Music
Fuck the RIAA: Buy good independent music. It's out there in every genre and style you can imagine.
Get out, explore and listen; don't settle for the sewage that spews from the radio and tv.
I'll try and make an effort to add to this page as often as I can; this is a good starting point.
If you think there's something or someone that needs to be up here, let me know!
updated: 4.6.2003
Dysrhythmia - Intense progressive metal rock jazz fusion ambient craziness.
I first saw these three guys at a "donations would be nice" show in Kirksville, MO
(population 16k when the 6k students are there). I'd say about 30 people showed up to the freezing venue;
the tiny building they were playing in had lost their heat and it was sometime in January.
Dysrhythmia blew me away with a huge precense and simply sick talent. These guys are incredible;
I honestly can't recommend them enough.
Until recently they were unsigned, did all their touring and promoting by themselves, and still had
time to write some incredibly complex and kickass tunes. They just signed with Relapse, and their label
debut pretest is supposed to be out on May 13th. Their albums are incredible, but where they really
shine is live. If you ever get the chance, go check Dysrhythmia out. I guarantee you'll love them.
Spastic Ink - The anti bebop
About as technical as rock and metal can get, each and every note on a Spastic Ink disc is set with incredible precision.
Totally insane time signatures and changes, Spastic feels more like surgery than music in some places.
All you music theory folks must check these guys out.
Be sure not to miss Ron Jarzombek's (guitarist) solo stuff either;
it's a very similar style and is most excellent.
Labels & Distributors
Replase Records - For all your death, grind, and ambient needs.
Willowtip Records - Wonder where all the excellent metal is nowadays? Right here.
Forever Underground - Death. Fucking. Metal.
The End Records - All sorts of talented acts on this label; their mailoder is cool too
Cheap-cds.com - These guys sometimes carry stuff that's been out of print for years
Redstream - Hideously ugly site with a good selection of black, death, doom, ambient, industrial, and experimental bands.
Review & Info Sites
Aversionline - An excellent hardcore/metal review site all done by one crazy dedicated guy.
He reviews cds, zines, demos, has interviews; the whole nine yards.
EpilogueMusic - Run by some really cool people, they review and feature every genre under the sun. Check these folks out.
Metalupdate - Their weekly mailing list is a pretty good resource for news, releases, and tour dates.
Allmusic.com - A huge database of artists; they're pretty comprehensive. You can safely ignore
any reviews here, though: They usually suck.