Moscow, Ancient Altar, Mothership, Bloodmoon, Author & Punisher and so much more in Santa Ana, CA, May 15th-17th
No better way to celebrate my 34th Birthday Week with a trip to undoubtedly one of the greatest Stoner/Doom/Heavy Psych fests I’ve ever heard of in the States, and the top three bands haven’t even been announced yet!!! More info at: http://psychoca.com/
9. Total Fest XIV in Missoula, MT, August 13th thru 15th
Montana’s greatest event turns 14 this year, and though I missed the first decade, I’ve been making up for lost time ever since! The music should be announced in the Spring, but I already know it’s going to be great (past years included Torche, Red Fang, Helms Alee, Harkonen, Lozen, Gay Witch Abortion, Seawhores, Wolf Eyes, Gaytheist, Lord Dying, Norska and surprise appearances by Reggie Watts!), and there’s nothing like floating the Blackfoot River during the day then hitting an awesome BBQ before rocking the night away. I have so much fun I RARELY make it to the wild after-parties!
10. Honorable mentions
INHERENT VICE, P.T. Anderson dares to be the first to adapt Thomas Pynchon to the Silver Screen!
Helms Alee & Grenades at the Shakedown in Bellingham, January 18th
Jucifer at el Corazon, February 7th
FAITH NO MORE’s inevitable tour, supporting their first album in 18 years!
Electric Wizard’s sold out show at Neumo’s, April 13th
Darsombra’s Three-Legged Monster Tour 2015, performing over 100 shows in North America between February & October, in Seattle on 9/11!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/adam-noble-bass/superfans-calendar-of-wisdom-updated-121814-914pam/10151915163048063
Dylan Desmond from Bell Witch and the Highline Bar
My favorite albums of 2014 based off what I’ve heard. In no order:
1. Mournful Congregation – Concrescence of the Sophia
2. Behemoth – The Satanist
3. Profetus – All Seasons Die
4. Dead Congregation – Promulgation of the Fall
5. Sempenturnal Dusk – s/t
6. Larvae – Grave Descent
7. Ephemeros – All Hail Corrosion
8. YOB – Clearing the Path to Ascend
9. Incantation – Dirges of Elysium
10. Coffinworm – IV.I.VIII
EOLIAN EMPIRE – two top fives of 2014
Seth, Master at Arms – 5 cassettes I couldn’t live without:
1. Lizzard Wizzard – Demo I came to these down-under weirdos via the Houdini Instagram page. A pre-order for a super limited cassette packaged with a green 20-sided die, a pocket-sized green tube with 2 pre-rolled smoke cones and a patch. Sold. Filthy Sabbath/Sleep worship with touches of nasty sludge mixed in. These guys are the cream of that crop, totally killer.
2. Power-Take-Off – Unhinged
Limited to 100 copies with exceptional packaging released on bass player Gus Engstrom’s own Made.In.Kansas. label. Killer noise/rock/fuckery from the wonderful state of North Carolina. Harsh and beautiful.
3. Midnight – No Mercy For Mayhem
Midnight is the shit, every record is a total ripper. Leather, fire, distortion and riffs. See them live or bang your motherfucking head off in your room.
4. Okkultokrati – Night Jerks
This is one of those bands that you should not sleep on. Norge masters on different level. I was turned onto their previous record “Snake Reigns” by some Norwegian friends and holy hell are they total rippers. Their newest effort is a perfect follow up, a bit looser, a bit darker and a bit more out there but it should not be missed.
5. In The Company Of Serpents – Of The Flock
Houdini strikes again with their second cassette! I discovered this corrosive bass and drum duo from Denver when we played there a couple of years back. Heavy, dark, doom and gloom. Hints of lots of things not worth mentioning and holy their own effort via great songwriting and an excellent recording.
Josh, Chief Scientist – favorite 5 new releases I bought $$$ this year:
1. Polst – S/T
Best new Portland band, a real powerhouse made up of a bunch of people who have been ripping it up in various other Portland acts for years. Channels 80s/90s west coast hardcore and Midwest noise rock, punk, etc., into some kind of unstoppable fury. Capable of wringing some genuine emotion out of stoic old cynics. Great live band and the tape, an EP, sounds good too.
2. Ghost Police – S/T Picked up this record from the band when they played East End (R.I.P.) with Polst, one of the better sets I saw this year. Early punk rock and 80s hardcore played with super high energy and art damage here and there. Cool parts, surfy leads, neat breakdowns, great vocals and gang backups, tight playing, and lots of fun. Not surprised they’re from Texas, whatever that means. The record looks like it might’ve been cut by hand.
3. MoE – 3
Rabbits toured with this dynamite Norwegian trio this year. The MoE people may be small but they carry big sticks. Stark, propulsive, songs with cool twists and far-out feral female vocals, performed with enviable virtuosity. Despite their stripped-down approach, dynamics and stylistic shifts abound and keep the record interesting all the way through. The first track on this record is so heavy my friend and I switched the speed on the turntable four or five times because we couldn’t believe it could be so. Record nicely captures their sick live sound.
4. Spacemen3 – Live at New Morning
Excited to discover this came out, a 2014 release of a 1989 show in Sweden, just under an hour out of what Sonic Boom says was a two-hour concert. Similar set to Performance, but as always, versions vary–with excellent results. “Revolution” is a real burner on this, and side 2 is a 29-minute version of “Suicide”. A 35-year-old show that sounds like it happened last week, yet another reminder of why Spacemen 3 tops my “if I could see any band living or dead” list.
5. Freddy Gibbs and Madlib – Piñata
The first hip hop record I’ve bought in many years, probably since the 90s, so what the fuck do I know? Madlib lays down some vintage vinyl-ripped hooks and samples with old school beats and Gibbs keeps it real: honest, thoughtful lyrics (mostly) free of braggadocio, no frills or verbal acrobatics but plenty of intensity. Features one of the best choruses ever: “I get high, I get high, I get high, I get high, I get high, I get high, I get high, I get high.”
Brian and Lisa from He Whose Ox is Gored
1. Swans – To Be Kind
2. Baptists – Bloodmines
3. Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World
4. Boris – Noise
5. White Wards – Cigarette Burns
6. Yob – Clearing the Path to Ascend
7. Junius – Days of the Fallen Sun
8. Mica Levi- Under The Skin OST
9. Drunk Dad – Ripper Killer
10. Trap Them – Blissfucker
Honorable Mentions:
Haunted Horses – Triple Sixes EP
Mysterious Skin – What We Do is Secret
Genesis – Invisible Touch
[Editor’s Note- Invisible Touch came out in 1986, and is available in just about every dollar bin in the city]
Ryan Shutte from Lb.!
1. 7.5 Tonnes of Beard – Denied the Basics
2. Anatomy of Habit – Ciphers + Axioms
3. Gridlink – Longhena
4. Earthship – Withered
5. Punch – They Don’t Have to Believe
6. Full of Hell + Merzbow
7. Brain Collapse – Shred it ’til you make it
8. 7 H. Target – 0.00 Apocalypse
9. Crumbling Mirth – Don’t Try
10. Cretin – Stranger
11. Beyond Creation – Earthborn Evolution
12. Trap Them – Blissfucker
13. Conan – Blood Eagle
Demian Johnston from Great Falls
10. Thou & The Body—anything/everything
Here’s the thing about the collaboration of Thou and The Body. It’s a marriage of sound. Thou is one of the better bands of our time but The Body is still questionable. Sure, that first record was incredible but everything since has been BWAAAAAA DAAAAAA DAAAA BWAAAA DAAAA DAAAA and that’s about it, well, that and some kind of silly vocals. It’s a huge massive wall but it’s basically harmless, until now. With the almost perfection of Thou’s songwriting, The Body adds a level of unhinged insanity that adds so much to the mix that your speakers will forever be fucked. I hope after these couple of records they will no longer collaborate because this can only work at a single moment in time but that time is now and it works really fucking well.
9. Playing in Everett Great Falls doesn’t get to play outside of Seattle too often. Between illness, family, jobs and general lack of national interest, Great Falls hasn’t made it beyond the city limits of Seattle that much. It’s unfortunate and something we hope to fix in 2015 but for now we have to enjoy the little trips. Thanks to Kris from The Vatican Great Falls got to play in Everett last year. It was fucking great. We should all be making treks north at least once or twice a month until Seattle and Everett blend together like the boroughs of NYC.
8. Spacebag forthcoming LP
Spacebag is insane. Three of the best players in Seattle doing something totally insane. No one plays keyboard like Luke does. No one in the world. I really hope there is a time soon that Spacebag can pile into the old Playing Enemy van and tour the west coast or something. They need to share this stuff with something. What I have heard of the new LP is totally out there. I hope they find a good label to get this to the people. Maybe the Seattle Passive Aggressive should put it out. You guys are doing vinyl right?
[Editor’s Note: No, we aren’t doing any releases]
7. Old Man Gloom—Ape of God
Somehow, this is a side-project. Guys from Converge, Isis, Cave-in and Zozobra have a side project. This side project is way better than any of the other bands I mentioned. Knowing the quality of the bands I mentioned should give you an idea how good this record is.
6. Whatever comics Max Clotfelter did in 2014
Max is really good. He is our R. Crumb and Jim Woodring and Al Columbia and Dave Cooper and Mike Diana and he doesn’t know it. I love it all and it’s all very good. Find it all and hold it close, because one day you will be able to buy a home with it.
5. Panopticon—Roads to the North This record makes me wish my walk to work was longer.
4. Lord Mantis—Death Mask Holy fuck. Just give this record one listen and feel the wrinkles in your brain shift. There is a riff on this record, you will know which riff I mean, that is… well, you will see.
3. Wolf Eyes—Mangled LSD Lines Flexi
Wolf Eyes live can be amazing or slightly less than amazing. It’s a toss up. This flexi though, has taken a few minutes of the best of recent live Wolf Eyes and handed it to you in the coolest/craziest way they could. It sounds great and reminds you that even though Suicide never started a band with Kerry King, you can still listen to this.
2. Toy Story — Toy Story that Time Forgot
“The Elders shall gaze upon this Battlesaur with full and rapturous pride.” If you love Kristien Schaal, even though she is stricken with the Christ, you will love this. It’s basically her vehicle. Well, her and Wallace Shawn.
1. Blue Ruin
This is the best movie of the year. Maybe the best movie I’ve ever seen. It has lived on in my mind for days. This year I watched three movies with a glacial pace, Only God Forgives, Under the Skin and Blue Ruin. All of them were favorite movies for me this year but Blue Ruin was by far the best thing I may have ever seen. It may have been one of the most “thoughtful” movies I have ever seen.
www.demianjohnston.com www.linkedin.com/pub/demian-johnston/80/81a/426/
Nik Christofferson from Good To Die Records
Top Albums of 2014:
1. (Tie) Deadkill – “No, Never!” and Constant Lovers – “Experience Feelings”
2. The Blind Shake – Breakfast of Failures
3. Leatherdaddy – s/t (EP)
4. Rabbits – Untoward
5. The Austerity Program – Beyond Calculation
6. Wovenhand – Refractory Obdurate
7. Thurston Moore – Best Day
8. Swans – To Be Kind
9. Melvins – Hold It In
10. Power Take-Off – This is Late
11. Drunk Dad – Ripper Killer
12. Shellac – Dude Incredible
13. The Cutthroats 9 – Dissent
14. Bastard Feast – Osculum Infame
15. Haunted Horses – FRC Triple-Six Series 7″
Top Shows of 2014:
1. Pearl Jam at Rock Werchter (Belgium)
2. Sled Island Festival (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
3. Birthday show at Black Lodge (Sandrider, Deadkill, Monogamy Party, Kinski, Blood Drugs, Haunted Horses)
4. King Diamond at Moore Theater
5. Deadkill LP release at Chop Suey
6. Constant Lovers LP release at Chop Suey
7. Gaytheist, Rabbits, Kowloon Walled City, Helms Alee at East End (Portland)
8. Sandrider at Bumbershoot
9. (tie) Bl’ast at Highline / Zero Boys at Chop Suey
10. Blind Shake at Chop Suey
11. Big Business at Underwood Stables
12. Carcass at the Showbox
