kendrick lamar

Best of 2017: Dan’s Rainbows in the Dark Edition

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9C 2017 EOY Header Image

I know I’m far from the only person on our staff capable of writing an end-of-year Rainbows in the Dark post, but I guess I called “dibs” first? So here we are. As you may recall, I made a point to keep my 2017 metal recap strictly metal. So now that 2018’s here, we’ll take a look back at 2017-in-Non-Metal, and keep it strictly non-metal. And don’t worry, this one will be a much shorter read than the metal list. (That’s not to suggest that these aren’t as good, or are less worth of extended written rants; it’s to suggest that at this point, I’m just kinda tired of writing about music from 2017.)

One stipulation: again — despite what the title may imply — I’m not suggesting these are the Best of 2017. I can’t make that call. These are just some albums I enjoyed from outside the metal spectrum. Okay. That’s it. Let’s get started…  Continue reading →

Best of 2015: Brendan’s (Totaly Weak and Untrve) List

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Best 2015

Guys, 2015 was pretty rad, at least in terms of music (I’d also argue it was a watershed year in almost all creative and entertainment media I follow, but that’s a different discussion. Plus, I just had a really good year, in general).

The nine albums listed below earned their spots because they stuck with me all year for one reason or another. However, I wanted to give lip service to a few that ultimately didn’t make the top nine, but that still brought some great musical moments into my life. For instance, I have spent many a rainy night nodding to the cyberpunk synthwave of GosT’s Behemoth while riding the train home, feeling like a character in a William Gibson novel; I took long hikes in Oregon’s lower Willamette Valley to the sounds of Enslaved’s In Times and Misthyrming’s Söngvar elds og óreiðu; and I got to experience the sonic energy of Mutoid Man’s Bleeder (and Helium Head) live in its entirety, in what was probably my favorite show of 2015. These little moments are just a few in a year filled with them.

Anyway, enough nostalgic waxing from me. Here’s to hoping 2016 is as good of a year as 2015 (I’m looking at you Gorguts, Gojira, and Horrendous).

Continue reading →

Rainbows in the Dark: Best of 2015 Edition

Dan1 Comment

Best 2015

Enjoying all of our Best of 2015 posts so far? Well…don’t expect that to continue here. (I mean, it might, I guess…but that’ll come down to how much or little you like non-metal music. Because that’s what this post is all about.) Throughout the year, we’ve been using these Rainbows in the Dark posts to bring you occasional snippets from outside the realms of grim, brutal and heavy, so now, they’re getting their own end of year list.

Don’t worry, the blurbs will be short. Because let’s be real, neither you nor I have any more time or energy for long, drawn-out wordsturbating at this point. So enjoy it! Or maybe not, I dunno. Let’s take a look: Continue reading →

Best of 2015: Collin Simula of Maranatha

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It’s Christmas Eve, everyone. While we are excited about the concept of taking a day off from content tomorrow, we are even more excited about the next band featured in our Best of 2015 series. Today’s round brings you the very heavy Maranatha. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Maranatha is known for their exceptionally dense sludge doom metal. Or something. Who cares, categories are dumb. They’re heavy as hell. Anyway, vocalist/drummer/guitarist Collin Simula was gracious enough to share his favorite albums of 2015 with us. And we are eternally grateful to share them with you.  Continue reading →

Quickies: Facebook woes, skateboard guitars and a KILLER Kendrick / Meshuggah mashup

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Quite the day here at Horns Up, wouldn’t you say? Oh well, I’ve gotta bounce, so I’m not going to glory-bask for too long here. Or at all, in fact. Let’s get right into Quickies, shall we? Here’s what we missed in the metal world today:

  • So here’s something about Mötley Crüe vocalist Vince Neil and his Facebook account getting hacked. I dunno. I didn’t read it all. I’m frankly just stunned Vince Neil uses the Internet for things other than Seamless, Grubhub and Instagram (for all the food).
  • The admat (what the hell’s an “admat”?) for this year’s upcoming Rockstar Mayhem Festival appears to have leaked, and…well…King Diamond looks to be playing! Sure he’s surrounded by a sea of utter crap, but…King Diamond! Right?
  • Apparently Juliette Lewis is going to be singing for a Dillinger Escape Plan / Mastodon / Mars Volta / Dethklok supergroup? …okay, then!
  • Danzig is in the studio working on the follow-up to 2010’s Deth Red Sabaoth. Neato! Just don’t forget to pick up the kitty litter on the way home, Glenn!
  • This is kinda cool: three dudes from Argentina are apparently making guitars out of old skateboards. And they sound pretty damn good, too!
  • And finally, I’m in full-on Kendrick Lamar-mode this week following the early release of To Pimp a Butterfly, so you can bet your ass I was excited about this mash-up of his older tune, “Backseat Freestyle,” with Meshuggah‘s “Break Those Bones.” Give it a listen:

Must say, did not expect that to work nearly as well as it did. Anyway, that’ll do it for me. Check back tomorrow for more!

Keep it heavy,

-Dan

Live. Love. Plow. Horns Up.