The tonic qualities of booze and great live music should not be underestimated. Turning up at this gig when I really should have been at home attempting to battle the wee germs assaulting my body was perhaps ill advised, but I wasn’t going to miss Baroness live now was I?

The support provided by indescribably dire metal-or-some-such-bollocks-core Sondura did nothing to help my frail state. In intent, this formulaic tripe could not be further removed from Baroness. At best ignored and at worst booed by the crowd, by the end of their dire set I was wondering whether I’d make it as far as Baroness. For purely medicinal purposes I chucked back a shot of JD and stood firm.

I’m glad I did. The unassuming Georgians, who uttered not a word until the very end of their set, hypnotised the audience with their frantic intensity and epic heaviness. Singer/Guitarist John Baizley has become somewhat of an icon as the artistic lynchpin of the sludge stoner groove (whatever you want to call it) movement occupied by the likes of Kylesa and Torche. Standing before the diminutive, bearded one was like being in the presence of greatness – this was like watching a band fronted by Vincent van Gough.

Baroness delivered almost entirely unbroken set comprised largely of tracks lifted from the Red and Blue albums. The Baizley/Adams psychedelic guitar assault delivers precision tempered by occasional improvisational flourishes that are the hallmark of a really great live act. But Baroness aren’t showy, Baizley and crew seemed utterly emerged in these gargantuan riffs and progressive noodlings – here, the music does the talking, not the band.

The only disappointment of the evening was the omission of the brilliant Rays on Pinion, but the inclusion of a rousing rendition of Grad and The Birthing. Prior returning for an encore Baizley finally broke bands silence with a long, largely inaudible ramble about how London held a special place in their hearts and they are humbled by our support or something. Awww. Please come back lots more Mr. Baizley.

It seems a travesty that Baroness are playing such small venues when they deserve to be playing arenas. Alas, they are one of those bands that will probably never make it really big, but will constantly be cited by bands, bad and good, as a massive influence and clueless fans will pretend they always liked them.

By the end of it I felt pretty much ‘cured’ and when awoke in the morning, despite a mild hangover, was largely free of my ailment. Thank you Baroness – now can you get to work on the verruca I’ve got on my toe?

What I spent my hard earned cash on recently.

Napalm Death – Time Waits for No Slave

I was avoiding this album. Napalm Death’s endless procession of ferocity without subtlety is all very entertaining, but it gets a bit tiring after a while. Coupled with the fact that the metal press always seems to laud every album with similar levels of semi-deserved praise (perhaps to emphasize to the kids – who probably don’t care – how the old geezers can show the younguns how it’s done) means that I view every ND album with a little suspicion. Perhaps ND should have named this album ‘The little press who cried wolf’ as it is a minor revelation. ND have opened up their sound to melodic and thrashy flourishes just enough to give their sound a dynamic punch without compromising their brutal legacy.

Between the Buried and Me – The Great Misdirect

This is how imagin BTBAM songwriting sessions to go:

“Dudes, we topped ourselves this time, that one clocks in at 12 minutes and we don’t repeat a single bar!”

“Yeah, we totally own, like this great 70′s prog band I’ve been listening to [substitute any obscure 70 prog]“

“Who the fuck are they? I’ve never heard of them, why didn’t you mention them before?”

“I only just discovered them when on my weekly charity shop spree”

“Shit shit shit! So basically what your saying is that in all of the songs we’ve ever recorded we’ve referenced every other prog band that ever existed and made them shit hard with death metal and stuff, but not this lot. Shit. We’re going to look like real idiots!”

“Maybe we should rewrite the new album and reference them in all the new tracks, it’ll make them longer too.”

“Fuck yeah! And we can throw in some Jonny Cash sounding shit as well then folks will know we listen to stuff other than prog.”

“Yeah! How clever are we?!”

“Dude, fuck yeah! We are the SHIT!”

The Great Misdirect is too ponderous for its own good. There are some good moments, but it exudes self-satisfaction. BTBAM need to learn the meaning of the words subtlety and restraint, as they are the cornerstones of good art. Not nearly as essential as they and everyone else seems to think they are. All fanny and no craic.

Krallice – Dimensional Bleedthrough

Krallice should have named this album Genre Bleedthrough. Generally blugeoned into the Black Metal pigeonhole, Krallice are in reality something else entirely. Adopting BM’s buzzsaw ferocity Krallice fashion something that’s subtly melodic, complex and deeply textured – it sounds like BM, but it doesn’t feel like BM. There’s plenty for prog/post/black metal and even hardcore fans here to get their teeth into, and at its best (as with the title track) sounds like state of the art modern metal. However, Dimensional Bleedthrough’s tendency meander in directionlessly and the tracks’ tendency to outstay their welcome makes it hard to really stay tuned for the whole thing.

Keelhaul – Keelhaul’s Triumphant Return to Obscurity

Keelhaul are the missing (or perhaps obscured) link between Pelican and Baroness. Unfortunately it lacks the character of the first and creativity of the second. Not that this should put you off, they’re two tough acts to beat, and if you’re a fan of either there’s a lot to love about this album.

Eagle Twin – The Unkindness of Crows

Eagle Twin’s stripped down and improvisational doom takes the drone of early Earth and minimalist tendencies of Om and fashions them into a gnarled, grimy epic. Gentry Densley’s hoarse growl and arid rattling guitar guide us on a gothic journey that’s often abstract, ocassionally melodic and always unsettling. Sometimes bordering on the oppressive blackness of Sunn O))) others taking almost melodic turns (as on the outstanding Soundgarden evoking Murder of…) It takes a a fair few listens to get your head around this, but it’s a rewarding journey.

As ever I’m hopelessly behind the times on new releases, but there’s a couple of new tracks from a couple of bands that I truly adore that I wanted to share with you.

First, the mighty Torche are soon to release a split with the intermittently excellent Boris. Here’s the video of King Beef from that finding them sounding a bit like Baroness, which is no bad thing at all in my book.

Then there’s return of the mighty Dillinger Escape Plan. I’m not interested in all the old stuff versus new stuff bickering. Dillinger write amazing songs and consistently push the boundries while still giving the mainstream a run for their money. Farewell Mona Lisa is epic, aggressive, melodic and absolutely fan-fecking-tastic. It’s a departure from the straightforward abruptness of Ire Works. Dillinger will absolutely own 2010.

So stop grumbling about having to go back to work after Christmas (you skived off because of the snow anyway didn’t you) and prepare yourself for the brutal musical onslaught of 2010 – it’s gonna be another goodun.

Everyone’s saying it. It’s something worth celebrating. This really means something to people – in these darkened times, like so many before, people look to music to provide uplift, empathy, indulgence, inspiration. So shout it from the rooftops folks! Oh wait, most of those people (ie. people with half a brain) know this already don’t they? Let’s be more specific shall we? Get on the internet, identify a record label, and shout it out to them – email, phone, hack their site, get on down to their HQ in person. Here’s what you’re going to shout: “Despite you it has been a good year in music!”

The music industry has spent the last year telling us that the conditions, where it’s now easier and cheaper to access more music, hear more artists, love their work, is bad for music overall. How are we supposed to believe that the readjustment going on in the music industry is bad for us, when evidence clearly suggests otherwise? What we are paying to fund when we spend a tenner on a CD, is a bloated industry, desperately in need of streamlining and modernisation. Why should we bear that cost?

I read a depressing interview with French avant-guard/metal indie Season of Mist (home to Dillinger Escape Plan, Mayhem, Cynic among others) in this month’s Terrorizer. Through the years they’ve been committed to bringing innovative sounds to the market, but boss Michael Berberian says he’s not signing any new acts because their business cannot sustain them, until something is done to redress the balance. He goes on to suggest that the situation “is killing the the artistic side”. Depressing? Depressing indeed that such a defeatist and narrow view exists in a label that sees itself as cutting edge. Killing the artistic side? Oh wait, so everyone will stop making music because it got less profitable to do so, oh please. How is this helping all the bands out there? How is it helping the music fans hear the best new and innovative music? Really clever business plan mate, cos all the best businesses got through tough times by saying “let’s just hunker down until it blows over – if we complain enough something will be done”. I’ve got news for you friend, it ain’t going to blow over, and you will have 20 redundant staff on your conscience when you go under because of your lackadaisical attitude. Fuck you.

There are signs of hope out there. Earache-signed old school thrashers Gama Bomb just released their new album for download free of charge. Also Earache’s excellent and timely repackaging of the Peel Grindcore sessions (Grind Madness at the BBC) shows some real business and commercial smarts. British Stoner crew Taint have released their latest offering exclusively to buy on vinly, but have included a code to redeem a free download of the album online (you may remember me recently championing this approach).

This is the sort of thinking that’s going to help labels with the balls to deserve the business that they run trade through the tough times. Quite why the majority of the music industry doesn’t think it operates in the same economic environment as the rest of the business world is beyond me. Wake up people, because the music is happening without you.

It’s been a great year for music because the bands and artists made it that way, despite the harbingers of doom in the music industry.

Bands, you don’t need the record industry bringing you down, sapping your income to pay for accountants, useless, arrogant A&R men, and their £100 a day coke habit. You’re better off than you have ever been before as it’s easier than ever before to do things your own way. The world is waiting for you, so go out there and grab it!

Issue #2 of the mighty new publication Thee Big Black is now available to download. Regulars here will recognise some of my previous work which has been made look nice for print by the mighty Chris Rizzanski. There’s also some original work of mine and some other tasty morsels for your delectation.

Please also come and join the conversation on the forum. I’ve got some more original stuff planned for issue #3 (both music related and otherwise) which is shaping up to be a real corker.

Enjoy the read and happy new year!