:: Pelican released a new track called Lathe Biosas. Their new EP, Ataraxia/Taraxis, is out on April 10.

:: Lacuna Coil took New Jersey by storm with an acoustic set at Vintage Vinyl in support of their new album, Dark Adrenaline. Let’s hear it for actual Italians in Jersey, without the fake tans and big hair.

:: All Shall Perish hits the road with Carnifex, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Conducting From the Grave, and The Contortionist. The North American This Is Where It Ends tour runs from March to June.

:: Hair metal gurus Steel Panther were too crude for the U.K. Their promo art, which features a woman with large tatas and shiny dangling balls, was banned by the Advertisting Standards Authority. The image is also the cover of their latest record, aptly titled Balls Out.

:: King Diamond is back and hungry for festivals. After open-heart triple-bypass surgery, he’ll be scaring the crap out of fans at Hellfest in France and headlining the Rock Stage at the Sweden Rock Festival.

This record is superb front to back. I’ve been listening to it almost nonstop for weeks now, and I’ve yet to hit a lull in my enjoyment or fixate on any idiosyncrasies within the album’s framework.

But above and beyond any listening pleasure I get from it (and I do get plenty), David Comes to Life brings very specific issues to the forefront for me. They’re things we discuss regularly on Buzzgrinder, ranging from the heavy segmentation of the recording industry into genre-specific ghettos to the evolution (or lack thereof) in hardcore music at large.

It makes me wonder why Fucked Up and, say, Torche aren’t touring together. Or why bands are still writing Disfear records. Or why a label like Matador could never sign someone like Touché Amoré. Or why that gaunt dude who always wears Frenchkiss band shirts keeps refusing to pop in some Pelican.

But even with all the negativity I’m bringing to the table, seeing Fucked Up be Fucked Up reminds me that there are bands interested in exploring more aggressive forms of music without capitulating to the conventions therein. I don’t care if a record happens to be “brutal,” “heavy,” “technical” or “sludgy.” I just care if it’s good. Those words have no intrinsic value. If the music sucks, making it heavier won’t make it better. And neither will adding reverb, just for the record.

:: Spin takes some time to remember Jay Reatard.

:: The Happy Hollows got hit up by Buddyhead for an interview a while back, and they just posted the video.

:: I really thought Amy Winehouse had eclipsed Pete Doherty as the biggest legally-troubled music idiot a while back. Turns out I was wrong. He brought heroin to court. Heroin. To court.

:: Joe Walsh doesn’t like it when people use his music for political campaigns. Neither do I, since it means I have to hear his music.

:: If you’re a coffee snob, then you’ll be happy to hear that Pelican is making its own high-brow roast — and it’ll only be available for one night.

:: Scion Rock Fest is hitting Columbus on March 13. Shrinebuilder, Pelican and YOB are rumored to be there. Regardless of who ends up coming, it’ll be a hell of a time in the Buckeye State.

:: The Chicago Tribune said Atlas Sound frontman Bradford Cox looks like “an indie-rock Ichabod Crane.”

:: The catalogs of Epitaph and Anti are back at eMusic.

:: If you thought our best of the decade list (which you loyal Buzzgrinderers crafted) was lame, at least it didn’t have Butch Walker or Blink 182 in it…

:: Looks like there’s a new bassist for The Famine.

:: Hmm, NME’s fruity band names list really reminds me of something.

Those Pelican guys…

Pelican – Final Breath

I had no idea that Atreyu was still around. Go figure. If you were ever into them, now’s your chance to see if they’re still any good.

For your other metal needs, try out new ones from Between the Buried and Me, Jesu, Pelican, The Red Chord and Saviours.

Other stuff I’ll try to check out? Devendra Banhart (though I hear it’s weak), DOOM, Horse Feathers and Tegan and Sara.

:: 3, Revisions (Metal Blade)

:: Aarktica, In Sea (Silber)

:: Atreyu, Congregation of the Damned (Hollywood)

:: Barzin, Notes to an Absent Lover (Monotreme)

:: Bassnectar, Cozza Frenzy (Om)

:: Before There Was Rosalyn, The Fuhrer: An Allegory Of A History Of Deception (Victory)

:: Between The Buried And Me, The Great Misdirect (Victory)

:: Broadcast & The Focus Group, Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age (Warp)

:: Broadfield Marchers, Displayed In Reflections (Rainbow Quartz)

:: Bryan Scary, Mad Valentines EP (!K7)

More »

Fans of experimental, instrumental post-metal rejoice! Not only does Pelican have a new album coming out this fall from Southern Lord, but they’ve given us a track from the new record to boot.

And yes, I’m still pining for the clear marbled version of their split with These Arms Are Snakes. Sadly.

Pelican – Strung Up From the Sky

Birmingham’s We Have Signal has been around for a few months now, and it looks like the show is hitting its stride. If you need proof, you can easily check the clips of reputable acts like Parts and Labor, Pelican and Fiery Furnaces.

Or you can just watch the latest entry above, featuring some of the dreamiest stoner rock this side of the Mason-Dixon Line — Young Widows. Man, I love those dudes.

Young Widows – Old Wounds

:: Looks like Todd Snider enjoys baseball — and acid. Needless to say, he’s a Dock Ellis fan, and proves it with a song about the Pittsburgh Pirate. I still prefer Chuck Brodsky‘s song about Ellis. What about you?

:: According to Portugal. The Man, Brand New recently kicked them out of their green room. Trouble a-brewing?

:: Usually Xbox Game with Fame events involve bands whose best days aren’t 20 years in the rear view mirror and “cool” games. This time it’s Queensrÿche and NASCAR ’09.

:: Quite a few folks are less than enthusiastic about the new iTunes price structure.

:: Tombs will be opening for Isis in May and June. And apparently Pelican is involved in some way, too.

:: When I see a band named Black Hat Brigade, I automatically assume their songs are about keyword stuffing and link cloaking. That’s what I get for having a day job.

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:
Good Luck – Public Radio
Maritime – Parade of Punk Rock T-shirts
Jawbreaker – Kiss the Bottle

Honorable mentions (because they came out in late 07 and I didn’t get into them until 08):
Pelican – City of Angels
Minus The Bear – Planet of Ice

10. Testament – The Formation of Damnation
Alex Scolnick is back doing metal. Chuck Billy didn’t die. All is right with the metal world. I have loved them since Practice What You Preach. So good to hear from them… and have them sound GOOD.

9. Russian Circles – Station
I dunno… just love em.

8. Don The Reader – Humanesque
Reminds me of Dillinger Escape Plan’s first album… you remember the one with the clown porn song? This is a great band. Spazz, but like, “spazz-lite.” It doesn’t make you have to shut it off and take a break. Kinda some Deadguy in there, too. Member them?

7. Meshuggah – obZen
I am with you everybody, they were starting to bore me for a while. But this album recalibrated what they do. Whoosh. How about that “bleed” song? Ridiculous.

6. Unteachers – Unreleased Demo
I know you haven’t heard it yet… but be patient, world. The Tantrum of the Muse clan is cookin’ up-a suma-thin’ good.

5. The Famine – The Raven And The Reaping
Wow. Best band at C-Stone hands down. They call themselves Suffocation doing Pantera covers… nothin’ wrong with that. Drummers: Take notes.

4. Becoming The Archetype – Dichotomy
I think they’ve arrived. The first two are different bands, but Devon Townsend pulled something out of this band and made them a third and better band.

3. Cynic – Traced In Air
They get the “it’s about time” award. I guess they can’t make Focus again, but this album is really good.

2. Torche – Meanderthal
Not my normal cup of sludge-rock, but I can’t stop listening to this album.

1. Textures – Silhouettes
Whew. Math-Metal? Tech-Metal? I dunno. But this is one of the top 10 best albums I’ve ever heard at all, let alone this year. Right up my alley.