ABORT Magazine™

Book Review: The Uninvited

November 3rd, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: The Uninvited
iPad app
Rock Bay Media

Launched in 1926, Amazing Stories was the first American magazine devoted solely to science fiction, becoming the vanguard of a new trend in the publishing of speculative fiction. Over the subsequent decades similar magazines such as Whispers, Weird Fantasy, Terror Tales and Deathrealm (not to mention the whole EC Comics universe) followed closely on the heels of Amazing Stories, gearing themselves more towards an audience craving horror oriented comics and fiction. In 1974 a French group collectively known as “Les Humanoïdes Associés” (United Humanoids) created a quarterly anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories for a more mature audience called Métal Hurlant. In 1977 National Lampoon publisher Leonard Mogel licensed the release of these anthologies in the United States under the name Heavy Metal. Not to be outdone, in 1980 Marvel Comics began publishing Epic Illustrated, offering unique ownership rights and royalties to its writers and artists instead of the industry-standard work for hire contracts.

Surviving the witch hunts of the 1940s and 50s, science fiction and horror magazines and comics have seen their popularity rise and fall… and then rise… and then fall again. The proliferation of horror and science fiction films as well as online magazines such as GUD (Greatest Uncommon Denominator), Three-lobed Burning Eye, Strange Horizons and the multiple award winning Clarkesworld have all but replaced their printed counterparts.

So what’s next for fans of horror and science fiction magazines? Only seventeen periodicals pay enough to be considered professional markets, so how can writers and artists get their work out to a fickle audience with shallow pockets and a short attention span? The answer may very well be The Uninvited.

In its own words, “The Uninvited is the world’s first fiction anthology magazine for the iPad highlighting original horror and weird fiction stories and comics from around the globe.” Sixty odd pages containing five stories (three short fiction and two comics) make up the first issue of The Uninvited. Released as an iPad app/magazine, some interesting navagational characteristics set this appart from your run of the mill splatter filled e-publications. An inspired use of graphics and some good story telling (for the most part) won’t be strong enough to immediately replace Heavy Metal or Strange Horizons, but with e-books on the rise as the new literary distribution method, The Uninvited is well on its way to becoming a horrific force to be reckoned with.

BUY IT HERE!!

TheUninvitedMagazine.com

By Grimm “Lusus Naturae” Culhane

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: The Damned Highway – Fear and Loathing in Arkham – By Nick Mamatas and Brian Keene

October 31st, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: The Damned Highway – Fear and Loathing in Arkham
By Nick Mamatas and Brian Keene
Dark Horse Books

Author’s Note – The first known use of the word barista was in 1982.

The Damned Highway – Fear and Loathing in Arkham (penned by authors Nick Mamatas and Brian Keene) is a fictitious account of nine missing chapters from iconic author and gonzo demigod Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72. By adding “Cthulhu Mythos” straight out of the darkest recesses of H.P. Lovecraft’s fertile imagination, this political, drug addled, apocalyptic bus ride to the 1972 Presidential primary in the fictitious city of Arkham, Massachusetts reads like a self absorbed homage to greatness. That alone may be reason enough to either like this latest Dark Horse publication or curse the names of both authors and everything they touch from here on in.

At turns both humorous and deeply offensive, narrator “Uncle Lono” (who for some reason uses the word “barista” in the year 1972) is joined by the usual cast of reprobates who litter the “Thompson Mythos,” gaining new life in this faithful mash-up/parody. The idea is interesting enough, “Uncle Lono,” following the 1972 presidential primary to Massachusetts, is to be unknowingly sacrificed to solidify both Nixon’s election victory and Cthulhu’s reign over the Earth. Puritans of either Thompson or Lovecraft may find much to enjoy… or they may be deeply disgusted by Mamatas and Keene cashing in on the talents of two literary favourites.

The writing here is crisp and almost flawless in its mimicry of the original authors, which is where the problem really lies. Readers initially distracted by the prose found here will be left wanting the real thing, eager for the recreational pursuits of Raoul Duke or more mythical scribblings of Abdul Alhazred.

Combining the style and ideas of Thompson and Lovecraft is akin to being stuck in traffic while driving someone else’s Lamborghini, you can work the pedals and levers all you like, but you’ll never get that sucker into top gear.

BUY IT HERE!!

DarkHorse.com

By Grimm “Turning Pro” Culhane

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Stooges: Head On, A Journey Through the Michigan Underworld

October 14th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Stooges: Head On, A Journey Through the Michigan Underworld
By Brett Callwood
Wayne State University Press

In his latest book Stooges: Head On, A Journey Through the Michigan Underworld, Brett Callwood shifts focus from the band’s infamous frontman to the other key members of the Stooges. While Iggy Pop’s larger than life persona and death-defying antics have received their fare share of documentation, the other members –most notably those who helped found the band- Ron Asheton (guitar), Scott Asheton (drums) and Dale Alexander (bass), have been left out of much of the hype. Besides the early key members, Callwood also pays homage to the others, several of whom have since passed away, that helped shape the band over the past four decades.

As a second edition of the previous The Stooges: A Journey Through the Michigan Underworld (published in Britain in 2007), Callwood has made some significant changes. Most notably, he omitted sections which focused on his personal discovery of the Stooges’ music, added a foreword by Alice Cooper and an afterward poem by Glenn Danzig. Sadly, Ron Asheton suffered a fatal heart attack since the first edition was published and the re-release also includes posthumous musings on the influential guitarist and songwriter.

The book begins with a synopsis of the early teenage friendship between the Asheton brothers and Dave Alexander including an overview of the long succession of bands each member had been involved with during the 1960s. Simultaneously Callwood threads together the arrival of Jim Osterberg (AKA. Iggy Pop) as well as his various musical endeavours before the group formed the Psychedelic Stooges (later dropping psychedelic) in 1967.  The first half of the book focuses on some early memorable shows as well as the public’s largely negative reception of the band. Interestingly, later on, Callwood includes descriptions the member’s side projects and post-Stooges endeavours. The book concludes with the tragic passing of Ron Asheton and the impact his death had on the Stooges camp.

Because of the brief duration of the book, Callwood recounts the Stooges complex history in literary shorthand. Although this may leave some enthusiasts feeling short-changed, his emphasis on personal anecdotes given by friends and the band members themselves, makes for an easy read with a personal touch.

iggyandthestoogesmusic.com

wsupress.wayne.edu

By  Alxs Ness

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: The Plot Against Hip Hop – By Nelson George

September 27th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – The Plot Against Hip Hop
By Nelson George
Akashic Books

Nelson George has been documenting Hip Hop culture since its beginnings in the ’70′s with DJ Kool Herc, has published several non-fiction works including “Hip Hop America”, “The Death of Rhythm & Blues”  and co-authored Russell Simmons’ autobiography “Life and Def”.  His latest novel “The Plot Against Hip Hop” draws from his vast and deep experience of Hip Hop from its earliest origins, through the bling era and into the internet age.  With commendations from Talib Kweli, Chuck D and Chris Rock, this is a book sure to entertain and educate readers from both the Old and New Schools.

A crime-noir narrative set against the backdrop of New York’s mean streets, the story follows one D Hunter – a street-wise security guard with connections throughout the culture and industry of Hip Hop, who finds himself compelled to investigate the murder of music critic and close friend Dwayne Robinson.  While superficially dismissed as a gang killing, D soon discovers an underworld far murkier than that of mere street criminals, involving conspiracies in high places, MK-Ultra mind control, and a government plot to transform Hip Hop from cultural revolution to cultural de-evolution.

The references to Illuminati, conspiracy websites, secret corporate surveys and the commodification of culture are more than familiar to Hip Hop heads by now, to the point which they have become almost a joke, and artists like Jay-Z and Kanye can flaunt their alleged affiliations with ironic impunity, but while many are tired of hearing that their music has been co-opted, Nelson George comes from an older generation that still remembers Hip Hop as the vital and dangerous voice it once was.  This feeling for the past carries throughout the novel, and manages to convey the weight and importance of this profound shift in values without being nostalgic.  Given Prodigy’s open discussion of the “Hip Hop Cops” in his recently published autobiography “My Infamous Life”, and the incarceration of many top artists today it is an important point to make – that while rap may not carry the same revolutionary message it once did, its emphasis on freedom from America’s laws and mores is still as dangerous as ever.  In one of the best scenes in the book, record exec Amos Pilgrim drops this evil gem : “People always look for complex motives in conspiracies.  All it really takes to change history is a few individuals with enough money to buy obedience, enough insight to identify weakness, and the will to do terrible things…”

It would be impossible to reveal much more about the actual plot without ruining many surprises, and at a slender 174 pages it is both a quick read and a veritable page turner.  With real-life characters from Lionel Ritchie to Marley Marl to Run DMC woven into the story, “The Plot Against Hip Hop” is a fine piece of “edutainment” – both exciting and thought provoking, and it is always good to read well crafted fiction inspired by a familiar reality.  With a growing market for much less well written works of “Hip Hop Fiction” emerging in America, it’s great to finally have a novel about Hip Hop written by one of it’s original documentary journalists.

nelsondgeorge.net
akashicbooks.com

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: My Infamous Life – The Autobiography of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy

September 19th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – “My Infamous Life – The Autobiography of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson with Laura Checkoway
Touchstone Books/Simon & Schuster

The long awaited story of Prodigy’s rise to fame and brief fall to incarceration was finally published in April of this year, shortly after his release from a three year sentence for illegal gun possession.  Begun nearly ten years ago and completed in prison, “My Infamous Life” will eventually be seen on the shelf with other classic autobiographies by noted African American authors, from “The Autobiography Of Malcolm X”, to Eldridge Cleaver’s “Soul On Ice” to Kody Scott’s “Monster”.  Despite the fact that Prodigy was already a famous Hip Hop artist and millionaire at the age of nineteen, and is descended from a long line of great artists and performers, his story parallels that of other African American heroes who have risen from an environment of crime and poverty to undreamed heights.

As one half of the Infamous Mobb Deep, Prodigy has always been known for scorching reality raps delivered with a measured deadpan flow that sends chills down spines, and his prose style is similarly terse, dropping gems from start to finish about his early childhood experiences with sickle-cell anemia, to his youth as a bonafide player, to his meteoric and conflict fueled rise to fame…and infamy.  P’s honesty is brutal, from his frank descriptions of medical problems, bed-wetting, and awkward first times with drugs and girls, to the violent world of the Queensbridge housing projects where Havoc and friends induct him into a life of getting bent, getting money, and getting into beef, where everything always seems to go wrong in the end. P’s drugging and womanizing are already legendary, and it is a revelation to hear that he has been with his wife Kiki since age seventeen, and has walked a tightrope of self-medication and disaster his whole life – in one poignant scene he nearly dies from sickle-cell symptoms while on tour in India for the “Amerikaz Nightmare” album, at a point where his career was at an all time high.

Of course, by now many of the stories in this book have created new beefs and resurrected old ones, most notably with Capone who was alleged to have snitched on Havoc’s brother Killer Black, as well as Noreaga, Keith Murray and others said to have been stomped out by the Infamous Mobb.  One may indeed wonder what P’s motivation behind revealing these details was, although by the tone of the book it seems more aimed at describing his life realistically than airing out anyone in particular, and from the tone of the responses it would seem that P ain’t lying.  For Prodigy fans who have studied the “HNIC2″ and “Product of the 80′s” albums in detail, many of these stories will be familiar, like the “big green fire in the sky over Queen’s” and other supernatural encounters.

As an MC, Prodigy has always walked a fine line between gangster and scholar, which is part of what makes him so much more interesting than the average rapper.  To read a man who’s life has revolved around money, women, drugs and guns for so many years talk about the mystical origins of humanity and the conspiracy to destroy the African people is a revelation and true “edutainment”.  Upon his incarceration, P claimed that “they’re gonna make me Malcolm in here”, and with the release of this autobiography and his “Elsworth Bumpy Johnson EP”, Prodigy has already demonstrated that he is more intelligent, fit and focused than ever, while at the same time he is the same O.G. that went in, and one of the few surviving MC’s from Hip Hop’s Golden Era still keeping the flame alive.

Currently on the “Rock The Bells” tour, look forward to new Mobb Deep dropping soon.

myinfamouslife.com

myspace.com/prodigyreturnofthemac

By Dave” Corvid” McCallum

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was: The Lighting and Stage Design of Andi Watson

September 18th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was: The lighting and stage design of Andi Watson
By Christopher Scoates
Chronicle Books

Search Google and Wikipedia for the name Andi Watson, and you’ll find a few people share the name of an underrated ‘rock star’ in his own right. There is no huge wiki, nor does his personal website lend any biographical information to the mysterious figure prominent in the modern, esoteric world of lighting design.

‘Bullet Proof… I wish I was’ (herein knows as Bullet Proof) is a technical, and artistic journey into the world of set design, art history, music, and the single driving force that binds them all together. Light.

Christopher Scoates pens the majority of the work, with essays by Dick Hebdige, J. Fiona Ragheb, drawing largely on inspirations and quotes from Watson, among others, while delving deep into the days of yore, when light sculptors would construct marvellous machines to shape and distort light to amaze ‘play-goers’. Not much has really changed since. What has changed, is that once it’s been done, it’s been done to death. That’s where Watson comes in. With groundbreaking work most notably in the form of unique and monstrous sets built around Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead. Thom mentions in a short forward to the book that he views Watson as a member of the band, instinctively jiving with the rest of the members on an emotional level.

‘Bullet Proof’ is at nearly all times, a very hard read. Scoates, the director of the University Art Museum, at California State University is verbose in his descriptions and knowledge, leaving the uninitiated almost intimidated to continue. The book would be best suited to those who are in the know of the “who is” and “what is.” To those interested in what’s above the stage just as much as what is on it, the book is definitely a bible. Picking the brain of arguably one of the best, with the likes of Radiohead, Oasis, Arctic Monkies and Counting Crows under his belt, to name a few.

The book is a must have for the technically curious, full of fantastical talk of lasers, shattered mirrors, stage smoke and the magical wonder of the light emitting diode. For those who may not care too much about light and how it is manipulated, the book boasts about a 50-50 ratio of pages with words, to pages with amazing concert pictures.

While we may have otherwise never have known Andi Watsons name, there is a good chance we have known his work, and to those of us privileged to have known, we will never forget.

chroniclebooks.com

By Scott Alexander

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Green River Killer – A True Detective Story by Jeff Jensen, Illustrated by Jonathan Case

September 16th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Green River Killer – A True Detective Story
Words by Jeff Jensen, Illustrations by Jonathan Case
Dark Horse Books

The marginalized and demented deserve our scrutiny, but not our compassion; or so it may seem from the myriad of news media pieces on serial murderers over the last several decades.  Coined in the mid 1970s and often credited to FBI Behavioural Science Unit agent Robert K. Ressler, the term “serial killer” has become synonymous with society’s fascination and “apparent” disgust with crime, murder and, ultimately, itself.  Sensationalized manhunts, gruesome crime scene details, length trials and endless pictures of bloodied and eternally muted victims pique the interest of even the most reticent viewer.  This latest offering from Dark Horse Books entitled Green River Killer – A Detective Story could have become yet another attempt to cash in on yet another serial killer’s gruesome deeds, but instead this graphic novel documents an important part of humanity and the dedication of will that lead to the capture of Gary Ridgeway, The Green River Killer.

On November 30, 2001, Gary Leon Ridgway was arrested for the murder of four women twenty years after he was identified as a potential suspect in the Green River killings. Eventually Ridgway confessed to more confirmed murders than any other American serial killer. Inspired by true events, Green River Killer – A Detective Story is less about the deeds of a murderer and more about Tom Jensen, the detective who spent twenty years of his life helping to capture and convict Gary Ridgeway on forty-eight counts of aggravated first degree murder.

This is a painstaking and insightful piece of work with a story more compelling than anything Ellery Queen could have dreamt up. Author Jeff Jensen offers unique insights that only the son of detective Tom Jensen himself could have acquired. Illustrator Jonathan Case’s exclusive use of black and white images gives this a stark, foreboding feel. Character aging and objects specific to certain eras brilliantly show the progression of time, while the story itself meanders back and forth through the years, never once becoming exploitive or sensationalistic.

Besides being an important piece of art, this is one compelling and unforgettable read. Green River Killer – A Detective Story single-handedly digs up and breaths new life into the genre of detective fiction by proving that there is nothing more fascinating than cold hard facts.

BUY IT HERE.

Dark Horse Books

By Grimm “Facts” Culhane

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Book Review: This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx

August 31st, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx
By Nikki Sixx
Chronicle Books

Picking up any book by photographer-poet-rocker Frank Feranna Jr., perhaps much better known as Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx is akin to falling down a  rabbit hole. You’re not really sure what you are getting in to, but the resulting journey is magical.

This Is Gonna Hurt: follows the hard-fought journey of difficult days, and years surrounding Sixx’s previous memoir and New York Times best seller ‘The Heroin Diaries.’  It is a dedication to Sixx photography, a gallery of emotion so real and heartfelt that you cannot help but be affected by his words and imagery.  The most touching part of it all, is the realization that while Sixx has experienced some monstrous events, he is reluctant to let that stop, or even slow him down.  From his time as a troubled youth in Seattle and California, to a tense dinner at home with his mother, after finally learning some truths about his long lost sister.

As with Heroin Diaries, Sixx again incorporates real diary entries into the emotional graphic reality that makes up the memoir, giving a unique view to life on the road with the Crüe bad-boys, and photo-walk forays into the seemingly seedy underbellies of the city he is visiting on tour at that time with the band.  With a mission to talk to, and photograph drug addicts and prostitutes, Sixx captures the gritty truths behind the pain of addiction, and wrong turns in life, turning his camera into a weapon of truth, able to capture the most defining aspect of his subject.  As a famous photographer once said ‘You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt. (Henri Cartier-Bresson) This Is Gonna Hurt: is a literal and figurative testament to don’t judge a book by its cover.

Perhaps plenty of experience as ‘the villain’ has prepared him for the responsibility and leadership role he has taken on by publishing his hard-worn life. However, Nikki will be remembered for his contribution to rock and roll, with literary works like this, it is easy to see how the power of these books may surpass that contribution entirely.  Nikki’s humanity makes him a hero in a world that needs them.  At a little over half the page-count of its predecessor, the journey for the reader is over all too quickly, leaving a want for more and forcing the reader to look inside themselves for questions to Nikki’s answers. All in all, a worthwhile read that will leave one whispered word on the readers minds…”Beautiful”.

facebook.com/nikkisixxofficial

chroniclebooks.com

By Scott Alexander

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Go The F**k To Sleep By Adam Mansbach, Illustrated by Ricardo Cortez

August 24th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Go The Fuck To Sleep
By Adam Mansbach, Illustrated by Ricardo Cortez
Akashic Books

“All The kids from day care are in dreamland.
The froggie has made his last leap,
Hell no, you can’t go to the bathroom
You know where you can go? The fuck to sleep”

If that doesn’t get you motivated to either get through a real bedtime story session or grab the youngster’s pillow and end it right there, the relief from a good chuckle should cushion the fall.

Without a doubt this is THE bedside companion that you wanted, needed and thought would never see the light of day. Go The Fuck To Sleep captures the reality of parenthood (or babysitters) when it comes to the painstaking task of getting the little ones to nod off. Complete with snide rhymes and jilted wit, author Adam Mansbach (author of Angry Black White Boy) took his bedtime stress and turned it into the ultimate “nighty-night” nightcap and a bit of a cult classic. According to an article from The Bay Citizen, Adam’s little book has appeared in PDF form on torrent sites everywhere and topped Amazon’s Bestseller list. Speaking of Amazon, their Audible  service is giving away an audiobook version  feat. Samuel L. Jackson

and Tosh.O posted a “Grandma” reading it to her little one, only to be shocked but ends laughing her teets off.

Any parent could easily skim a few pages before or after the actual bedtime story ritual has taken place and breathe a sigh of relief. With soothing images and soft stokes, Illustrator Ricardo Cortez also blankets the reader in a warm and safe environment only to have Adam’s frustration complete each page. Great Christmas gift if ever you are stumped – if they have kids, just give them this.You don’t even need to be a parent, If you have ever been stuck on a plane, in a mall or at at a funeral, there will always be the one time where some chubby-faced brat drove you and everyone around you, absolutely mad with their incessant bawling and screaming. This book is for you.

Not one to spoil a good read. it’s only 15 pages, but well worth the price. One flip-through and you’ll be on your arse shedding either tears of joy or tears from laughing so hard. Can’t wait for a Vol. 2.

On that note…it’s time for a nap.

gotheftosleep.com
adammansbach.com
rmcortes.com
akashicbooks.com

By E.S. Day

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

 

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Book Review: Lamb of God: New American Gospel By Chris Adler

July 26th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Lamb of God: New American Gospel
By Chris Adler
Adler Publishing

It’s no exaggeration to say that Lamb of God was largely responsible for changing the face of metal music over the last decade. After debuting under their new moniker in 2000 –having previously gone under the name Burn the Priest- LOG released the game-changing New American Gospel. It’s arguably not their strongest album to date, their sophomore release As the Palaces Burn, would prove to be a more focused synthesis of the ideas they were cultivating at the time. Nonetheless, New American Gospel set the foundation for all subsequent releases and is thus held in high regard when looking back over their discography.

The Lamb of God: New American Gospel drum tablature book is an interesting venture in its own right. On top of the self-explanatory drum tabs transcribed by Chris Adler and Travis Orbin (ex-Periphery), Adler took things one step further by including personal reflections on writing and recording the album. These reflections which preface each song’s tablature, offer insight into Chris Adler’s creative process as well as some of the struggles he’s had with his chosen craft. While not going into great detail, they also indicate some of the personal conflicts within the band, specifically between Randy Blythe and the rest.

While aimed specifically at drummers (it is a drum tab book after all) Lamb of God: New American Gospel makes for an interesting read for non-drummers as well. Particularly interesting is Adler’s admission of a “repetitive mental drum injury” that occurred after many years of playing the same material. For a man that’s been at the forefront of technical drumming since Lamb of God broke onto the scene, hearing about his insecurities is surprising. As it turns out, studying tab late in his career helped to jumpstart his drive for drumming once again. Perhaps this book will have the same effect on creatively blocked readers.

Be sure to keep an ear out for Chris Adler on select tracks of Testament’s The Dark Roots of Earth set to be released in October 2011.

BUY IT HERE

chris-adler.com

By Alxs Ness

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History – Photographs By Ross Halfin

June 10th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History
By Ross Halfin
Chronicle Books

No stranger to producing heavy semi-gloss photobooks, Ross Halfin, having already made a name for himself in the photography world has now made a name for himself in the book-world with the seemingly endless archive of epic rock and roll photographs he has collected over the years. Still touring and shooting today, Halfins’ collection of photos continues to grow, and the recently released “Def Leppards Definitive Visual History” adds a new level to the shooters impressive library.

A far cry from 2010’s so-so release “Ultimate Metallica” which was a mishmash of completely random photos (review here), Leppards visual history is just that, an extraordinary time line of one of the greatest British Hard Rock bands of all time. A must have for the shelves of each and every Def Leppard fan.

With more than just a few great shots to his credit, Ross was able to pull from negative, slide and digital file photos that fans will recognize, as well as a bunch that even the band has never seen, as front man Joe Elliot remarks in the book’s forward, the words of which are dedicated to Ross’s ability to make photos, a little potty humour, or more literally, some sink humour.

The biggest selling point of this massive photo album is not just the fact that you’re able to flip through it over and over, or discovering a passed-over photo with some new minute detail that makes an average photo legendary. It’s chock-full of the image descriptions, back stories, and a few band member ‘letters’ which put the photos in the context the FAN wants, and needs.

Now it’s just up to deciding whether to display it in the Union Jack dust jacket or the sleek black hard-cover sporting that famous logo underneath.

By Scott Alexander

rosshalfin.com
chroniclebooks.com

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Book Review: Talk-Action=0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A

May 26th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Talk-Action=0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A
By Joe Keithley
Arsenal Pulp Press

You would think 33 years of touring the world in a beer-swilling, shit-disturbing, hardcore punk band would result in a supreme loss of brain cells and memory. This does not seem to be the case for Joe Keithley, notorious frontman of Vancouver’s own D.O.A. Seven years after the release of his auto-biography I, Shithead: A Life in Punk, he follows up with Talk-Action=0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A.

Where I, Shithead is a detailed, in-depth look at Keithley’s early years, the formation of D.O.A, the countless tours, numerous line-up changes, the rise to fame and the struggles throughout, Talk-Action=0 reads like a picture book of the same story. The ultimate road story after Hard Core Logo, Keithley literally illustrates through a myriad of high quality photographs, tour/show posters, album covers and miscellaneous visual aids, the real-life contexts that inspired Michael Turner’s novel, not to mention several other books and films. Staying true to it’s name, Talk-Action=0 stands as visual proof of the band’s tireless touring schedules, its dedication to standing up for worthwhile causes and its “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality.

Being clocking in at over 300 pages long, this one’s a light read. This is due to Keithley’s conversational writing style; he is a true a story-teller (in the non-fictional sense) whose specialty is telling it like it is in a straight-forward, compelling and entertaining way. Certainly not short on material, Keithley none-the-less keeps it short and lets the images do most of the talking. As the ‘pre-introduction’, Thirty-Three Years of D.O.A foreshadows –through a summary of the band’s statistics over the years– the documentation of a great deal of the band’s approximate 3,500 shows and near two million miles traveled speaks for itself.

One of the highlight’s of Talk-Action=0 is the subjective view of changing histories in both political and musical landscapes. Keithley’s view-point is only one but it comes from a person who has traveled the world and remained engaged in significant changes within it. Talk-Action=0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A, is not only relevant for punk fans but for anyone interested in what it’s like to see the world from a tour bus, or in this case, the Reid Fleming.

Joe Shithead’s new book “Talk-Action=0″ an illustrated history of D.O.A. will be released on June 1st, 2011. There will be a book signing pre show!

Saturday, June 4th at the Rickshaw Theatre. Doors 7PM / Advance tickets $15.00 available at Red Cat, Zulu, Scrape and www.densixx.com

FACEBOOK EVENT

rickshawtheatre.com

suddendeath.com

arsenalpulp.com

By Alxs Ness

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Trouble In The Camera Club – A Photographic Narrative of Toronto’s Punk History “1976-1980″, By Don Pyle

May 5th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: Trouble In The Camera Club – A Photographic Narrative of Toronto’s Punk History “1976-1980″,
By Don Pyle
ECW Press

The music, style and attitude of Punk may not have come out of a vacuum, but its appearance on the Toronto scene was like a brick in a box of Timbits…

“Canada was in its earliest days of cultural transformation from colonial outpost to whatever you might describe it as today…” – this casual observation perfectly encapsulates the essence of this entire book in one succinct phrase.  To anyone born in urban Canada after 1980, it might seem that this country was always a vibrant, tolerant, multicultural and urbane society, and not the backwater of mostly white, working class church-goers who made up the majority of the population even in cities.  Another poignant image is the photo of the iconic CN tower, just barely completed and surrounded by the original desolate rail yards and warehouses that it displaced.  As Pyle wryly comments, “There is no convention center, no domed stadium, only this new structure that couldn’t help but be closely attached to the psyche of the citizens it loomed over.”.  A mad combination of phallic symbol and syringe that still defines the city, it seemed to have dropped from outer space, but the mid 1970′s in Toronto were a time of total change, to both the physical and psychic landscape.

This was a time when a mother would weep for a son coming home in a leather jacket, nevermind the subsequent tornado of hairstyles and body modification that are now commonplace.  A time when “punk” still meant what it means in prison, and when those who identified with the image and lifestyle numbered in the thousands and not millions.  Really, this book is Don Pyle’s coming of age story in words and pictures, as we see an awkward and recognizably universal “good Canadian kid” (as Don Cherry would say…) experience for the first time the thrill of real, live, subversive music.  For those of us born in the wake of Punk’s all-encompassing influence, Pyle’s photos are a window into our own innocence, when Canadian society as a whole was first confronted with unfettered anger and youthful vitality set to music, untempered by the Hippies who the Middle Class felt they had finally gotten rid of.  This was a movement that was deliberately threatening, not in a focused and intentional way but chaotic and persistent, defining itself as anti rather than pro.

Not to dwell too long on the whole social analysis aspect either, but these photos are anthropological documents as well, like Edward Curtis’ pictures of Native Americans in the 1800′s.  They preserve not only the costumes and settings of the time, but the natural expressions of the subjects involved without pretense, and it is in the faces, and especially the eyes that Punk shines forth.  This is not a fashion statement, and it’s not even merely Punk Rock, it is a burst of fury from the hearts, minds and bodies of a generation caught between the smugness of the 60′s and the fakeness of the 80′s.  A generation that chose to define itself, at all costs, as the antithesis of all that came before and all that was to come.

From world icons like The Ramones, The Runaways, The Dead Boys and The Viletones, to Canadian heroes like Teenage Head and the Diodes, to touchingly casual portraits of various friends, musicians, and hangers on, “Trouble In The Camera Club” carefully treads the fine line of personal revelation and universal experience.  These are faces anyone would recognize caught in the eye of a typical youth.  Pyle’s narrative style is eminently readable, warm and nostalgic but without sentimentality, dryly dropping dimes about backstage shenanigans without gloating.

Honestly, I’m surprised that this isn’t a hardcover, as it’s a great coffee-table book for repeated viewing, the kind that draws a reader into another world, but at $29.95 US or Canada (incl. Limited Edition 7″ Vinyl), Pyle’s clearly chosen to stick to his roots.  Anytime you need a dose of the pre-irony, in it for the minute, bright and briefly burning world of early Punk, step inside…just mind the broken glass.

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

troubleinthecameraclub.com
ecwpress.com
donpyle.com

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: The Ultimate Metallica – Photographs By Ross Halfin

February 8th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review: The Ultimate Metallica Photographs
By Ross Halfin
Chronicle Books

It is certainly no stretch to put the word ‘Ultimate’ in front of anything Metallica (St. Anger album aside) and several of the photographs in this massive black tome with no page numbers definitely deserve that title. However, as Lars Ulrich wrote jokingly in his in-depth foreword, this is just “the 147th useless Metallica photo book.”

Lars may have hit the nail on the head there, somewhat. While the book boasts more photos per square inch than a Google search for ‘porn’, the one thing it is greatly lacking in, is any sort of descriptions on all but a few of the choice shots. With the majority of images arranged in chronological order, it’s easy to flip through to your favorite metallic-era and study the images over tea, but again, with the lack of any story to accompany these “epic” frames, the meaning is all but lost. It just becomes Metallica against some wall, somewhere, at some point in time.

Another great disappointment is the lack of photos during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, when the band and Ross went their separate ways, leaving a large gap in the photo history of the band, as far as this book was concerned.
If it is true, that picture is worth a thousand words, we are short about two million words here, since at this point, aging Metallica fans aren’t looking for posters to put on their bedroom walls anymore.

The Ultimate Metallica Photographs is still an extraordinary look at one of Rock ‘n’ Rolls powerhouses, including some very old, and very exclusive frames made while Ross toured extensively with the band that will no doubt go down in history with other legendary photos that have come before them. With a price sticker at a mere thirty-five US dollars, The Ultimate Metallica is nonetheless a worthy addition to the hardcore fans bookshelf, alongside the other 146 “useless books”.

rosshalfin.com

chroniclebooks.com

By Scott Alexander

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Book Review: American Hardcore – A Tribal History By Steven Blush

January 29th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review -  American Hardcore: A Tribal History
By Steven Blush
Feral House

Once upon a time, in our Western Pop Culture, each generation was defined by a youth movement that captured a very special energy. Like sparks that flare into flame, then descend into long-burning embers, these movement are nearly impossible to explain- you just had to be there. From the beat poets of the late 50’s, through the summer of love generation in the 60’s, up to the desperately anti-social stylings of the UK punk scene in the 70’s, these eras were each unique and powerful. The 1980’s saw a brutally brief music-based subculture that re-defined what passion and dedication could mean. That scene came to be known as American Hardcore, and it could be argued that this was the last great subcultural movement. Today we look at a book that attempts to cover the history of that time: “American Hardcore- A Tribal History” by Steven Blush.

So what is “hardcore”? It’s surprising how hard it is to actually answer that question. Is hardcore a style of music? Yes, and no. Is hardcore a fashion? Yes, and no. Is hardcore a violent asskicking at a show? Yes, and no. Is hardcore the ultimate expression of do-it-yourself? Yes, and no. Hardcore is all of these things and more, but it is also none of these things. It’s a philosophy, a way of living in the extreme moment, a form of divisive unity underscored by radical socio-political points of view- all to a howling, blisteringly fast, eardrum-shattering soundtrack, and from 1980 to 1986, it was the most important culture in the world.

Steven Blush has crafted a spectacular collection of stories and images in this book. The narrative of ‘the scene’ is broken down by city, with every page is punctuated by images of show posters and the chaos of hardcore shows. This tome is relentlessly honest- as any attempt to explain this time in history should be. It’s a visceral read, but not without its drawbacks. Where this book fails lies within the narrative. Namely, it tends to be dry to the point of eye-glazingly boring. Clearly, this is important information, but after pages and pages (and pages) of what amounts to little more than lists of names, well- this is hardly gripping prose. As a compendium of data, American Hardcore tends to read like a dictionary more than a story.

Those times where the tale actually does unfold, and events carry the reader momentarily to that specific place and time, it’s informative, it’s entertaining- and disappointing. For example, the opinions offered on Henry Rollins- one gets the idea that the man is an iconic figurehead behind which the hardcore movement rallied. Reading this book, it’s quickly made clear that he was actually almost universally reviled by everyone in hardcore, outside of the DC scene. Equally shocking is the revelation that the Bad Brains were a gang of misogynist homophobes. From the hypocrisy of the straight-edge movement through to the willfully ignorant misuse of Minor Threat tracks as white-power theme songs, this book isn’t afraid to tell the reader exactly as it was- not how we perceive it to be after many years of ‘the good ol’ days’ media editing.

So, should you buy this book? The answer is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, yes. Despite its somewhat dry narrative, it is still the definitive work covering an extremely important moment in music history. Regardless of what particular subculture you resonate with, this book should still be in your collection, as a testament to the extremes one should constantly aspire to in all aspects of life. Anything worth doing is worth doing right- and every person who can legitimately claim to have been part of the American hardcore scene was certainly doing it right. In this day and age, the brutal zeal and dedication to ones principles that typified the hardcore movement… These are lessons more important than ever.

BUY IT HERE

americanhardcorebook.com

By Keith Durocher

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Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Cover Story, Volume Two: Odd, Obscure, and Outrageous Album Art

October 14th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – Cover Story, Volume Two:
Odd, Obscure, and Outrageous Album Art
Wax Poetics
Most coffee table album art books make the decision to publish the covers of classic albums by house hold name musicians. They focus on keeping it classy, the most subversive thing in the whole book being the infant endowment on 1991′s Nevermind by Nirvana. Wax Poetics goes an entirely different route with their new book Cover Story, which would rather showcase the concept of a deranged lunatic shoving his own brains through a meat grinder (First Rush by Chris Rush) than give you your umpteenth look at a gaggle of british fucks in fruity pseudo military garb.

Not to say the book isn’t classy in it’s presentation, because it is. It’s would sit nicely on your table in the living room next to the fireplace, but it would do better next to your copy of Larry Flynt’s biography than the big book of water color paintings your aloof relative got you for your bat mitzvah. Yes, I’m saying there is a fair amount of naked women here.

Within it’s pages, the book gives you a look at almost-famous artists such as John Zorn, and Placebo, but mostly you’ve not heard of these people or their records, and that’s the brilliance of the book. It supplies you with other peoples nostalgia, right down to some of the LP’s still having a price tag on their sleeve for 20 cents.

The artwork seems to be categorized into sections of artwork style. There is a blaxpoitation section. There is an airbrushed unicorn on the side of a hippies van artwork section. There is a tasteless cartoon section. The book is kinda like if Jackie Brown, Foxy Brown and the white guy with the afro who painted waterfalls and shit on cable tv got down with Rollergirl while Burt Reynolds filmed it. Want to buy the book yet? Yeah, I thought so.

BUY IT HERE

By Kevvy Mental

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: Cult StreetWear – By Josh Sims

August 30th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – Cult Street Wear
By Josh Sims
Laurence King Publishing

Take a mental photo of what comes to mind when you read the word “catalogue’. Serial numbers? Lists? Boring?

Think about a clothing catalogue as if Dan The Automator put it together. This is essentially what you get with Cult Street Wear’s new coffee table book, with such notables designing the cover and liners as 123Klan and FL@33.

Within the depths of the book, one can see the newest and freshest kicks, hoodies, jewelry, and every other type of clothing being modeled by heavyweight hipsters such as The Neptunes and Ice Cube, but also catch a glimpse of the history behind the designs. Take a look at Pharrell and Co. sporting his own Ice Creams clothing line, and others wearing Nike, A Bathing Ape, Obey, Zoo York, and every other style of clothing you’d see at a Misshapes party in New York.

The booked functions not really as a shopping guide, but rather a history book and a photography book, as every shot is full of detail, exploding off the page with color and beautiful people.

Within it’s pages, the book also showcases the artwork of -and explains the stories of- the visual artists, musicians, sports figures and advertising execs that have molded what we perceive as hip from LA to NY, London to Tokyo, since 1980 to now. This history is collected and arranged here in 900 photos and illustrations, in a publication that’s literally never been done before.

Think not of this piece of literature as trying to sell you something, but instead educate you on the roots and origins of the clothing, artwork, graffiti and everything else that goes along with hip-hop culture and style.

laurenceking.com/product/Cult+Streetwear.htm

By Kevvy Mental

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: American Trademarks: A Compendium

July 15th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review:  American Trademarks: A Compendium
Edited By: Eric Baker & Tyler Blik
Chronicle Books

At first glance a book about trademarks seems… unnecessary. After all, they’re just the symbolic manifestation of the corporate class’ control over our lives, another link in the chains of wage-slavery, right? Maybe, if you want to get all dramatic and overly indignant. So what are they, then? Are they meaningless? Superfluous? Are they even worth the effort of analysis? As you read American Trademarks: A Compendium it becomes increasingly clear page after page that this book is not going to answer any of these questions. American Trademarks: A Compendium is pretty much exactly what its title says: a compendium (compendium: a short, complete summary; a list or collection of various items) of trademarks from that world-wariest of centuries: the 20th. So aside from a brief introduction and a two-page “from the editors” bit, there really isn’t a whole lot in the book that isn’t an old trademark, except for some graphic designer talking about how much he likes all the old trademarks from time to time.

So while there isn’t a whole lot of exposition on the parts of the editors in terms of information about the history of the trademarks in the book or trademarks in general once you really get into it, get down and dirty and really start perusing the trademarks themselves you quickly realize two things: 1) this shit is pretty cool and 2) we’re in the future, dude. It really is crazy how far we’ve come when you think about it, and reading this book certainly makes you think about it. Take for example the trademark for “Genuine Peruvian Guano” – 1925, Nitrate Agencies Co. and compare it to a modern trademark and not only is the style completely different but so is the purpose of the mark. In 1925 Nitrate Agencies Co. wasn’t trying to sell a lifestyle, they weren’t pushing “brand synergy”, they were just saying “our Peruvian guano is genuine, dog.”

Even the way in which the trademark would have been made is completely alien to the way it would be done today, using an array of archaic typesetting machinery and probably some kind of frantic chaplin-esque character covered in ink instead of crazy super-computers and sweet lasers. American Trademarks: A Compendium is a port-hole in time, a way too look into the past and catch the slightest glimpse of what it was like to live without global warming and pizza pops and maybe understand what that means. Plus it’s a pretty cool coffee-table book and $29.95 US is a pretty good price to pay for that kind of thing.

chroniclebooks.com

By A.W. Reid

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: You Can’t Always Get What You Want by Sam Cutler

April 4th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Sam Cutler
ECW Press

Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe it. The perfect example of a grizzled rock veteran with a thousand stories to tell, former Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead tour manager Sam Cutler tells a few of them in his new book You Can’t Always Get What You Want, a tell-all recounting of his years with the Stones and the Dead. The book starts out very slowly as Cutler lays a bit of groundwork talking about his childhood growing up as a foster child in a fervently socialist household, his early memories and the angst of his teen years. The book quickly kicks into gear, though, and becomes thoroughly impossible to put down.

Starting with Cutler putting on a show for the Stones in Hyde Park in 1969 the action ramps up significantly as Cutler is suddenly swept off his feet and into the Stones’ camp, leading them on their big upcoming American tour. Cutler very easily draws you in with his frank and honest account of the life of a tour manager on the road during rock and roll’s golden age and his inordinate number of anecdotes on just about every great musician one can think of. Syd Barrett, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin among many others all take their turns making appearances, not to mention Keith Richards, Jerry Garcia et al. Cutler’s stories draw you in completely because of their extreme legitimacy; Cutler was really there and he really saw those things and he doesn’t exaggerate or build it up, he just tells it like it was.

While You Can’t Always Get What You Want mostly serves as a memoir to his days as a tour manager and it does cover a lot of his time with the Rolling Stones as well as the Grateful Dead a large chunk of the book is taken up in Cutler’s explanation and interpretation of the events at and leading up to the Altamont Speedway free concert in 1969.

He explains his involvement starting at the beginning, from being there when the Grateful Dead’s quasi-manager Rock Scully first brought up the subject of the Stones doing a concert with the west coast scene bands to being on stage when Meredith Hunter was stabbed to death, from Jerry Garcia and the boys showing up and instantly bailing when they saw how nasty the crowd was to witnessing the acid victims as they were brought into the infirmary by the dozen to be dosed with Thorazine. In fact, LSD is one of the most recurrent subjects in the book, as practically everyone in the book is tripping balls and any square that gets in Sam Cutler’s way quickly gets a dose of purple haze.

Sex, a shitload of drugs, plus a hell of a lot of rock and roll, You Can’t Always Get What You Want has it all in spades and isn’t shy about dishing it out, shelling out stories of musical debauchery at a stunning pace and with a deft hand until sadly, suddenly coming to an end.

gimmecutler.com

BUY IT HERE

ecwpress.com

By A.W. Reid

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: True Norwegian Black Metal (Hardcover Edition) by Peter Beste

March 19th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – True Norwegian Black Metal (Hardcover Edition)
Peter Beste
powerHouse

Just as the title suggests, True Norwegian Black Metal focuses on the Norwegian Black Metal subculture mainly through photographic form. What’s interesting about this collection of photographs is that while they primarily feature members of bands from the early Norwegian Black metal scene (AKA. 2nd wave of black metal), they were all taken nearly a decade after the scene was fully developed. These photos feature not only key players in the development and dissemination of the philosophies behind the early scene but also survivors of the chaos, madness and bloodshed that followed in its wake. The absence of those who helped form the scene but were permanently or temporarily eliminated as a result of being murdered or committing murder (or various other criminal acts) is poignant. In their absence, Beste captures some of the history; Mayhem’s first jam space, Euronymous’ front door, the Elm Street Rock Café and various landscape scenes of Norway.

The beauty of True Norwegian Black Metal is that it can be appreciated on many different levels. Firstly the scale of the images (11.25” X 14.25”) and their quality make for a visually stunning and aesthetically pleasing collection. The diversity of subject matter-bands, individuals, fans and natural landscape- are captured sometimes in an obviously staged manner and sometimes very candidly. The care that Beste has put towards capturing the moment and feeling of each subject seems worthy of a subculture in which style and “self-expression” are extremely important. Beste is able to capture the human elements – humor, isolation, despair, introversion, teenage angst, backstage antics and the people behind the alter-egos- as well as the larger-than-life aura that emanates from the black metal personas and the scene in general.

What’s great about this book is that the images are allowed to stand on their own without categorization or any specific explanation. There is a sparse array of quotes from black metal musicians and European philosophers throughout, but since these are given special treatment as well –each placed on its own black page- they don’t speak specifically to their adjacent image but rather to the philosophy and beliefs of those depicted. The lack of page numbers encourages the reader to go through each image carefully, allowing them to process the visuals in a more subjective rather then anthropological way. This format gives the reader the option to make their own conclusions and to experience the photographs in their own way. Of course, since this is documentary photography, it is Beste who has selected these images, edited and framed them in a specific manner to tell a particular story in the way he sees fit. However, since the presentation of this story is open ended, Beste coaxes rather then forces us to travel the path he has laid forward visually.

Another highlight is the contributions made by Metalion, founder of the influential Norwegian metal magazine Slayer. A book dedicated to Norwegian Black Metal, featuring relatively current photographs of its most significant figures would not be complete without some representation of the past. These pages, comprised of photographs, letters, show posters and interviews are largely a tribute to the fallen, namely Dead (ex-Mayhem vocalist) and Euronymous (ex-Mayhem guitarist). In a way they put a real face to the condensed biography and black metal timeline located at the start of the book. While many of the photos found in this section are fairly common, the letter written by Euronymous to Metalion after Dead’s suicide is morbidly intriguing. Equally intriguing and at times entertaining are the interviews conducted by Metalion with Euronymous and Dead, Varg Vikernes and Demonaz (Immortal) respectively.

The gargantuan True Norwegian Black Metal will surely find its way onto the coffee tables of the disciples as well as the curious. No matter what the viewer has invested into the story behind the images, the photographs themselves are captivating and reason enough to warrant a look-through. While there is much depth here, there are also humorous and pathetic moments throughout. One obvious conclusion one can draw after spending some time with this book, is the fascinating way the fundamentals of rock music –sex, drugs and rock and roll- have managed to carry over throughout the history of heavy music; even bleeding into one of its most extreme sub-genres – True Norwegian Black Metal.

powerhousebooks.com

By Alxs Ness

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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