One thing that’s really been rustling my jimmies (as our self proclaimed tech-death goddess Vick loves to say) is how lazy, ignorant and stupid people are when it comes to discovering new music…..and that also includes the older crowd.  Now before we REALLY take off and spout off, I want to say we love older bands and people from older generations! Well, maybe moreso in Dave’s case. A lot of great bands helped influence who we have today, and greatly salute them.  This isn’t new for TMR as we’ve had a few zingers involving Opeth, Michael Keene, how much Dave loves Dying Fetus and a random article of how people need to stop being ironic and support their local scene.

First off…..music is SO easily accessible! Bandcamp exists and SHOCKER….they have more than METAL! Many people have access to the internet, and can get onto this amazing website that also barely takes any money from the artists! When you buy something off there, BC takes like 10% of the sale for profit? So if you’re not a jackass and buy your music, you’re also supporting your favorite artists and bands at the same time! I know people have bills to pay, and we all do……but if you want to see your favorites survive (even if most still work off tour.  Testament’s vocalist Chuck Billy drives truck while they’re off tour! A band around that long shouldn’t need to do stuff like that, but shows his commitment for a band that’s been around for over 3 decades! Commercial radio is well, you know….poopoo.  Satellite radio isn’t much better, as I’ve noticed in my time at least it’s still similar.  There’s certain song rotations I’ve heard, and the “new” music they’ll play when they get their hands on it are still from reputable artists…..so, whats the point? I’m not a fan of satellite radio either, if you can tell.  Bandcamp on the other hand, has a super large and wide library even countless signed artists have their own sites! You also can buy merchandise, not just music on there as well.  And what’s even cooler is Bandcamp suggests bands of similar styles, if you’re on a page so they’re already on your case showing you EVEN MORE MUSIC! BUT THERE’S NO MORE MUSIC LEFT (rolls eyes dramatically)!

This has been around for a while, but for the people that live under a rock there’s this great invention called Youtube!  Another big thing is labels and artists (signed or independent) are now more than ever (to help garner traffic and hopeful purchases) stream their releases for a period of time before it’s official release day.  So….not only can you search for damn near anything on Youtube (even US!!) record labels and artists are streaming their new releases a few days before they drop! And like most websites, they suggest similar videos which is how I found a lot of new music as well.  SEE….IT’S NOT THAT DIFFICULT!

Here’s an example.  One release I’m looking forward to from California Tech Death supergroup Continuum…..their record label streamed their upcoming album today through my boy Austin Weber at Metal Injection.  It’s out on the internet for people to check out….I understand older people aren’t into technical death metal (although it’s possible!) but many bands do these sorts of things. BTW Continuum rules and you should listen to this mind blowing album.  Better yet, get your preorders in and support them!

TRY SOMETHING NEW! Hey, isn’t that the title of our NEW COLUMN? YEP! We have (one and two)  two articles since we started earlier this month for all you lazy bums to…..well…..TRY SOMETHING NEW! We are trying to include all the different genres TMR promotes, and make it specifically for generally smaller bands who need the followers and fans…..and well, because there’s as many talented smaller bands and artists than in the commercial and mainstream.  So pay attention to our weekly article that comes out every Thursday, titled “Try Something New”.  TRY SOMETHING NEW WILL YA?!?!

Another great invention that is also diverse (who does more than music, by the way) is called Soundcloud!  Yep….this website has all sorts of music, and lots of bands use it to promote their music.  There’s also podcasts for you people who love those sorts of things (check out the one Vick and I run called Metallurgy WILL YA? kthxbai 🙂 ).  It has every genre imaginable, and yes even some bigger bands will put stuff on their website.

Also, check your fliers! It’s something I do, which is easy…..if you have time to bitch about your pathetic life and drama on Facebook, and act like you know everything about politics and sports…..then you have the time to look up bands on national, international and local fliers (whether its for a show or festival any kind really).  And don’t lie saying you’re old enough that you can’t follow anything and smart phones are challenging or its too much for your eyes.  I’ve seen plenty of people that look like they were in their 50’s and 60’s with smart phones in their hands! All this shit really just chalks up to people being lazy, and using the terrible mainstream scene not motivating to looking for new music.  Well, that is true……but don’t give up, if you say you love music as much as you supposedly do.  If you have the internet (again which most people do these days) you can easily look up the bands on fliers, and listen to (hopefully they have something!) music they recorded!

Another thing that needs to be pointed out is the lack of will.  Older people get stuck in their own world, and don’t want to always come out of the era they grew up in.  Don’t get me wrong it happens to that in many generations, that’s just the way it is.  Nostalgia is a bitch…..right? SO many innovative bands have been started in our generation, but again…..some people (some older) refuse to try new things or give anything else a shot due to their ignorance and self righteousness, not JUST their personal will.  Animals As Leaders absolutely rips, right 30 somethings? They’re a instrumental jazz metal band with two guitarists who play 8 string guitars and a drummer NO BASSIST! Did you get that sort of stuff in the 60’s and 70’s? Not really…..Some people and artists don’t dig extended range guitars which is okay, and understandable. There’s so many great bands, I could just go on and on.

One event that personally transpired recently that helped motivate me compose this opinion piece: a small group consisting of about 1,000 people on Facebook (where our internet overlords rule us all!) who didn’t like an article I shared, because IT INVOLVED DEATH METAL! Again, with the lack of will and ignorance…..they’re generally older people, stuck in the prime of their lives in the 70’s (where lots of progressive rock was starting to come out of the woodworks) not having any knowledge of newer progressive music since the 90’s.  Our writer Vick who is starting a series on technical death metal wrote a FABULOUS article on her favorite bands…..she’s a hard working, compassionate, idea brewing creative individual who’s a great friend of mine.  Why do you think she writes for TMR? Well….duh! We click about 95% of the time.  Do I agree with everything she thinks? NO! That’s virtually impossible! What I DO respect is her opinion, and value her friendship. We may make fun of each other but know it’s in good fun. And I’ll always stick up for anyone who will work with me here, especially if they’re not wrong.

This ignorance here really kills me.  Vick stated her opinion, and I love to see what she comes up with in the future especially the rad interviews she’s done since her arrival in December (Levi of the Ritual Aura, Sahil Makhija The Demonstealer, Contrarian, Cory Coleman of Chernobyl Agency, and even helped with some questions on two of our biggest interviewees Hugo Doyon-Karout and Nick Padovani).  Now, that’s just a self righteous pretentious cocksucker if I ever saw one.  First off, there’s so many technical death metal bands that’ll blow that peabrain away.  Archspire, Inferi of recent memory…..we’ve had the modern godfathers Beyond Creation and Obscura force their way into modern day greatness. Possibly the two greatest tech bands ever the short lived Necrophagist and Spawn Of Possession absolutely rip house….and have plenty of melody and plenty of odd rhythms.  Death metal simple? NOT REALLY ASSHAT. Ever hear of the experimental extra dissonant and weird GORGUTS? Probably not. Modern day killers ARTIFICAL BRAIN? Probably not.  This is more proof of ignorance, and wonder why they just can’t…TRY SOMETHING NEW! Some people are stuck in the past, and don’t want to get out of it.  Only way to move forward is to do that, and move on.  Nobody said to ditch what you love, just check out some new tunes.  What’s the worst that could happen YOU DON’T LIKE IT?!?! WOW! Absolutely asinine. And we wonder why as humans we can’t move forward and work together…..well, here’s another example.

Why can’t we grow as a society, you ask grasshopper? Ignorant fucking pricks like this, that’s why. I love progressive music, and the people I know involved in it.  It’s so unique and different than the generic stuff that gets tossed around everywhere.  Every now and then, you get knob goblins and the admin in that small group is one of those said knob goblins. Respect people, their opinions and their well being.  It’s pretty easy to do, but not for everyone.  Stay tech and brutal my friends!