I was in the states on September 10th, in New Jersey planning to head to Philly the next day, and you could not avoid it. It was in every paper, from the free Metro to the best broadsheets and everything between. It had its own website for months previous and one of the biggest marketing campaigns I have ever witnessed. No I’m not referring to the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. I’m talking about my subject, my lifeblood. Music.

More specifically I’m taking about Metallica.

The problem with being handed anything to review whilst drinking in a Dublin pub, is that the chances are; you’ll stumble home, put it somewhere then promptly forget where you put it. This will undoubtedly lead to several trashings of both your home and office before you find whatever it is you were supposed to review.

This is why it has taken so very long to review this year’s new EP release by the Irish Melodic Hardcore group, 20 Bulls Each (20BE). To the 20BE member who had the faith and generosity to shove a fresh and unopened EP into my hand in the bowels of the drunken vortex that is ‘The Foggy Dew’. I apologize for the delay.

Hey there…

I have something you don’t have.

I’m listening to it right now.

At this moment in time, I have ‘Care In The Community’ by Babar Luck booming through both 1000 Watt speakers as I do headphones I’m currently wearing. It’s just that good that it needs to be channeled twice, once to directly to the brain, mainlined, then again, through the collection of carefully aimed satellite speakers through the body.

Trying to be impartial, when writing an Ulver review, for me personally, is not going to be easy, as I’ve loved everything they’ve released from their black metal roots, to folk and onwards to electronica and beyond.

The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust is a cooperation between poet/rapper Saul Williams and musician/producer Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails fame.) Most of the music seems to be the work of Reznor, while Williams – as the heading artist – brings the vocals, the lyrical message and the hip-hop fundamentals.

Well, the Deadwing promo recently found its way to my bunker, and I have to say that even though I don’t (as of yet, at least) think it’s quite as enveloping and poignant as In Absentia, it’s certainly up there in music heaven.

I finally got hold of Course of Empire's last album - "Telepathic Last Words", and by Bakunin's beard, is it one astounding piece of music! Why are there not more bands like this one?