My Black Metal band, Trolls In The Mist, live at the Boston Music Rooms, London.
I'm on drums.
Dimmu Wulfenhume
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Self Music Promotion: Trolls In The Mist
My Black Metal band, Trolls In The Mist, live at the Boston Music Rooms, London.
I'm on drums.
Dimmu Wulfenhume
Monday, 11 June 2012
A Little More Music Promotion
Seeing as i haven't done any promotions of my friends' bands in the past few months, here's a little bit of gig footage promoting London based Black/Death Metal band: Premature Birth. They currently have their debut album in the pipeline and so far have had me blown away on many an occasion with their sheer distorted putrefaction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUVtX2acbBg&feature=youtu.be
Check them out here at their most recent gig at The Monarch, London.
Their agenda covers topics of murder, rape, religion, gore and all out evil with song titles like: "World Domination," "You Should Have Been Aborted," and "Wondering in the Night." Typical grusomeness for those many lovers of plain evil put to music.
Upcoming gigs: 8/8/12, Nambucca, Holloway Road, London, N7 6LB.
Note: Their bassist Simon is the bass player for my band, Trolls in the Mist, whom I shall talk about later. Also their guitarist/vocalist Dev plays with us as a session musician too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUVtX2acbBg&feature=youtu.be
Check them out here at their most recent gig at The Monarch, London.
Their agenda covers topics of murder, rape, religion, gore and all out evil with song titles like: "World Domination," "You Should Have Been Aborted," and "Wondering in the Night." Typical grusomeness for those many lovers of plain evil put to music.
Upcoming gigs: 8/8/12, Nambucca, Holloway Road, London, N7 6LB.
Note: Their bassist Simon is the bass player for my band, Trolls in the Mist, whom I shall talk about later. Also their guitarist/vocalist Dev plays with us as a session musician too.
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Review: Kreator - Phantom Antichrist.
Once again the godfathers of Teutonic Thrash Metal bring us
yet another beautiful onslaught of bone crushing blasts. Having been on the
world’s stage for nearly 30 years, Kreator certainly haven’t mellowed – even in
their mid period of experimentation they have stayed true to their agenda of
making the miseries of modern life into some of the greatest Metal ever
conceived.
Phantom Antichrist is Kreator’s 13th studio album
and follow up to the misanthropic awesomeness that was 2009’s Hordes of Chaos.
Opening this gem is the beautiful Iron Maiden-esque instrumental: “Mars
Mantra,” then the chaos is unleashed with the violent title track. What made
this album stand out for me was the sheer diversity of the openings which
include a set of tribal war drums and high pitched tremolo picking. I found
such an approach spine tingling as it reminded me of the experimental days when
Kreator used Gothic and Industrial influences on releases such as “Outcast” and
“Cause for Conflict.” But this time, the thrash fathers have pulled out all the
stops to give us some of the most technical thrash metal I’ve heard in years.
The agenda of the album remains true to its roots. Topics
covered include the oppressive omnipresence of organised religion in “United in
Hate;” apocalyptic visions of the future: “Civilisation Collapse;” but most
importantly – a truly Germanic anti-fascist anthem of “The Few, The Proud, The
Broken.” A perfect combination of Punk Rock style politics with traditional
metallic nihilism and delusion.
The songs are anthemic and capable of blowing your mind
enough times to give your walls a “hint of brain” redecoration (thank you Lord
Flasheart). With summer brewing, this is certainly a release you will hear
blasted from speakers at every festival, picnic, barbecue or whatever drunken
gathering you’ll embrace in the time you’ve got to spare. Kreator earned their
place as the idol of European thrash metal and they certainly haven’t been
lagging behind on the job these past few years.
Rating: 4/5
Monday, 2 April 2012
Punk Problems
Greetings. I know it's been a long whilse since my last post but my studying has taken over most of my time to rant about the world and the idiocies of people accepted as everyday life. But for the moment I am back in the green and unpleasant land that is home and here is the latest from within.
I recently got into an argument with a friend about the attitude carried by Punk Rock music. It came after another friend posted a picture on facebook depciting a severely disfigured war veteran and his new bride. This friend showed his apatheticness towards the welfare this picture was depicting, stated the world and its problems can fuck off and "i'm off to listen to some punk music."
First of all, that statement is both null and void due to how many areas of music and their topics fall under the concept of "Punk." If Punk is nothing more than all out nihilism and simply yelling "fuck everything" over a power chord then you've got the dismal racket that is the Sex Pistols et al. First wave Punk was not overtly political until The Clash released their first single "White Riot" concerning police brutality and racial stereotyping on the streets of London. Then came the secondary waves of Punk music with American bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion and the father figures of Hardcore, Black Flag.
What makes the point made by my friend null and void is that he obviously doesn't pay attention to the topics covered by Punk music, or his taste in Punk is not as wide and diverse as his love for Thrash Metal. (Note: thrash metal was influenced heavily by punk music-particularly the hardcore punk of america and the street punk of the UK.) Which does sadden me a great deal as music is meant to inform as well as entertain.
The point of this posting is to remind people of the numerous kinds of music that fall under punk music and what topics they concern-not all punk is about studs, spikes and sniffing glue. One excellent example of overtly political punk music and the concern for the suffering of society is the band Conflict. And here is their concern for those affected by war and militarism with: "The Serenade is Dead" a classic Anarcho Punk track.
As well as those promoting Anarchism, there is Crust Punk, a music genre which fuses early extreme metal with the loud, snotty growls of Hardcore/Street Punk:
Thrashcore: an early form of thrash metal music which is characterised for its minature songs with early blast beat drumming and metallic power chords-very popular amongst skateboarders before skating became a mainstream pasttime:
D-Beat, very simple stripped down three chord blasts with minimal vocals and a very basic but frightening drum technique which got its name from the band Discharge, who took a great deal of influence from Motorhead:
And finally: Street Punk, punk music concerning the working classes of society and the everyday suffering they have such as living on the dole, drinking, drugs, poverty, degredation, prostitution, homelessness and other social problems.
I recently got into an argument with a friend about the attitude carried by Punk Rock music. It came after another friend posted a picture on facebook depciting a severely disfigured war veteran and his new bride. This friend showed his apatheticness towards the welfare this picture was depicting, stated the world and its problems can fuck off and "i'm off to listen to some punk music."
First of all, that statement is both null and void due to how many areas of music and their topics fall under the concept of "Punk." If Punk is nothing more than all out nihilism and simply yelling "fuck everything" over a power chord then you've got the dismal racket that is the Sex Pistols et al. First wave Punk was not overtly political until The Clash released their first single "White Riot" concerning police brutality and racial stereotyping on the streets of London. Then came the secondary waves of Punk music with American bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion and the father figures of Hardcore, Black Flag.
What makes the point made by my friend null and void is that he obviously doesn't pay attention to the topics covered by Punk music, or his taste in Punk is not as wide and diverse as his love for Thrash Metal. (Note: thrash metal was influenced heavily by punk music-particularly the hardcore punk of america and the street punk of the UK.) Which does sadden me a great deal as music is meant to inform as well as entertain.
The point of this posting is to remind people of the numerous kinds of music that fall under punk music and what topics they concern-not all punk is about studs, spikes and sniffing glue. One excellent example of overtly political punk music and the concern for the suffering of society is the band Conflict. And here is their concern for those affected by war and militarism with: "The Serenade is Dead" a classic Anarcho Punk track.
As well as those promoting Anarchism, there is Crust Punk, a music genre which fuses early extreme metal with the loud, snotty growls of Hardcore/Street Punk:
Thrashcore: an early form of thrash metal music which is characterised for its minature songs with early blast beat drumming and metallic power chords-very popular amongst skateboarders before skating became a mainstream pasttime:
D-Beat, very simple stripped down three chord blasts with minimal vocals and a very basic but frightening drum technique which got its name from the band Discharge, who took a great deal of influence from Motorhead:
And finally: Street Punk, punk music concerning the working classes of society and the everyday suffering they have such as living on the dole, drinking, drugs, poverty, degredation, prostitution, homelessness and other social problems.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Why It Sucks: Globalization.
"It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." - George Carlin.
I've just finished answering several study questions for my Cosmopolitanism and Global Justice module and the contents of the article I studied has rekindled the anti-neoliberal/anti-gloablisation fire in the depths of my heart. Since I realised how society in this country and others in Europe are being roped into American style profiteering I've argued against the enslavement that is Economic Globalisation.
Firstly, before you shout out about how I am using a globalised medium to rant at you all about big business and the rise in national populism - a few definitions. I am all for "Information Globalisation" which entails the use of unregulated information sharing such as the internet. I have proposed in the past that the internet could replace governments and maintain some form of peace as it is the ideal representation of our rights to free speech and to our freedoms of information access and self expression. What I don't do is "Economic Globalisation." You can probably guess what that entails. A Starbucks on every corner, a McDonalds at every service station around the globe and the whole freaking world babbling American style english. A world devoid of individualism. A world of mass confomity. A world where its leaders aim is to turn it into one endless shopping mall with unlimited retail outlets and ongoing manic investments from coast to coast.
I am no nationalist, though I am a historian, and through studying history I am aware of the characteristics of numerous communities and regional values. These, such as the Pagan festivals of Eastern Europe and the miniscule languages of regions such as Breton and Catalonia - are the most vulnerable. So many innocent people around the globe - particularly Europe, feel ashamed in the decline of their native tongues due to how heavily English has been imposed upon them by the prducts they have to buy or the technology they must now conform to.
Having to keep with the trends and be accepted into social circles by the clothes you wear, the car you drive or the way you speak is even part of globalisation. Festivities such as Christmas have even been hijacked by the companies to seek profit and promote religious obediance - packaged as a free gift - in a lifestyle which only few percentages of our planet's population can support. These are the reasons why I don't own a car, an IPod nor buy clothes from designers or high street brands because I do not wish to sacrifice my individuality and just see myself as another cog in the wheel.
Even education suffers from globalisation's venemous influence over our communities. Exam questions tend to be tailored to a medium which the average joe can get right just so they can do all the paperwork for the owners in exchange for a meagre bonus on the payroll each year. As profit is all that the owners seek in this globalised world, they'll soon be coming for your pensions and bonuses as well as your social security money. The unbelievable acts of leaders such as Thatcher and Reagan are to blame for the decline of the Welfare State and the fear of nationalised industries such as the NHS. Private Schools are now being tailoered to produce the social elite who handle the money and keep the plebs down via influence over the police forces so they can protect their investments and savings.
Though the worst thing about globalisation is this. As the Multinational Corporations now have the power to close the workplaces in certain nations and them move them to the developed world or the third world, a division of labour is created which must emigrate beyond their home borders to seek a living. It is because of this that immigration has increased to the Western Superpowers and to Europe and Asia for the last 50 years. Because of how some communities see this as a threat to their values and ways of life you see the increase in far right organisations who wish to restrict immigration and create xenophobia. It's no surprise to me if most leaders tend to encourage xenophobia to decrese the overpopulation of nation states such as the immigration policies of most US states.
I know that I am a product of the immigration system and will not stand to see a world where nationalism prevails and hatred arises. Xenophobia is not the alternative to globalisation - globalisation has encouraged such attitudes. In a world where conformity is rife for a human to feel safe, I certainly don't feel that my civil liberties are being preserved or defended by those whose duties it is to look after. Nowadays all anyone wants is to be the owner's bitch just so they can get a pay rise and strive to achieve the non existant honour that is the American Dream.
I've just finished answering several study questions for my Cosmopolitanism and Global Justice module and the contents of the article I studied has rekindled the anti-neoliberal/anti-gloablisation fire in the depths of my heart. Since I realised how society in this country and others in Europe are being roped into American style profiteering I've argued against the enslavement that is Economic Globalisation.
Firstly, before you shout out about how I am using a globalised medium to rant at you all about big business and the rise in national populism - a few definitions. I am all for "Information Globalisation" which entails the use of unregulated information sharing such as the internet. I have proposed in the past that the internet could replace governments and maintain some form of peace as it is the ideal representation of our rights to free speech and to our freedoms of information access and self expression. What I don't do is "Economic Globalisation." You can probably guess what that entails. A Starbucks on every corner, a McDonalds at every service station around the globe and the whole freaking world babbling American style english. A world devoid of individualism. A world of mass confomity. A world where its leaders aim is to turn it into one endless shopping mall with unlimited retail outlets and ongoing manic investments from coast to coast.
I am no nationalist, though I am a historian, and through studying history I am aware of the characteristics of numerous communities and regional values. These, such as the Pagan festivals of Eastern Europe and the miniscule languages of regions such as Breton and Catalonia - are the most vulnerable. So many innocent people around the globe - particularly Europe, feel ashamed in the decline of their native tongues due to how heavily English has been imposed upon them by the prducts they have to buy or the technology they must now conform to.
Having to keep with the trends and be accepted into social circles by the clothes you wear, the car you drive or the way you speak is even part of globalisation. Festivities such as Christmas have even been hijacked by the companies to seek profit and promote religious obediance - packaged as a free gift - in a lifestyle which only few percentages of our planet's population can support. These are the reasons why I don't own a car, an IPod nor buy clothes from designers or high street brands because I do not wish to sacrifice my individuality and just see myself as another cog in the wheel.
Even education suffers from globalisation's venemous influence over our communities. Exam questions tend to be tailored to a medium which the average joe can get right just so they can do all the paperwork for the owners in exchange for a meagre bonus on the payroll each year. As profit is all that the owners seek in this globalised world, they'll soon be coming for your pensions and bonuses as well as your social security money. The unbelievable acts of leaders such as Thatcher and Reagan are to blame for the decline of the Welfare State and the fear of nationalised industries such as the NHS. Private Schools are now being tailoered to produce the social elite who handle the money and keep the plebs down via influence over the police forces so they can protect their investments and savings.
Though the worst thing about globalisation is this. As the Multinational Corporations now have the power to close the workplaces in certain nations and them move them to the developed world or the third world, a division of labour is created which must emigrate beyond their home borders to seek a living. It is because of this that immigration has increased to the Western Superpowers and to Europe and Asia for the last 50 years. Because of how some communities see this as a threat to their values and ways of life you see the increase in far right organisations who wish to restrict immigration and create xenophobia. It's no surprise to me if most leaders tend to encourage xenophobia to decrese the overpopulation of nation states such as the immigration policies of most US states.
I know that I am a product of the immigration system and will not stand to see a world where nationalism prevails and hatred arises. Xenophobia is not the alternative to globalisation - globalisation has encouraged such attitudes. In a world where conformity is rife for a human to feel safe, I certainly don't feel that my civil liberties are being preserved or defended by those whose duties it is to look after. Nowadays all anyone wants is to be the owner's bitch just so they can get a pay rise and strive to achieve the non existant honour that is the American Dream.
Sunday, 12 February 2012
On Whitney Housten.
Well it seems another chart sensation of ages past
has unexpectedly shuffled off the mortal coil and is currently being auditioned
for the choir invisible. Yes, Whitney Houston’s sudden disintegration was a
shock to me - but how does that relate to a guy who listens mostly to rock and
punk based music, I hear you cry from the depths of the dancefloor?
You are correct on the grounds that I am no fan of
80s Electro pop, New Wave or just singer songwriters renowned for pouring out
love ballad after love ballad. But, in all honesty, I do feel a bit sorry for
poor old Whitney.
The reason being, that her rise to stardom and fall
into obscurity is yet another classic tale of a superstar selling their soul to
narcotics and eventually the only remnants of her once inescapability are the
odd smash hits which become more and more saccharine year after year. And for
someone whose source of income is relying on the release of shoddy compilation
albums by EMI, Island Records or whichever other music giant for nearly 30
years does make my heart sink.
Whitney Houston was a natural talent whom I don’t
think shot to fame via a horrific talent show or “search for the next big thing”
malarkey – so her sudden demise does make me feel a tad down for how hard she
must have worked and then watched herself become a mere nostalgia novelty;
which is churned out at every Yuppie gathering or Primary School disco, (as I was
introduced to her lip-wobbling.)
Though it does seem to me, that as a homage and
payback for having to put up with such an embarrassing status in the music
industry for so long: Simon Cowell, Richard Branson and their endless cronies
at EMI and Virgin will be quick to martyr her as a symbol of Pop Music’s
evolution. It won’t be long before the music industry will be portraying her as
a goddess who stands upon the proverbial Mount Olympus alongside Elvis Presley
and Michael Jackson. Once you see fairly ornate porcelain dolls of Whitney in
her prime on sale in London or New York, only then will you know that she has
become a worshipful icon.
“It’s amazing how a once adored talent is shot to
stardom and then slandered and has their private life raped and ridiculed by
the very same people.” That my friend is the music industry for you.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Post Application Stress Disorder
I'm sitting in my university room at the moment having just sent off a few more applications for MA courses in Journalism. This comes after recieving an essay upon which I just scraped a 2:2. The thoughts occupying my mind at present are those of doubt and self loathing.
Following every attempt I make at trying to move on in the world I always experience the feelings of stress and anxiety - always unsure on whether or not i'm making the right move. As well as the bad feelings concerning job hunting in the fairly near future, I am also feeling low at wanting to fulfil my dreams and that others around me are already aspiring into glory whilst I lag behind.
These feelings have been with me last night when I found that a friend had landed herself in a film role. This, among the hope of publishing a book or recording my own music one day has been my own aspiration for many a year. Now it seems that the holes in my persona are being exposed as real life sets in.
I guess on a more positive note, I've just begun my degree module on Engendering Politics which is something i've always wanted to study. Hopefully by this time next week I'll have overcome this stress of applying for a future and think myself lucky when I remember I haven't faced the same problems my foremothers were faced with.
Following every attempt I make at trying to move on in the world I always experience the feelings of stress and anxiety - always unsure on whether or not i'm making the right move. As well as the bad feelings concerning job hunting in the fairly near future, I am also feeling low at wanting to fulfil my dreams and that others around me are already aspiring into glory whilst I lag behind.
These feelings have been with me last night when I found that a friend had landed herself in a film role. This, among the hope of publishing a book or recording my own music one day has been my own aspiration for many a year. Now it seems that the holes in my persona are being exposed as real life sets in.
I guess on a more positive note, I've just begun my degree module on Engendering Politics which is something i've always wanted to study. Hopefully by this time next week I'll have overcome this stress of applying for a future and think myself lucky when I remember I haven't faced the same problems my foremothers were faced with.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Star Trek Trivia
http://cinemassacre.com/2012/02/04/trek-trivia-next-generation/
Here's some excellent trivia from the Angry Video Game Nerd himself, James Rolfe. I've always been a fan of Cinemassacre.com and their knowledge many great films and TV series and now they've done it again with my favourite installment from the Star Trek canon.
Here's some excellent trivia from the Angry Video Game Nerd himself, James Rolfe. I've always been a fan of Cinemassacre.com and their knowledge many great films and TV series and now they've done it again with my favourite installment from the Star Trek canon.
A Few Definitions
If you're curious about my Blogger name, here's the lowdown on my persona.
Dimmu - Derived from a nick-name given to me in association with the Norwegian band Dimmu Borgir.
Wulfenhume - A German word derived from my love of the video game Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Its translation is: "The home of the Wolf". (I like wolves.)
Dimmu - Derived from a nick-name given to me in association with the Norwegian band Dimmu Borgir.
Wulfenhume - A German word derived from my love of the video game Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Its translation is: "The home of the Wolf". (I like wolves.)
Just a slight bit of local music promotion - this is my friends' band: Phyrexia.
Their signature sound is a blend of Keyboard driven Symphonic Metal with more Extreme Metal style guitar riffs and guttral Death Metal vocals. This is the ideal band on the London Metal circuit at the moment for anyone who loves music about Dragons and anything Skyrim realted.
Like this kind of music? Find them on Facebook - www.facebook.com/phyrexianmetal
Review: "Les Voyages de L'Ame" by Alcest
(To begin I've posted a review I wrote for my University Newspaper, "The Stag." If you like Norwegian Black Metal or Alternative Rock or any kind of music about Fantasy, then give Alcest a shot.)
Having been on the road for twelve years spreading their atmospheric Post-Black Metal symphonies to the global metal scene and beyond; French metal duo Alcest, have returned with yet another masterpiece. “Les Voyages de L’Ame” (The Journey of the Soul) follows on from the band’s Shoegazy 2010 release: “Ecailles de Lune,” (Scales of the Moon).
Alcest’s signature style is their combination of the early 80s Alternative Rock sounds of Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine-with the 90s Black Metal grinds of bands like Burzum, Immortal and Darkthrone. Mix those two beautiful elements of alternative music together and you’ve got the atmospheric melodies of front man Neige (Stephane Paut) and other half Winterhalter.
Each of the band’s releases has focused on the subjects of fantasy and “far off lands” which frontman Neige claims he had visions of at a young age. Many say the mind of a child holds the greatest treasures of imagination, and sure enough, Alcest have managed to capture imagined beauty and set it to their wall of sound. Luscious images of fantastical purity leap from the flowing guitar riffs of opening track: “Autre Temps” (Another Time) to the high pitched screams of “Beings of Light,” and end track “Summer’s Glory.” To be a tad picky, the song lengths are a bit big in length-with the longest clocking in at just under 9 minutes. But, for anyone who’s always hyped by fantasy, the weird and the extraordinary, this release sure is worth a listen.
Alcest are best described as an epic adventure novel put to music. If you wish to live that adventure, then check out “Les Voyages de L’Ame.” Or if you prefer to live out your adventures on the live music circuit, Alcest will be appearing alongside fellow French Metallers, Les Discrets and Soror Dolorosa at the Purple Turtle, Camden Town on Saturday 18th February. See you all down there.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Welcome
Welcome to the Blog of a young aspiring journalist and social critic. Within the space of this website you will find my writings, rantings or just plain observations on the world at present.
My interests are Politics, Sociology, Journalism, Science Fiction, Video Games and Black Metal. So expect much of these topics to be the norm of the reports made.
In all, I review albums, games, films and express myself on whatever is the talk of the town, as this is how i'd like to earn a living one day.
Enjoy the site.
My interests are Politics, Sociology, Journalism, Science Fiction, Video Games and Black Metal. So expect much of these topics to be the norm of the reports made.
In all, I review albums, games, films and express myself on whatever is the talk of the town, as this is how i'd like to earn a living one day.
Enjoy the site.
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