Imperial Princess

NOLA Princess and Self-Proclaimed Geek and Metalhead

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Wonderful weekend! Today was perfect. Greg and I hopped on the bike and just cruised. It is amazing how a ride on a Harley can make all your stress go away, your problems disappear, and you are completely relaxed. 

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Waiting on my other half to finish getting ready so we can head out on Vader. Headed to the Quarter!

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Even Less Review

A killer review of my husbands band.

Gristnam is:

Greg Bourgeois | Guitars Steve Bourgeois | Guitars Shaun Emmons | Vocals John Miskimmin | Bass Keith Sierra, Jr | Drums

Review:

In the 2000s, we have had the surge of weirdly non-metal metal bands and genres, some of which realized they weren't up to snuff and died out, and some of which decided to stick it out as a form of rebellion against taste and decency. And with these genres came fads, the like of which the 90s would never have dreamed of. And further problems happen when these fads make money and attract terrible bands like flies to a gutted corpse. Gristnam is not one of these bands, and frankly doesn't sound like they give much of a rat's ass about it. They are harsh, grinding, sludgy, and sound like they were born fucked up. Their new album, ‘Even Less’, is an uppercut wrapped in barbed wire to the unsuspecting jaw, mixing together Superjoint Ritual, Eyehategod, and as much whisky & pills as they could find on the nearest truck stop bathroom floor. The album smacks of anger and pissiness, grinding like early Eyehategod, with a sound that just pumps the blood up. The guitars are simply just violins set to Evil, with the whole arrangement sounding as if it’s a nightmare set to record at night. The way they just drive the music, without polish, ornate shredding, or anything resembling leads, absolutely speaks to the lizard brain, and just gets my headspace into JUST DO IT. It’s a perfect balance between sludge and grind, with a deep, nasty tone, and a speed that isn't thrash, but a headlong rush of metal to the side of the head. Vocally, it's basic animal brutality. Shawn Emmons has freakishly evil vocals for Gristnam, again in a very similar manner to Eyehategod, and newer releases from Phil Anselmo's various projects. It’s basic, screaming and growling like he's exorcising a particularly vicious demon. When combined with the voracious attack of the band, it makes for an onslaught of noise and grit that makes the air itself dirty.  It's almost feverish, and at times belies the heavier, earlier Mastodon, close to Blood & Thunder. Not quite the progression or complexity, but just a raw feel. If you want a jagged new release to subject you and your friends to, this is a definite frontrunner. Pair with Haarp, a nice heavy beer or some cheap whisky, and be sure to have some bail money ready. It's going to be a long night. Words: Hunter Young Even Less is currently available digitally via the official GRISTNAM BandCamp page HERE, on orange wax (limited to 300 copies) and cassette (limited to 100 copies) via Housecore Records at THIS LOCATION. For more information: http://www.facebook.com/gristnam | http://www.thehousecorerecords.com http://www.thehousecorestore.com

Posted by DOUBLEADOOM77 

The Sludgelord: Gristnam - ‘Even Less’ (Album Review)

‘Even Less’ CS//DD//LP  track listing:

1). Etch and Burn 2). Column 3). Embedded 4). Guilt Runs Red 5). Load/Depressed 6). Wake 7). Copperhead 8). Cells 9). Riding Home 10). Wallow 11). Oak Tunnel

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Personal

For those of you unaware that my husband is a musician and part of the NOLA Metal scene, I will let you in on a little secret that you may have missed while sifting through my blog—I really support and promote their music. His band, Gristnam, is an amalgamation of thrash, grind, and that Southern sludgy groove that is so prominent in NOLA metal bands. The band members are veterans of the underground scene and have known each other for quite awhile.

A couple of years ago the stars aligned and brought the band together. My husband's band Omean decided to go on a hiatus, but before he decided to tell people, we heard through the rumor mill that one of our favorite local bands HAARP also split. As we sat talking about what he might do next, our friend, and HAARP frontman, Shaun, called his cell. An hour later, a jam session was scheduled, which included: my husband, Greg, brother-in-law, Stephen (both from Omean), Shaun, and HAARP drummer, Keith. A couple of months later, Zombie Legion alum, John, also joined the crew. The result was Gristnam. Since then, the boys have worked hard to create a monster that sounds like, 

The New Orleans metal bastards they are, taking in the kind of crunch and dirges that come from some of the best metal bands out of the south, but also adding in a thick hardcore punk spirit that results in songs with a number of different texture and tempo changes within. They remind of bands like Bone Dance, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Retox, but with their own richness that help keep them low and high at the same time. When the band starts getting rhythmically in touch with one another, it's an awesome groove. When they sound like they're bombarding as they musically machete each other, it's beautiful. None of the songs go over the three-and-a-half minute mark, and I'm almost afraid to know what would happen if they did. They might create something that builds as an epic, before they end things in a satisfactory mass suicide. I look forward to how they'll punch me next." (Review by Thisisbooksmusic.com) 

Their new album, 'Even Less' was released 6 January 2015 through Phil Anselmo's label, Housecore Records. You can check Gristnam out at their BandCamp page here or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/gristnam. 'Even Less' can be purchased digitally on their BandCamp page or via Housecore Records at http://www.thehousecorerecords.com or http://www.thehousecorestore.com 'Even Less' can be bought as orange wax (limited to 300 copies) and cassette (limited to 100 copies) or you can contact me (See Contact page), but hurry because both the LP and cassette are selling fast!