Someone in the comments on the aforementioned NYT article found the term “math metal” baffling. Listen and it’ll all make sense.
FWIW, I believe it’s usually referred to as “mathcore”. Don’t want to piss off the purists.
Archive for October, 2009
Getting metal
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009This dude writes a story in the NYT on how death metal kept him sane while he was unemployed and depressed and gets blasted in the comments for mentioning bands like Anthrax and Pantera who are, as you surely know, not remotely death metal. Neither is Slayer or Metallica or probably all the other metal bands the average music listener can name. But that’s OK. It’s not actually an article about death metal, per se – it’s about music as a palliative. I’m OK with that too but I don’t think it’s really what makes (some) metal great. If it’s really good its for the same reasons that Miles Davis is good or Frank Zappa is good. Maybe metal is more one-dimensional than say, Stravinsky. Maybe, but not by necessity.
Still there is something about the madness and mayhem of extreme metal that makes it appealing to the angst-ridden and world weary. You know – teenagers. John Darnielle totally gets that part:
The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton
That Hail Satan! sends chills up my spine. Really.
Governance and murder
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009Texas governor Rick Perry presided over the execution of an innocent man and now he’s trying to hide it. The cover up is so blatant that even teevee journalism feels bold enough to call him on it.
Apple quits U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009Adding momentum to the revolt against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Apple on Monday resigned from the business group because of its opposition to federal efforts to limit greenhouse gases.
It should be pointed out that the USCOC is not only “opposed to federal efforts to limit greenhouse gases”, they are actually deep into denialist territory.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Calls for Trial of Climate Science
William Kovacs, the Chamber’s senior vice president for environment, technology and regulatory affairs, in an interview with the “Los Angeles Times.”
It would be “the Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century,” he said, “evolution versus creationism.”
This man is seriously confused and wishes to share that confusion with us. I guess it’s working because I have no idea what he means. He’s representing the scientific point of view against the unscientific views of the world’s climate scientists? What?? Or maybe he thinks creationism won against the evil science of evolution. (It most certainly didn’t.)
It’s not encouraging that a group that, to some degree, represents U.S. business is so backward looking and fearful. At least some of their now former members are thinking of the opportunities that lie ahead. Good for them.
