2/27/15

Record Review: WAR//PLAGUE - Temperaments of War EP

WAR//PLAGUE - Temperaments of War EP (Profane Existence)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Over the course of their last few records these Minneapolis crust punk stalwarts have really honed their metal chops. I’ll do my best to avoid any “who put their metal in my punk” type of argument and just say, as someone who prefers my metalpunx leaning more to the punk side, I find Temperaments of War a little less intriguing than any of their previous releases. Aside from a few subtleties they’ve gone pretty much full-on metal this time around.

Their evolution into metal shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that’s followed WAR//PLAGUE’s string of releases thus far. They have largely eschewed the mucky subterranean type of crust (a style that fellow Minneapoltans Kontrasekt do very well) in favor of masterful instrumentation, decipherable vocals, and clean production. That is to say they’re more “punk” in their approach and application (and lifestyle no doubt) than they are in their sound. And this time around they’ve got a really big sound that, sonically speaking, is more fitting for larger stages than tiny basements.  ...read entire review here.

2/7/15

HDD Radio #27: Best Hip-Hop & Rap 2014

In a surprising turn of events Nathan has somehow managed to record a new episode of HotDogDayz Radio just two weeks following his last one. This time he takes to the HDD studios to play some of our favorite hip-hop and rap records from last year. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Follow Nathan G. O'Brien on Twitter at: @OMG_NOB

 

Tracklist:
Gangsta Boo & Beatking – Come Off Dat
Gangsta Boo & Beatking – Bass N Da Trunk
Run The Jewels – Love Again
The Underachievers – Radiance
The Voyagers – Dedicated
The Voyagers – Bring Dat Funk
Adam “MCA” Yauch & Mike D – DJ Cut Killer Novamix Freestyle 1994
Joey Bada$$ - Paper Trail$
HaLo – Pretty Birds (feat. Masta Killa & Talib Kweli)
Has-Lo & Castle – Yoga Pants
Souls of Mischief – There is Only Now (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Dilated Peoples – Good As Gone
Dilated Peoples – Figure It Out
Apollo Brown & Rass Kass – Strawberry
Apollo Brown & Rass Kass – Giraffe Pussy (feat. Royce Da 5’9, Xzibit, and Bishop Lamont)
Konfident – Hate It
Konfident – Dropkick
Meyhem Lauren & Buckwild – Can’t Fuck ‘Em All

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