CREEP Issue 4 magazine 15.00
More old zines from the vaults! This is from a very limited quantity of new old stock of this fantastic late '70s / early '80s San Francisco punk zine. Creep sprung up from the void created when Search & Destroy ceased publication, with a fresh local bent and coverage of the Next Wave.
Another stellar 1980 issue featuring a wider assortment of artists - Vktmz, Geza X, Social Unrest, Pink Section, Alex Chilton and the Flamin' Groovies. Also, articles on the Reno punk scene, Brian Eno's use of the tape medium, the looming commercialism of punk, and a trenchant piece about shock value art inspired by Noh Mercy's inflammatory "Caucasian Guilt." Not to be missed!
What makes Creep stand out - aside from the plethora of mind-bending new wave graphics and ads - is its earnest and intelligent commentary on punk as a movement and musings on why it wasn't going to go away any time soon. The political and social critiques of youth culture are surprisingly still interesting, even in a San Francisco that barely resembles itself of 30+ years ago.
Recommended if only just for the vintage aQuarius recOrds ads, but you should know by now that you probably want to read this. And obviously, very very limited quantities available!

CREEP Issue 5 magazine 15.00
More old zines from the vaults! This is from a very limited quantity of new old stock of this fantastic late '70s / early '80s San Francisco punk zine. Creep sprung up from the void created when Search & Destroy ceased publication, with a fresh local bent and coverage of the Next Wave.
Final 1981 issue of this great, long lost SF punk zine: "If you love God, burn a church." Articles on Crass, Flipper, Jamaican reggae, local promoter Paul Rat, Bryan Ferry, Roky Erickson and the usual local news and controversies of the day. Also notable - an interview with Olga de Volga of the Lewd/VS and her not-so-ironic use of leather/BDSM imagery, appropriately dubbed "Bondage Rock."
What makes Creep stand out - aside from the plethora of mind-bending new wave graphics and ads - is its earnest and intelligent commentary on punk as a movement and musings on why it wasn't going to go away any time soon. The political and social critiques of youth culture are surprisingly still interesting, even in a San Francisco that barely resembles itself of 30+ years ago.
Recommended if only just for the vintage aQuarius recOrds ads, but you should know by now that you probably want to read this. And obviously, very very limited quantities available!

CURRENT 93 / THOMAS LIGOTTI In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land (Durtro / World Serpent) cd + book 22.00
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After over a decade of crafting a persona as the Gnostic court minstrel, David Tibet made a welcome return to the 'culture of nightmares' that ran through the first Current 93 records with the 1997 collabortive album / book with horror novelist Thomas Ligotti. The title itself comes from a recurring theme that Tibet brought to those early Current 93 recordings and also made their way into some Death In June albums. Cross-referencing various forms of apocalyptic literature, that unknown foreign town is the inception place for the apocalypse, with Tibet announcing the prophetic statement that "reaping time has come." While most apocalyptic literature (including the often misunderstood Book of Revelation) offers a vision of existential hope to a world shrouded in despair, Tibet's apocalyptic language concentrates on the descriptive details of how the world might end, instead of why the world is falling apart. Furthermore, these details dwell with the subjective viewpoint of a protagonist inflicted by madness, feverish hallucinations, wholly encompassing fear, and the awe-inspiring nature of terror; thus, the objective truth about the coming of the end of the world is left unanswered.
Thomas Ligotti, admittedly one of Tibet's favorite writers, has built an entire career on awakening the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft through ghastly tales of ancient demonic forces and hidden archons plotting against the rest of the world. For their collaboration "In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land," the two divided the labor evenly amongst their stonger talents with Ligotti providing a novella and Tibet's Current 93 producing the atmospheric soundtrack. Ligotti's contribution is easily the best that I've encountered of his work, favoring a Victorian sensibility of horror based not so much on the supernatural, but on the quiet whisperings of insanity. Current 93's soundtrack is a perfect fit with Ligotti's text, centered mostly upon the luminous bleak drones constructed by Current 93's line up of Tibet, Christoph Heemann, and Steven Stapleton. As a whole, the Current 93 soundtrack casts a gloomy tone, punctuated occasionally by razor-like slashes of treated noise and vocal interjections from various characters in the Ligotti text, read by Tibet, Andria Degens, and Shirley Collins. The return of Current 93's dark collage work previously found on Tibet's early masterpieces "Dogs Blood Rising" and "Nature Unveilled" is technically more refined than those rough hewn recordings, and are just as effective.
Originally, "In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land" was published as a hardbound book with an accompanying cd. This, the second edition, has been condensed down to a smaller CD-sized book. Other than that, there are no changes to what is easily one of the highlights to both artists' careers.
RealAudio clip: "His Shadow Shall Rise To A Higher House"
RealAudio clip: "A Soft Voice Whispers Nothing"

DALEK A Purge of Dissidents (Ipecac) book+DVD+CD 31.00
48 page book.
10 animation DVD.
30 song soundtrack.
Some of the dissidents:
Melvins
Grant Hart
David Yow
Jon Spencer

DANCE OF DAYS (Soft Skull Press) book 20.00
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Just got this in, haven't had a chance to read it yet, although by the looks of the single chapter that was pre-published in an issue of Punk Planet, this is going to be a stunningly interesting book. Mark Andersen (co-founder of Positive Force DC) and Mark Jenkins collaborated on the story of DC Punk, its beginnings, its influence, and all the fallout when punk got noticed by the dreaded mainstream. They interviewed *all* the relevant people, include lots of photos, and tell the story in a sort of narrative documentary way. Over 400 pages, and there's even a "where are they now" section. I'm taking one home right now.

DANCE OF DAYS (Soft Skull Press) book 20.00
This book, written by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins, is a history of the DC hardcore punk scene, from Bad Brains to Minor Threat to Rites of Spring, Fugazi, Scream, Void, the Riot Grrl scene, etc. A lot of you were already listening to this music at the same time the events of the book were unfolding, but the book just so handily puts into context so much of what was swirling round at that time, everything from who started which band and what their lyrics were all about to political postering campaigns, why Fugazi always tries to play benefits, the DC-Olympia connection. There are tons of photos and quotes, even a solemn "where are they now" section at the end. Very very well done.

DARNIELLE, JOHN 33 1/3 Series: Master Of Reality (Continuum) book 10.98
Y'know this series of books, right? The 33 1/3 series, each one devoted to someone's (lots of people's) favorite album ever? We have a few in stock, and have listed a bunch in the past, from OK Computer to Meat Is Murder, most recently one about Slayer's Reign In Blood. All of 'em are pretty cool, if you're into the album in question, and sometimes even if you're not ('cause you then will be).
This one in particular has a lot going for it. Not only is it about one of the best albums by one of the best bands ever (sez Allan, excitedly jumping up and down), Black Sabbath's Master Of Reality. But it's written by our pal John Darnielle of Mountain Goats fame. He's an awesome writer. And, if you didn't know, a serious metalhead. He does a witty column, South Pole Dispatch, in the back of metal magazine Decibel each month, as a matter of fact.
In addition, John doesn't simply write a nonfiction, journalistic overview of the "behind the music" story of the making of this classic album. No, he takes this opportunity to do something a lot cooler and more creative - the book is actually a novel, written from the perspective of a teenage burnout in 1985. He's committed to a psychiatric facility, and writing in his journal all about his obsession with Master Of Reality, among other things. And it works as both a novel, and as rock crit too. This definitely illustrates an extra dimension to what we mean when we say Sabbath is "heavy."

DE WILDE, AUTUMN Elliott Smith (Chronicle Books) book + cd 29.95
It's been a bit of a Elliott Smith revival time here at AQ for the last several weeks. With the vinyl reissues of XO and Figure 8, we've been spending lots of QT with one of our favorite singer songwriters of all time. This new book of Elliott Smith photographs by Autumn De Wilde is helping fuel our revival fire. The beautiful hardcover book is not only filled with De Wilde's great photos of Smith from over the years but some great interviews and conversations with many of Elliott's friends and colleagues (Beck, Chris Walla, Ben Gibbard, Jon Brion, etc.). The book also comes with a cd of five live tracks of Smith playing a solo show at Largo in LA, where he often would hang out and play unannounced shows while he was living down there. A really cool document for Elliott Smith enthusiasts.

DECIBEL #103 May 2013 magazine 4.95
Latest issue of the USA's best glossy metal mag, with Cathedral on the cover, also Kvelertak, Iron Reagan, Batillus, Pestilence (Hall Of Fame induction), and more - including their 9th Annual "Extreme" Baseball Preview for those who care - which a lot of metallers do it turns out, seeing who participated.
Also, lots of reviews (leading off with the new Ghost opus), and the usual amusing columns including John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats "South Pole Dispatch" (this time he parodies the BS of an "asshole product manager").

DECIBEL #53 March 2009 magazine 4.95
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We sure do love Decibel. Covers tons of music we love, and does it with a sense of humor. Plus John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats has a monthly column, one of the few metal mags we read on a regular basis besides Terrorizer.
This month it's ALL GRINDCORE! Pig Destroyer, Repulsion, Mick Harris, Napalm Death on the cover, Extreme Noise Terror, Defeatist, Graf Orlock, Kill The Client, Cripple Bastards, Phobia, Maruta and more! Also a special on Pornogrind, and best of all, the Decibel Hall Of Fame Inductee this month is Discordance Axis' groudnbreaking artgrind epic The Inalienable Dreamless!

DECIBEL #54 April 2009 magazine 4.95
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Latest issue of one of our favorite metal mags. One that somehow manages to mix humor and metal without ever taking the piss, instead it just makes for a damn fine read.
On the cover, Brutal Truth, all in white, posing with polar bears! Inside: dude from Helms Alee talks about his rad job, monthly tour story from Genghis Tron, Shrinebuilder in the studio, The Devil's Blood, Wolves In The Throne Room, Luna Mortis, Root, Skepticism, 16, North, Cobalt, Cancer Bats, Satyricon, Cattle Decapitation, Pestilence, Kreator, touring in the current economy, Decibal Hall Of Fame: Autopsy's Mental Funeral, a huge Brutal Truth story, new record soon!!!, tons and tons of reviews and of course the back page South Pole Dispatch courtasey of the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle!

DECIBEL #55 May 2009 magazine 4.95
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While the UK's Terrorizer remains our fave glossy metal magazine, it's got close competition from Decibel. Decibel is definitely the best American metal mag going, having superseded the late great Metal Maniacs - and it is as intentionally witty as MM was often unintentionally funny.
This issue features Heaven And Hell aka Black Sabbath on the cover, and even though the magazine admits that the band's soon-to-be-released album is not so hot, it's still always interesting reading about the gods Dio, Iommi, and Butler. Also this ish: Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Absu (Proscriptor doing Decibel's version of The Wire's Invisible Jukebox), Kylesa, My Dying Bride, Suffocation (being inducted into the Decibel Hall Of Fame for Effigy Of The Forgotten), Samael, Enforcer, Altar Of Plagues, Oceano, and plenty more... Of course there's the usual ton of reviews, columns (including J. Bennett's Cry Now, Cry Later and John "Mountain Goats" Darnielle's South Pole Dispatch) and such. Oh, and this issue also features Decibel's 2009 Extreme Baseball Preview, for those so inclined.

DECIBEL #58 August 2009 magazine 4.95
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One of our favorite monthly metal reads, the glossy (but "extremely exteme") magazine Decibel is a worthy American rival to the UK's Terrorizer. And they definitely have some good writers, the sort who manage to entertain and amuse even when, sometimes, you didn't think you cared about the band being covered. This issue, though, there's definitely bands you care about. On the cover, good ol' Slayer. Inside: 1349, Anaal Nathrakh, Amesoeurs, Slough Feg, Goatwhore, Velnias, and plenty more. Plus reviews and news and columns (including as always John "Mountain Goats" Darnielle's back page bit of humor) and all that good stuff. And a special report on the resurgence of old school death metal.
About the only thing this ish we thought we didn't really care about is the Hall of Fame feature on NYHC straight edge band Judge's 1989 album Bringin' It Down... but we still read it, and now might give that album a spin if we run across a copy.

DECIBEL #59 Sep 2009 magazine 4.95
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Along with Terrorizer, this magazine is our monthly metal must-read. This issue has Nergal of Polish black/death metallers Behemoth on the cover, a cool photo of him looking like a surly member of the Blue Man Group who overdosed on Rogaine. Also, there's interviews with / features involving the likes of Anvil, The Gates Of Slumber, Voivod, Church Of Misery, Yob, Dysrhythmia, Gorod, Suffocation, and more. Including an interview with "pirate metal" band Swashbuckle conducted by Waldo the Parrot from Hatebeak! And if that's not enough humor for you, there's the usual John Darnielle column at the back of the magazine too, among other chuckles throughout.

DECIBEL #60 October 2009 magazine 4.95
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On the cover, the return of IMMORTAL!! Inside, an awesome oral history of splatter metal legends Gwar, as well as Municipal Waste, Job For A Cowboy, Nile, Devildriver, Divine Heresy, Asphyx, Goreaphobia, Keelhaul, Amon, Rammstein, City Of Ships, Scale The Summit, Sarke, Demonical, Born Of Osiris, Arkaea, Bill Steer of Carcass, reviews a handful of MP3's, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares reviews his favorite restaurants, an extreme metal football preview, Cynic's Focus inducted into the Decibel Hall Of Fame, and of course tons of reviews, as well as some hilarious back page snark from the Mountain Goats John Darnielle.

DECIBEL #61 November 2009 magazine 4.95
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This "extremely extreme" magazine of METAL returns with an issue featuring Baroness on the cover (their impending new record proclaimed by Decibel as 'what may be' the album of the year). Other bands featured this ish: Megadeth, Vader, Dying Fetus, Ancestors, Destroyer 666, Ahab, Doomriders, Shadows Fall, Despised Icon, and more. We are pleased to see Accept's Restless And Wild be inducted into Decibel's metal album Hall of Fame, and the accompanying story about the making of that classic album is interesting reading for sure. And we are even more pleased to see a "Call & Response" blindtest feature with William Murderface and Toki Wartooth of Dethklok! Hilarious. Plus there's all the reviews and columns and stuff, including as usual John Darnielle's South Pole Dispatch.

DECIBEL #62 December 2009 magazine 4.95
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Latest issue of the premiere American glossy metal mag features metalcore masters Converge on the cover. Inside, all kinds of other AQ approved bands: Skeletonwitch, Saviours, Shrinebuilder, The Gates Of Slumber, Liturgy, Portal, 3 Inches Of Blood, Gnaw Their Tongues, Gorgoroth, and plenty more! There's a High On Fire "studio report", the usual amusing John Darnielle and J. Bennett columns, the usual cavalcade of reviews (including one of new metal-themed video game Brutal Legend that says it's got "the greatest metal soundtrack ever" for which we at Aquarius can take a little credit, having helped out with it), and, best of all, a "Hall Of Fame" feature on Trouble's debut album! Now that's a good issue!

DECIBEL #63 January 2010 magazine 4.95
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Mastodon makes the cover, also there's features on Nile, Pelican, Marduk, Rammstein, Krallice, Katatonia, and more. Decibel's "top 40 albums of 2009" are selected, and the top spot goes to Baroness, as predicted on the cover of issue #61.
There's the usual load of reviews, news, funny columns, and, oh, we're stoked to see Watchtower's 1989 tech metal masterpiece Control And Resistance enter the Decibel Hall Of Fame.

DECIBEL #64 February 2010 magazine 4.95
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Another fine issue of this great metal read. On the cover, Megadeth, Slayer, and Testament! What is this, 1990?? Apparently these veteran thrashers are on tour together, again, Clash Of The Titans 2010 aka American Carnage! Cool.
Then there's also stuff on Enslaved (with their album Frost being inducted into the Decibel Hall Of Fame), Shining, Between The Buried And Me, Thou, Immolation, and much more, including the usual funny columns and reviews and the rest.

DECIBEL #65 March 2010 magazine 4.95
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More good headbanging readin' here, from the always entertaining and informative Decibel mag... On the cover, Fear Factory (ho hum), all CGI-ed out in the picture like wanna be Terminators. But inside, lots of much more interesting stuff: Sigh, Harvey Milk, Hellhammer (an excerpt from Tom G. Warrior's upcoming book), Sacrifice, Holy Grail, and other rad bands we like... plus lots of reviews, funny columns, news bits, etc.
AND, this issue sees the classic Saint Vitus album Born Too Late inducted into the Decibel Hall Of Fame! Just in time for their reunion tour, of course.

DECIBEL #66 April 2010 magazine 4.95
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High On Fire On The Cover (looking maybe just a little uncomfortable, posing draped in snakes on account of their new album, Snakes For The Divine... why'd it have to be snakes... shoulda said snacks!).
Also this ish: Ludicra, The Wounded Kings, Teitanblood, Bastard Noise, Daughters, Priestess, Abscess, Ihsahn, Landmine Marathon, Finntroll (vs. Troll), Dark Tranquillity (being inducted into the Hall Of Fame for The Gallery), Nachtmystium (studio report), and more, including of course all the usual news, tons o' reviews, and funny columns, John Darnielle's South Pole Dispatch being particularly amusing this time 'round.

DECIBEL #67 May 2010 magazine 4.95
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Out of jail, on the cover: Burzum! "Facing off with metal's most controversial figure". Also in this issue of America's foremost glossy extreme metal magazine: Dillinger Escape Plan, Tom G. Warrior's Triptykon, Hour Of 13, Hooded Menace, White Wizzard, Immolation, Autopsy, and, among other things, Motorhead's Ace Of Spades inducted into Decibel's Hall of Fame, with the usual fascinating the-making-of article.

DECIBEL #68 June 2010 magazine 4.95
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More good readin' for all you metal fans. This issue has Exodus on the cover, but also 1349, Cathedral, Darkthrone, The Ruins Of Beverast, Fenriz, The Ocean, Pentagram (with their 1985 album Relentless being inducted into the Decibel "Hall of Fame"), a studio report from Torche, a feature on one-man death metal bands, and plenty more, including all the witty usual reviews (78 of 'em) and columns.

DECIBEL #69 July 2010 magazine 4.95
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One of the scary dudes from Watain poses for this month's cover, complete with dripping blood, foaming dry ice goblet, skulls, candles, facepaint, and one weird contact lens. A good cover subject for sure! Inside, also: Cannibal Corpse, Nachtmystium, Melvins, Enslaved, Enforcer, Karma To Burn, Rosetta, Across Tundras, Yakuza, and plenty more. Including, Type O Negative's Bloody Kisses album entering into the Decibel Hall Of Fame. Pete Steele, R.I.P.

DECIBEL #70 August 2010 magazine 4.95
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Cool cartoony comic book cover portrait of Danzig (back in saddle with a new album, y'know). Inside this issue of the USA's best glossy metal magazine: Coliseum, Wormrot, Apostle Of Solitude, Nevermore, Dismember (in the Hall Of Fame with their 1991 classic Like An Ever Flowing Stream), Pantera's Vinnie Paul, and a eulogy for Ronnie James Dio. Among much else!

DECIBEL #71 September 2010 magazine 4.95
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This issue's cover belongs to The Refused, whose hardcore masterpiece The Shape Of Punk To Come is inducted into Decibel's album hall of fame. Kinda cool to see a glossy magazine put something on the cover that isn't a new release a label is trying to hype or whatever - The Refused broke up years ago, that record is from 1998. Also inside, this ish: The Sword, Decrepit Birth, Zoroaster, Kylesa, Sigh's Dr. Mikannnibal (talking about her day job as an experimental physicist!), Xasthur, Aaron Turner discussing the end of Isis, and more. Including the usual funny columns and lots of reviews. And one other feature that ought to have been really cool, but now is super sad, the "Streetwise San Francisco" article wherein Cosmo Lee from the Invisible Oranges blog is shown around SF by some local metal folks, members of Ludicra and Hammers Of Misfortune among others, they visit such landmarks as Vesuvio bar in North Beach, El Farolito taqueria here in the Mission, The Hemlock Tavern, and yes Aquarius Records! Which is neat, except for the sad part - one of the tour guides, pictured looking through the bins here at AQ in the article, was Makh Daniels from the band Early Graves, whom you may have heard was tragically was killed in a van accident on tour, not long after these photos were taken. R.I.P.

DECIBEL #73 November 2010 magazine 4.95
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The new ish of our fave American metal mag is here. On the cover, looking AWESOME... Dimmu Borgir. Inside: Swans, Enslaved, Autopsy, Torche, Monster Magnet, Pig Destroyer (studio report), Angel Witch (Hall of Fame induction!), Unearthly Trance, Dawnbringer, Melechesh, Woe, and more, including all the usual clever columns and pointed reviews and such. For metalheads who want to stay hip, it's a must-read.

DECIBEL #74 December 2010 magazine 4.95
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Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Viking Crown, & now Arson Anthem) is on the cover of this issue, looking mean and tough in his tats and Poison Idea t-shirt. Also in this ish: Kylesa, Salome, Father Befouled, Winterfylleth, The Crown, Crowbar, Intronaut, Death Angel, Chris "Masters Of Reality" Goss, Forbidden, and more, of course the usual wiseass columns, reviews, and whatnot, that make this glossy metal mag a must read for all up-to-the-minute metallers. Oh, and this issue also includes a well-deserved Decibel Hall Of Fame album induction: Venom's Welcome To Hell! Pretty cool reading the sidebar featuring Tom G. Warrior's reminiscences about when he first bought his copy and how it made him feel!

DECIBEL #75 January 2011 magazine 4.95
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Awesome Oderus Urungus of Gwar as Santa cover on this month's issue of Decibel, one of our two go-to glossy metal magazines (the other being the UK's Terrorizer). Also this issue: Justin Broadrick, Weapon, Holy Grail, Encoffination, Exhumed, October Falls, Hail Of Bullets, Impaled Nazerene, Quest For Fire, and more, including an interview with Bobby Liebling's Mom!! Of particular note this ish are Decibel's selections for the Top 40 Metal Albums Of 2010 (#1: Agalloch!). Also Satyricon's best album, Nemesis Divina, gets the Hall Of Fame treatment. And there's tons of reviews and news and the usual funny columns (the South Pole Dispatch on the back page, the regular column by John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, is particularly amusing this issue, as he makes fun of a bunch of Decibel's Albums Of The Year picks...).

DECIBEL #76 February 2011 magazine 4.95
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Any magazine with Electric Wizard on the cover is one we want to read, not that we don't ALWAYS want to read "extreme music" magazine Decibel anyway! Also this issue, there's features on the likes of Haarp, Ehnarhre, Ghost (Sweden, not Japan), Altar Of Plagues, Atheist, and... Cee Lo? Yes, Cee Lo. Apparently a closet metalhead.
Also, Tom G. Warrior of Triptykon does the "invisible jukebox" thing, totally harshing on the new one from Sodom by the way (and Sodom's Tom Angelripper does a Q&A this ish as well...). And, best of all perhaps, Decibel inducts CoC's Animosity album into their Hall Of Fame, definitely a deserving choice! Plus, there's the usual reviews (which includes one of the latest from the Dead C, demonstrating that they're an "extreme music", not necessarily metal, magazine), news, and funny columns.

DECIBEL #78 April 2011 magazine 4.95
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Amon Amarth, Deicide, Trap Them, Primordial, Ken Mode, Subrosa, Noisear, Drugs Of Faith, tons of reviews (including a long one of the new Burzum), funny columns, etc. And best of all, Mercyful Fate's Melissa in the Hall of Fame feature!

DECIBEL #79 May 2011 magazine 4.95
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Every month, if you're a metalhead, you should be reading both Decibel from the USA and Terrorizer from the UK. Here's the latest Decibel, with a striking black & white & shiny silver cover pic of Pentagram vocalist (and vintage hipster fashion plate) Bobby Liebling, in honor of the big feature story inside about his "resurrection" with the recent return of his venerable doom metal band, who have managed to both astonish and appall with their live shows. Definitely an interesting read, that article. Also this issue, lots more cool metal content, including stuff about these bands: Kylesa, Gridlink, Krallice, Darkest Hour, Grand Magus, Belphegor, and more. Plus the usual reviews, news, and amusing columns (indie rockers might be surprised to find John "Mountain Goats" Darnielle has a regular spot in Decibel). Also there's a report from the recent Scion Rock Fest down in LA. And Burzum's Filosofem is inducted into the Decibel Hall Of Fame, another very interesting feature, and a great pick.

DECIBEL #80 June 2011 magazine 4.95
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Reading is funda-METAL with Decibel magazine. Sorry. But it is a good read, if you're into metal. This month's issue bears a striking photo of Ghost's frontman on the cover, and those rockin' Swedish Satanists are profiled inside. Others this ish: Gorguts, Electro Quarterstaff (hey, glad to hear they're working on new stuff!), Altar Of Plagues, Scale The Summit, Vintersorg, In Solitude, Anaal Nathrakh, Mastodon, Eric Rutan of Hate Eternal, Killing Joke (Hall of Fame article on their self-titled debut), and more... including a look inside the upcoming Slayer Mag book (can't wait!) and tons of reviews, news, columns, etc.
Gotta tell you, we should be selling a lot more of these (and Terrorizer) than we do. At least as many as we sell of The Wire. C'mon...

DECIBEL #81 July 2011 magazine 4.95
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Metal mag Decibel's motto is "extremely extreme"... but maybe not "Too Extreme", which is believe it or not a song title on the "controversial" (read: terrible) new Morbid Angel album, who garner the cover spot this issue for their efforts. A whole article basically about "what the heck happened there?". We're actually pretty interested in reading this piece, about the legendary death metal band, now reunited with vocalist David Vincent, making their first album in 8 years, and unfortunately losing the plot big time (though Andee here is threatening to give it a positive review, just to be contrary).
Besides that, also this ish: the Melvins, Boris, Autopsy, Demonaz of Immortal, Deafheaven, Wormrot, Loss, Exhumed, Baroness (well, one of their moms), Graveyard, NWOBHM Lazaruses Hell, a live report from Roadburn, and more. Including the usual amusing columns, opinionated reviews, etc.
Oh, and this issue's Hall Of Fame inductee? Underrated Swiss thrash gods Coroner and their 1989 album No More Color!

DECIBEL #83 September 2011 magazine 4.95
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On the cover this issue of our fave US metal glossy, Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth, previewing their upcoming new album Heritage, which we're looking forward to hearing. Then there's also the likes of Seidr, Disma, Argus, Decapitated, Toxic Holocaust, King Fowley of Deceased (mostly not enjoying the music they're playing him in the "Call & Response" feature), Skeletonwitch (a studio report), and more... Rorschach's Protestant enters the Decibel Hall of Fame (yeah!!), and A.C.'s notorious Seth Putnam gets eulogized (RIP Seth). Plus the usual plethora of reviews, news, and funny stuff.

DECIBEL #84 October 2011 magazine 4.95
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Mastodon is on the cover, talking up their new opus The Hunter. Also this ish: Dimmu Borgir, Yob, Today Is The Day, The Gates Of Slumber, Origin, Testament, 40 Watt Sun, Anthrax, a special report on "Neofolk", and plenty more. This month's Hall Of Fame album induction: Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche!!! And the usual ton of reviews, including (why didn't we think of this) one where they review Barn Owl, Weird Owl, and Weird Al Yankovic all together at once! Good stuff.

DECIBEL #85 November 2011 magazine 4.95
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Metal in the form of a magazine. On the cover... Skeletonwitch. Also: Brutal Truth, Goatwhore, Circle Of Ouroborus, Exhumed, Junius, The Atlas Moth, Wolvhammer, Alice Cooper, Ministry (in the Hall Of Fame for The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste), and plenty more. Including the usual amusing columns (shout out to John Darnielle) and also-amusing album reviews.

DECIBEL #87 January 2012 magazine 4.95
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The cover story (Lamb Of God: Inside 2012's Biggest Metal Record) we could do without, but the rest of this issue is a damn good metal read all right. Behemoth, Krisiun, Red Fang, Encoffination, Serpentcult, and more. Including Cryptopsy's None So Vile getting the Decibel Hall Of Fame induction treatment. And, Decibel's editors unveil their picks for the Top 40 albums of 2011! Mostly good choices, though as much as we love In Solitude (#4), what do they have that Portrait (who don't make the top 40) doesn't? They're both great. Well at least the Loutallica album didn't get anywhere near this top 40 (unlike in The Wire, ahem).
Plus, there's the usual news and reviews etc. so grab this if you're a metalhead, duh.

DECIBEL #88 February 2012 magazine 4.95
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Another issue of this always enjoyable extreme metal read. On the cover, Goatwhore. Inside, Black Tusk, Evoken, Aborted, Ghoul, Will Haven, Midnight, and more.
One of our favorite features in every issue of this magazine is their monthly induction into the Decibel album Hall Of Fame, this time the honor goes to Abigail by King Diamond, as always accompanied by an in-depth look at the making and meaning of said album.
And of course, there's a plethora of reviews, news, columns, and other stuff, including a look at the editors' top 25 most anticipated releases upcoming in 2012.

DECIBEL #90 April 2012 magazine 4.98
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One of our monthly metal must reads. This issue's the special ZOMBIE ISSUE! With the top 25 zombie metal songs of all time, tips of surviving a zombie apocalpyse by people who think about stuff like that a lot (i.e. members of death metal bands), and for this month's Hall Of Fame album induction, Deceased's Fearless Undead Machines, of course! (With some great stories about the weird producer dude Relapse hired for them.)
Folks featured this issue include Impetigo, Terrorizer, Hooded Menace, Coffins, Wooden Stake, and illustrator Matt Putrid, among many others. Great issue, guys!

DECIBEL #91 May 2012 magazine 4.95
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The cover of this month's issue of this must read metal mag heralds the pretty darn killer tour package that Decibel has put together, on the road now: Behemoth, Watain, The Devil's Blood, and In Solitude! Wow, what a lineup. And the local opening acts they've picked are all pretty cool too. It's the first ever Decibel sponsored tour, let's hope they keep doing this. So there's details on that - the San Francisco stop is at Slim's on Monday April 23rd, btw.
Also inside: Corrosion Of Conformity, Meshuggah, Overkill, 3 Inches Of Blood, Aura Noir, Inverloch, Psycroptic, a studio report on the new Baroness, plus plenty more. Oh, and it's about time: Megadeth's Rust In Peace gets the Decibel Hall Of Fame induction treatment this issue!
The usual funny columns by John Darnielle et. al. are also funny as usual, especially J. Bennett's only tangentially metal related tale of being rear-ended by Russell Brand.
Heck y'know, even if you don't like metal, you might still enjoy reading this magazine (probably more than listening to some of the bands covered!).

DECIBEL #92 June 2012 magazine 4.95
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This issue's got Paradise Lost on the cover ("metal's most underrated band"). Also inside: Torche, High On Fire, Unsane, Suffocation, Prong, UFOmammut, Occultation, Royal Thunder, Nachtmystium, and for their monthly album hall of fame honors, the story behind the making of Pantera's seminal Vulgar Display Of Power... Along with the usual reviews, news, ads, snark, etc.

DECIBEL #99 January 2013 magazine 4.95
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More metal reading material here! Every month we enjoy Decibel's coverage of the latest metal releases, tours, etc. Plus their columns, reviews, etc. are often quite amusing. This time, Phil Anselmo of Down glares from the cover. Inside: C.O.C., Incantation, The Sword, Exhumed, My Dying Bride, Sarcafago (in the Hall of Fame feature), and more. Including, the magazine's picks for the top 40 best albums of 2012, always a fun read and surefire argument starter.

DECIBEL September 2012 No. 95 magazine 4.95
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Uh, yeah that's Chuck Billy from veteran Bay Area thrashers Testament on the cover, in a headdress. Haven't heard their new album yet but our customer Monte says its good.
Also in this issue of America's best/smartest/funniest glossy metal mag: Ghost, Gojira, The Darkness (!!!), Evoken, Wolf, Candlemass, Marty Friedman (y'know, ex-Megadeth), Grand Magus, Samothrace, and Isis enters the 'Decibel Hall Of Fame' for their Oceanic album...plus of course more!
We still don't understand why more Mountain Goats fans don't buy this magazine from us, just for John Darnielle's back page column... maybe you all subscribe???

DENVER, NATHANIEL DRAKE (AKA NATE) Wait, You're Not A Centaur (La Mano) book / cd 14.98
We love Nate Denver. And his Neck. How could we not? He's so cool and cute and funny and nice and he's one talented motherfucker. From wielding a string-ed stick in the free skronk noise merchants Total Shutdown, to his strummy folk warblings, to his fucked up metal obsessed weirdness, to his masterful vocalizing in the now defunct Dig That Body Up It's Alive, to his weird rambling white boy hip hop, to his amazing artwork and completely demented stories, hard to resist.
So here we have Nate's latest project, a book of short stories, 50x50 stories he calls 'em, which means 50 stories, each 50 words long, accompanied by 50 drawings. The stories are awesome. From wacked and surreal, to simple and poignant, from awww shucks to what the fuck. Sweet and sour, happy and sad, usually somehow both. Nate's gorgeous and mesmerizing mini elephant artwork is all over the place too, but let's give some props to Mr. Zak Sally, formerly of slowcore legends Low, now master of the La Mano publishing house, the man who helped layout, design and print this puppy, cuz it is one beautiful looking little tome. The pages are all rough edged, printed on gorgeous thick textured paper stock. The cover is a sort of irridescent grey, with a dizzying mini elephant design printed in metallic silver ink, with built in dust jacket, and more printed metallic elephants on the end papers. And all over the book there are really funny little testimonials from Mick Turner of The Dirty Three, Mark Whiteley, the editor of Slap Skateboarding magazine, MF Grimm and Tom Araya of Slayer ("I hate this book.") as well as an introduction by Adam Jones of Tool!
As if that weren't enough, also included is a brand new Nate Denver's Neck full length album, "Ghost Alarm", packed with Denver's sweet folky ramblings, seriously funky hip hop jams, his playful white boy flow in full effect (he teams up with MF Grimm on one track!!), lots of little random snippets, Nate as a child, a botched shout out from the GZA, a killer introduction with a bunch of super stars giving Nate a shout out (see if you can figure out who's who), and all sorts of other random sonic weirdness.
Absolutely fucking amazing, looking AND sounding. All Hail Nate Denver!! And his all powerful Neck!!
MPEG Stream: "Introducing"
MPEG Stream: "Mace"
MPEG Stream: "Agony (Featuring MF Grimm)"
MPEG Stream: "Ballad Of The Bullied Demons (Extended)"
MPEG Stream: "Who?"

DEROGATIS, JIM Let It Blurt: The Life And Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic (Broadway Books) book 15.95
If you've never read the work of Lester Bangs, the greatest rock writer ever, then you ought to take a gander at Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung, a book-sized collection of his essays, full of passion and wit, fanatical devotion to the things about rock that he loved, and utter disgust with the things about it that he hated. (We usually carry Psychotic Reactions here at AQ - you'll love it.) Lester lived the rock and roll lifestyle that his peers (from rockstars to underground geniuses, they were all his peers) did, and his writing spoke so much truer because of it. "Let It Blurt" is his biography written by Jim DeRogatis, resident critic for the Chicago Sun Times (and author of another book on sixties psychedelia). DeRogatis lovingly compiled tons of info about Bangs' life into a 300+ page softcover book, along with a hilarious never-before-published 14 page essay by Lester, titled "How to Be a Rock Critic". Here's an excerpt:
"The first thing to understand and bear in mind at all times is that the whole thing is just a big ruse from the word go, it don't mean shit except exploitatively and in the zealotic terms of wanting to inflict your taste on other people... You should also know that most of your colleagues are some of the biggest neurotics in the country, so you might as well get used right now to the way they're gonna be writing you five and ten-page single spaced inflammatory letters reviling you for knocking some group they have proved is the next Stones. It's all very incestuous, like this great big sickoid club full of people who were probably usually the funny-looking kid in class, with the acne and the big hornrims, all introverted, and just sat home every night through high school and played his records while the other kids yukked and balled it up. Tough luck, genius is pain."

DOGTOWN - THE LEGEND OF THE Z-BOYS (Burning Flags Press) book 27.00
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Meant as a companion to the same-named documentary film, this book features photographs by Craig Stecyk and Glen Friedman (who has exhibited photos here at AQ). These two were as close to the Zephyr skate and surf teams, who changed the skateboarding world with their aggressive style, as you could get: they were an intrinsic part of the scene, they were friends with Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Jay Adams, etc. These visual documents are their lasting contribution to skate culture. More than just photos of rad pool and street skating, the book includes insider's-glimpse portraits of the Z-boys living the life, smokin' joints, throwin' paint -- proving the oft-quoted point that "they were more like a street gang than a skate team." Also includes super interesting articles written by Stecyk for Skateboarder magazine from '75 to '79. Really cool! Recommended.
Hardcover, 8" x 8", 200+ pages.

DOSEONE Pelt book + cd 17.98
We were so psyched when we first saw this new release from Dose One, one of our favorite Anticons. A big book of poetry, stream on conciousness prose, lyrics, notebook doodling and slapdash collage with a cd of all new material. And while we have loved almost everything Anticon have done in the past, this one is definitely for completists only. The book is definitely pretty nice, but the cd is a collection of ultra personal spoken word that veers WAY too close to poetry slam territory, recorded on a what sounds like a crappy boom box, complete with the 'klunk' of the record and stop buttons. Dose One's impossible lyrical acuity and agile flow falls apart and sounds way too forced when stripped of it's usual dense sonic backdrops. But like we said, the book is pretty nice.
MPEG Stream: "The Unravelling Arm Of An Emotional Boy"

DREAM MAGAZINE #4 magazine + cd 9.00
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First we've listed, but the fourth issue of George Parson's densely packed 'zine of indie/folk/pop/drone music and some other related culture as well. Readers of the dear departed Broken Face will feel right at home. This issue takes in/on all this and more: Terry Riley, Black Forest/Black Sea, Volcano The Bear, The Kitchen Cynics, the Jewelled Antler bunch, the Last Visible Dog label, Marianne Nowottny, Cul de Sac, Bernard Stollman and his ESP-Disk, Richard Davies, Tanakh, Fursaxa, Pop-Off Tuesday, the Jandek On Corwood documentarians... Plus there's a gizillion reviews in a tiny tiny typeface. AND, a cd with previous unreleased stuff by several of the artists mentioned above and others.

DREAM MAGAZINE #5 magazine + cd 9.50
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If you like to read about music as well as listen to it (we should assume you do, since you're reading our list), especially those of you who find yourselves missing the excellent-but-now-discontinued Broken Face 'zine, may we suggest the equally massive and indie-acid-folk-psych obsessed Dream Magazine from right here in California? The fifth issue is now upon us, 128 pages packed with tons of interviews and reviews (in eyeball straining tiny type). Artists featured include Ghost, Elf Power, Kemialliset Ystavat, Marissa Nadler, Tom Rapp, Sun City Girls (lots of good stuff in that interview!), John "Blind Man's Penis" Trubee, Donovan Quinn of Verdure/Skygreen Leopards, Robert Wyatt, Mushroom, Bipolaroid, Ed Hardy of Eclipse Records, and even Mats Gustafsson (not the saxophonist, but the former editor/publisher of the Broken Face!). And more. Whew. Plus, it comes with its own soundtrack: a cd compilation that's got unreleased tracks by Jack Rose, Piano Magic, Verdure, Volcano The Bear, and others...