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So I had this dream that Origin was playing in a venue that appeared to be part American Legion hall and part ornate concert theater. As weird as that sounds, Origin was performing as a seven-piece, including guys playing traditional string instruments. If I recall, it was some kind of record release party and nobody knew what to say about the new material. It didn’t end up mattering because the cops raided the place. I escaped in the confusion, but have no idea where I went next because I woke up and figured I better write this stuff down. Mission accomplished.

It’s a shame to see Von of Liturgy end his label/distro Epitomite Productions, though not a high end label, they released some solid stuff throughout the years, recently releasing decent CDs from the likes of Abacinate and Domination Through Impurity. However, there is a silver lining to every cloud and for me it’s the massive clearance sale that Epitomite Productions had, getting rid of their stock ate ridiculous prices, and while most of the good stuff went early I was able to pick up a couple of older CDs for $3 including Axamenta’s Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture and the as yet only released from Polish Death metal act Angerpath, 2007s Forgotten World.

“Look, Larry. Have you ever heard of Vietnam? You’re entering a world of pain.” John Goodman’s role as Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowksi was arguably the greatest performance by an actor in American cinematic history. You may now dialogue. Can you read? The ability to answer that question grants you access. Go!

So I recently decided to fill in the gaps from My Dying Bride collection as I was missing everything between Turn Loose the Swans (1993) and A Line of Deathless Kings (2006). I have vague recollections of owning The Angel and the Dark River, Like Gods of the Sun and 34.788%, but being utterly disgusted with all three, selling them and giving up on the band until A Line of Deathless Kings a decade later. And while going back and the bands resurgence with 1999s The Light at the End of the World and the subsequent releases that saw the band re-inject some death metal into their once genre defining sound, the bands output from 1993-1996 remains some of the most divisive material in metal. And thanks to a blow out sale at GoHastings.com I was able to pick up used copies all of the missing albums for about $20 total.

Here I sit eating a bowl of Chef Boyardee Cheesy Burger Macaroni and wondering how to begin. I then realize that I’ve already begun and am now teetering on the edge of an abyss called depression, as I lament the fact that I didn’t keep the bowl in the microwave long enough. But here is the funny part about all of this journalistic bullshittery. I’m eating it anyway. Now eat this!

It’s back and it is hopefully no longer infrequent. Isn’t this fun? “I’m having a great time…a great time.” Oh come on now! Old School? Get with it! Onward and sideways. Death to false metal and all that shit.

Still one of my very favorite Bargain Bin finds, this duo of CDs was found at a CD Warehouse in Southeast Missouri after literally hours of perusal. I had never heard of the band, but assumed by the cover, logo, album titles and labels that this was worth a look. And thanks to the old listening station, was able to preview both CDs, and I was sold after preview of mere seconds of each.

Well, we haven’t had a giveaway for a while here at teethofthedivine.com, so we thought we’d reward your patience with a killer giveaway from an upcoming new label. Not just a CD, not just two CDs..oh no amigo! This is a full on 4 CD giveaway and a sick T-shirt will be thrown in for good measure.

As a long forgotten Russian philosopher once said, “Sometimes the shit just comes out.” Welcome to the world of ADHD and heavy metal, bitches! I love playlists and, well, just about any list of metal favorites strewn together by fans, critics, musicians, and pretty much anyone else with a pulse. Combine that with a three decade obsession with heavy metal and a continual need to translate to paper the miasma of absurdities filling my brain on a daily basis, thereby saving the sanity of those around me, and you’ve got “Scott’s Infrequent Playlist of the Absurd.” I’ll to make this infrequent event a frequent one, but it’s not like I can just make this stuff up at will. It’s a disease, man; a wonderful, wonderful disease.

Hold on to your asses, it looks like we have two related, regular blogs in a row! A weekly one no less! Could we be onto something here or am I simply feeling the after effects of a two week meth-binge and shopping spree? Who knows? Stay tuned…

So here’s yet another stab at a somewhat regular Teeth of the Divine feature: Bargain Bin reviews! We have long been mulling over some sort of retro reviews, classic reviews or long lost reviews, but ultimately this idea seems to be able to accommodate all of those ideas. Enjoy!

It’s that time of the year again, when it’s time to take a look back at the previous year and figure out what the end score was. And as it is with things over here at Teeth of the Divine, this thing is legen-waitforit-dary…but none the less open to debate. So take part in the fun and post your top 2010 lists too! Without further a due, 12 pages of all things 2010 (and more or less, metal). Enjoy!

Lots going on. Iceland and Ireland in economic ruin. Haiti in rubble. Israel’s right-wing regime kicking around a new World War. And nearly half the U.S. digging an anti-queer Barbie doll and would-be president who shoots animal snuff films.

Put in context, anything going on in metal may seem like small beans. But still, we have our subculture, and the big story—what I’m calling The Great Metal Fashion War of 2010 because I can—is no less lacking in cultural hysteria. It isn’t a war-war, of course, more a metaphor thing. Except when it kind of isn’t.

‘Tis the season and all that. And in the spirit of all things festive and or Capitalistic, teethofthedivine is teaming up with Rotting Corpse Records to give 3 lucky winners, three of Rotting Corpse Records’ latest releases.

For the most part, most metal bands keep their style and sound. They know their niche, stick with it and possibly beat it to death, which is all well and good. With bands like Dismember, Bolt Thrower, Dimmu Borgir, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel and such, fans know what they are getting and are OK with that. Heck even a few minor tangents and subtle flirtation with experimentation have risen on some of Metal’s most revered acts: Napalm Death, Amorphis, Death, Hypocrisy, Convulse, Paradise Lost, Anaal Nathrakh, Immortal, In Flames, Gorefest and the most obvious one, Metallica have changed, but all were recognizable. What about the rest?

I love small club shows. It’s such a…it’s a much more rich experience than the big stadium/arena/amphitheater shows. To use a word that’s constantly thrown around on this very topic, the shows are much more intimate. At any given time I wanted, I could get within 5 feet of the stage – I fucking love that – so close you can smell the sweat (maybe that’s just the other gnarly concert goers standing next to me), and feel the breeze coming off the motion of windmilling guitarists hair.

Epitomite Productions and Teeth of the Divine are are proud to team up for this mind blowing, ridiculous giveway. That’s why there’s a friggin’ nuclear explosion going on. We’ve got not one CD, not three CDs, not even five CDs… but NINE (9) CDs to give out! Count ’em! Nine CDs! And three T-shirts too!

Festivities ahoy! The 13th Tuska Open Air festival was to be held, for the last time, right in the middle of Finland’s capital Helsinki. Three days of metal with a strong line-up meant that the metal gathering held in Kaisaniemi park was going to be sold out: The 33,000 (and then some) visitors made sure the area was crowded. Cramped like sardines in a can. Compared to Sauna Open Air in June, the weather too was also different – pretty much the complete opposite as the temperature was lingering between 77 and 84 Fahrenheit. So, what happened?

Running a heavy metal site isn’t hard. Running a good heavy metal site is. Being a Finn, I’ve got a hard time admitting the facts, but Teeth of the Divine is, in my opinion, a pretty good heavy metal site. But I’m not content. It could be better.

TeethoftheDivine.com and Dark Descent Records are teaming up to give 4 brutal CDs to one lucky TOTD reader.

First off, I don’t have anything against double-kick drumming in and of itself. If I did, I don’t think I could be a metal fan in general. But I digress… is it me, or do a lot of metal bands seem to be relying on intense, near-constant double-kick drumming over the last few years to somehow seem heavier or more intense? Everyone from modern power metal bands to deathcore bands to newer so-called traditional heavy metal bands. The drumming is just so over the top.

Sauna Open Air―held just a few minute walk away from the central of Tampere-city, Finland―had the pleasure to start off my music summer this year, even though the weather was anything but summer-y. The line-up has often relied on heavy metal and hard rock, with a strong sense of 80s in the mix. It’s like Sweden Rock Festival, but quarter of the size. There’s also a huge local component to the festival, with small, medium and big Finnish bands getting a ton of airtime. As a cherry on top, the festival also seems to cater to a theme; offering something different and/or something ‘new’. This year the ingredient was metalcore. Without further a due, let’s reminisce!

Teeth of the Divine and The Sequence of Prime are teaming up to give you the chance to be devoured by the project’s newest album, VIRION! Read the review and take part in the contest: We’re giving out three copies of the album for free, so Christmas might come early for you… if you survive.

After going through 2006 and 2004, we’ve arrived back in time to the year 2005. Chronology has no place in time travel… and we need to fix our De Lorean. Anyway, not only did 2005 saw Youtube come alive, certain bands achieved massive and well deserved breakthroughs as well. Primordial finally saw limelight with The Gathering Wilderness and Nevermore was up on everyone’s lips with This Godless Endeavor. Most importantly. what were YOUR favorites from 2005?

Continuing our series of ‘old shit’ here at Teeth of the Divine, we present you with the best heavy metal albums of 2004. Boo-yah! From what we can remember, as it’s been five or six years already, is that the list was conducted on our forum and all the posters, staff members and other mental patients were invited to voice their favorites. The albums were then given points based on how many times, and how soon they were mentioned. Or something like that. None the less, the result represents a collective mind. Thus, we call it official. But, most importantly, how does your Top 2004 list compare to ours today?