I’m not gonna pretend that I’ve been a fan of the Melvins since Ozma, but I’ve always understood their importance in the world of “heavy” music, and it wasn’t until about a year ago that I completely fell in love. I’ve always known who they were, the fact that they’ve been around forever, the fact that they’re still around, etc. Their impressive discograpy to me seemed formidable. I didn’t really feel like backtracking and wading through all their work, and to tell the truth I was a little confused at first. It just took me a while to realize that this is the shit for me. I’ve never been exposed to a band so uninterested in doing the same thing time and time again, which is why so many people have a hard time classifying them. Fans of grunge (if they still exist) will try to claim them as grunge, while metal fans will confine them to metal, and so on. While labeling is inevitable, the Melvins won’t get any of it from me, I just don’t even bother.

Finally , I had the chance to see them here in the ATL. This show wasn’t assigned to me, I specifically asked to cover it. I’m still having headaches from Sunday night. This was perhaps the loudest, most powerful show I’ve ever experienced. Corndogorama this year convinced me that sometimes maybe I should wear earplugs. I still had the same earplugs left over, I don’t know why, but the thought of using them again after so long freaked me out a little. So the Melvins provided some of the best unprotected aural sex ever (if you’re reading this aloud to someone, make sure you spell out “aural,” thanks). This was one of the dates promoting their new CD Nude With Boots. These new tracks, if you haven’t heard them, are pretty spectacular I’d say. The album’s title track and “the Kicking Machine” are my faves, quite energetic and dare I say lighthearted compared to their past work. Several were from 2006’s (A) Senile Animal, which is perhaps my favorite Melvins album so far. (A) Senile Animal marked the beginning of yet a newer lineup. Dale and Buzz thought it made more sense to add both Jared and Coady from tourmates Big Business, meaning they’ve had two drummers ever since. To many this would seem like excess, but since Coady and Dale are both incredible drummers, they’ve somehow managed to make it work with astounding results. I sometimes classify the Melvins as a very “task-based” band, which implies their hardworking nature (which I definitely appreciate), plus the fact that they’ve made albums in the past seemingly based on hypothetical questions (What if we have each member produce his own record? What if we release a series of three very different albums in a row?) This new dual-drummer lineup combined with the cozy accomodations of the Drunken Unicorn amounted to quite an ominous stage presence: thunder and lightning, hellfire and brimstone. Satan entered my ears and fucked with my brains until I felt like I’d taken an LD50 of quaaludes and set myself on fire. Astounding.

They finished up the set with the classic crowd-pleaser Boris from Bullhead, a song that solidifies their legacy as it inspired the genre-bending Japanese band of the same name.

all photos: Matt Alexandre/ecximages.com

If you think you have a musical GPS system in your head, then after the first listen of Vincent Black Shadow’s More Deeper you’ll probably pin them under Detroit or somewhere else in Michigan as I did at first. It was my mistake to assume that none of that exhaust emanating from VBS could be from Baltamont, Maryland. Vincent Black Shadow chooses to pay homage to horsepower by bearing the same name as a 1950s motorcycle, a badass vintage speed demon, and potential infringement aside, I believe VBS deserves this title. It just makes sense. There’s plenty of fuzzy guitar wailing, savage throaty vocals, and high-energy psychedelic acid rock to remind you of bands like Boris, Nebula, or Fu Manchu. Frontman Adam Savage also employs the lewdness factor of proto-punk veterans the Stooges. This band kicks out jams like MC5, and gets as furiously funky as Deep Purple, but with speed instead of weed (”Dome City,” “Restless,” “Pac Man Jones”).

Sadly, there are only nine tracks of rock ‘n rolly goodness on More Deeper, cut just short enough to make you crave more. I’m already itching to go see them play live This type of energy demands a better environment than my bedroom. The album was recorded live in the studio and on analog tape, so if you subscribe to all that is loud, dirty, and raw, then you will definitely be pleased with More Deeper. Sure, there are plenty of other bands who boast this super-charged vintage rock sound, but Vincent Black Shadow indulges in it and savors each moment. If you’re into major catchy and groovy hooks, VBS makes sure you get your fix, and sometimes they will beat the rhythm into your head like a brutal hardcore assault (”Volume One,” “Wooden Kimono”). This album is like getting drugged, mugged, and being driven through a tunnel of strobe-lights and razors…if that sounds like something you may not be into, you will be, just give it a spin. “OH YEAH!”

Vincent Black Shadow - Volume One

Vincent Black Shadow - Shamanix

Buy the record here