Sunn O)))

Listen.

When it comes to classical music, or opera, or crap like that, I can understand why it is brilliant; but the vast majority of it leaves me quite cold.

However.

With sunn 0))) it's all the other way round. I realise that there is next to no musicianship, talent or songwriting. I can understand that it's nothing more than a headache-inducing drone, and that any bunch of idiots with big amps, a powerful Moog and some sturdy distortion pedals could churn this shit out.

But.

I fucking love these guys. I love the pretentiousness of the grimm robes. I love the way they play in slow motion. I love the religious amp-worship aspect of their performance. I love the over-zealous application of dry ice. I love the fact that when I play their songs through my laptop, roughly half of the noise is below the frequency range that the speakers can cope with - which means that the first seven minutes of Báthory Erzsébet (the final track from 05's Black 1) are, for the large part, completely inaudible.

But mostly, I love how the persistent doomy drone voids my brain of all rational thought and memory.

Website: http://www.southernlord.com/band_SUN.php

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegrimmrobe

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunn_O)))

These Arms Are Snakes

Or should that be These Arms Were Snakes?

No, it shouldn't. 'Cos that's not what they're called. But the fact remains that the Seattle outfit announced their dissolution this week, and I haven't felt the loss of a band so keenly since that guy shot himself in the head a few years back.

Generally pigeon-holed as post hardcore, TAAS play a jagged brand of rock infused with equal parts sex and violence epitomised by frontman Steve Snere's onstage hip-swaying/gyrating/thrusting/strangling self with belt or mic cord.

For me, it's one of the songs off of their first EP "This Is Meant To Hurt You" that best defines their sound; "Run It Out Through The Dog" opens up with a chaotic squall of screeching guitar and vocals, but then spirals off into a post-rockish, almost space rock kind of wall of noise... or something.

Ok, so it is mostly all shrieking and guitar noise; but dammit, it's good. I feel glad I got in on the ground floor with these guys, privileged that I got to see them play live in Southampton a couple of years ago, and gutted that they didn't come anywhere near here on what turned out to be their final UK tour.

They were awesome, and you can check out some of their finest moments by clicking below.

Crazy Woman Dirty Train

Gadget Arms

Subtle Body

Website: http://thesearmsaresnakes.blogspot.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thesearmsaresnakes

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/These_Arms_Are_Snakes

Nirvana

I bought myself the Live At Reading DVD a week or so ago, and it's just reminded me how great these guys were.

They didn't write the best songs, they weren't the most talented musicians, their shows weren't the most explosive or legendary (apart from the explosive and legendary ones). But I've yet to find anything that sends the same shiver down my spine as the first time I listened to Nevermind.

And yes, I do realise how horribly clichéd that sounds.

Website: nope

Myspace: nope

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(band)