As many of you know, Royce Da 5’9″ has a new album entitled Street Hop that is due out very soon. Culture Six had the chance to sit down with Royce and pick his brain a little bit. Royce talks on a variety of issues such as where he is at right now with the underground and radio music, Where things are at with Slaughterhouse right now and his good friend and group mate Joe Budden. Royce also talks a little bit about the legendary DJ Premier and what it’s been like to be able to work with him. Each video and promo that I see makes me want to hear Royce’s new album because it sounds like it might be a classic. Make sure you check out the interview and stay tuned to more info on Street Hop and anything Slaughterhouse.
Royce Da 5’9″ talks Street Hop, Padded Room & DJ Premier
Posted in Video with tags Culture VI, DJ Premier, Hip-Hop, Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9", Slaughterhouse on Monday, March 16, 2009 by Tim AlthausConcert Photo Recap: Krisiun, Destruction @ Station 4
Posted in Concert Reviews with tags brazilian, death metal, destruction, german, krisiun, live, minnesota, photographs, st. paul, thrash metal on Monday, March 16, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Krisiun and Destruction played a show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, a small festival of all things metal. Unfortunately, I missed Mantic Ritual and a whole slew of awesome local thrash, grind and death metal due to a prior engagement, but the show that Krisiun and Destruction put on to close the night made my trip to St. Paul more than worth it. The Brazilian death metal trio of brethren known as Krisiun played their revered brutal death metal to perfection, drawing material mostly from their newest high quality albums. Songs such as “Bloodcraft” & “Combustion Inferno” threw the tight knit crowd into a frenzy that was very deserved, given the massive, spectacular sound coming from the stage. While I admit I’m not as familiar with the German thrash legends in Destruction as I am with many 80s thrash acts, their show was very, very awesome; no frills thrash metal at maximum headbanging velocity. Dates are remaining on this tour, and everyone is in top form; get out to it if you can, because these band’s deserve to be seen. Now, on to my set of photos from both the band’s performances.
(Krisiun)
(Krisiun)
(Krisiun)
(Destruction)
(Destruction)
Sunday Metal Minute: Krallice, “Wretched Wisdom”
Posted in Sunday Metalhead Minute with tags a storm of light, black metal, brooklyn, krallice, new york, progressive metal, thrones, tour dates, wolves in the throne room on Sunday, March 15, 2009 by Ryan Buege
I already clued you all in on the fact that we’re having some brilliant black metal tours coming to the Twin Cities this summer, but now things are just getting 
ridiculous. This week, the announcement was made that the visionary BM minds of Wolves in the Throne Room and Krallice would join together in what is sure to be THE “must-see” underground metal tour to pass through Minneapolis this spring. On May 15th, Wolves in the Throne Room will be playing at the Triple Rock Social Club with Krallice supporting. While I’ve already mentioned the scathing-yet-epic majesty that is WITTR on the site, Krallice is a band that has not gotten enough attention from me so far (besides the one sentence I gave them in my end of 2008 honorable mentions list). Reading descriptions of the band, you might think that their entrancing style of progressive black metal would already have an established predecessor. However, upon hearing Krallice’s fervent, psychedelic, rampaging, technically superior sound, it doesn’t take long to pick up on the freshness of this band’s delivery. Metal has never sounded so simultaneously brutal, ferocious, and atmospheric, which is certainly saying a lot. Krallice is a underground band that is literally pushing the limits of sound. This is a band to watch out for, and the free “Wretched Wisdom” track we have linked below will show you why.
MP3: Krallice, “Wretched Wisdom” (from Krallice, 2008)
Keep reading for all the Krallice and Wolves in the Throne Room spring tour dates (including several shows with A Storm of Light)… Continue reading
Ghostface and Doom team up for new GTA
Posted in Audio, Downloads, Music News with tags chinatown wars, doom, download, Ghostface Killah, grand theft auto, MF Doom, mp3, soundtrack on Sunday, March 15, 2009 by Erik BurgThe theme track for the new Grand Theft Auto game, coming out March 17th for the Nintendo DS, features two hip-hop heavyweights. 
Ghostface Killah and Doom tag-team this Oh No produced track, once again showing why the GTA series leads the gaming industry in its soundtracks and original music. Titled “Chinatown Wars”, the track has a bit of a far eastern feel to the production and beat throughout the track, obviously tailored to fit the game. The two rappers switch off verses, with Ghostface starting and Doom really steals the show with his first verse, just as the song really settles into it’s own. It’s certainly worth checking out, the game and the song of course. Enjoy!
MP3: Ghostface and Doom – “Chinatown Wars” (Produced by Oh No)
MP3: Ghostface and Doom – “Chinatown Wars” (Remix)
Dig Deeper: GTA Chinatown Wars Ghostface Killah Doom
Northern Outpost airs new episode featuring The Absent Arch
Posted in Video with tags military special, minneapolis, minnesota, northern outpost, owl recording studios, st. paul, the absent arch on Friday, March 13, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Northern Outpost is back with their newest episode, and this week they’re in the studio with The Absent Arch. “The Arch” sits down for a brief interview about their band and their passion for the vibrant and productive local music scene in the Twin Cities, and after a few minutes they dive into a tight live performance of their orchestrated yet organic style of heartfelt folk rock. They only play one soulful new song live for four minutes, but by the time they’re done you can just tell that they’ve got a lot more to sing about. If you haven’t seen The Absent Arch live yet, I recommend that you make it out to their MoreCowbell.net sponsored show at the the Turf Club on April 16th and watch as they execute their craft on stage. For the next episode, Northern Outpost has scheduled an appearance from the praiseworthy MPLS based electro rockers in Military Special who will be hopefully playing some music from their brand new album Civil Union; don’t miss it here, March 27th!
Album Review: DM Stith, Heavy Ghost
Posted in Music Reviews with tags album review, ashmatic kitty, DM stith, download, heavy ghost, just once, mp3, New Release, stream on Friday, March 13, 2009 by Erik BurgEntrenched with a musical background, DM Stith had shut music out of his like for some 20 years. Refusing to sing at age of 8 for the next two decades, Stith instead tried focusing on visual arts and writing. An attempted novel in college, along with a children’s book written and illustrated by himself, had failed. Leaving Stith with few options other than to return to the life he seems almost destined for.
With the release of his first full length album, which he began writing and recording while helping friend Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond record Bring Me the Workhorse, Stith attempts to accomplish through song what he has been wrestling with for years: “I’ve been really fascinated by some ideas about the functioning dichotomies of the mind, The crux of this idea… is that these different selves, these voices that influence the way we behave, these bundles of memory and self-protection, are things we can’t rid ourselves of.” This idea shows through in his music as well, undoubtedly so. The twelve track LP, entitled Heavy Ghost, clearly illustrates the kind of beauty and unexpectedness that Stith seeks in life. The album is littered with eclectic instrumentals, yet is grounded in the piano and strings. His vocals create stunning landscapes that match the almost ebb and flow that the album has. Flooding the listeners with tense strings, tribal percussion, and nervous piano, DM Stith is able to captivate the listeners each and every song.
It’s admittedly hard for me to try and write a solid review for this album because it’s so tightly knit. The instruments are bound to the vocals, and vice versa. Each track remains its own, but the album actually feels like an album. The patterns and repetition used throughout keeps the listener in the moment, never allowing you to become lazy or bored. Though Stith remarks about the album title that “Ghost, for me was a metaphor, not mysticism,” the piano keys seem to be a way for Stith to release his inner ghosts. It’s truly an amazing album. Heavy Ghost never lets up either, all the way through its final track “Wig,” DM Stith is able to make his formula work.
And lucky for you, if you haven’t heard any of DM Stith’s album yet, you can stream the entire thing over at Muxtape right now, I’ll post the link below. Interested in some of his other works as well? Two brilliant EPs were released before Heavy Ghost and you can find them on his website as well, below is an mp3 of the breathtaking “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP. Check out his Flickr account as well.
DM Stith – Heavy Ghost 8.5 out of 10
MP3: DM Stith – “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP
Jon Stewart and The Daily Show eat Jim Cramer/CNBC alive
Posted in Culture with tags cnbc, comedy central, jim cramer, jon stewart, mad money, the daily show on Friday, March 13, 2009 by Ryan BuegeIn an appearance that just begs getting talked about on the “interscape”, The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart invited CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer to his show for a one-on-one to air their differences in front of the camera for a full episode last night. Though the lead-in intro was noticeably lighthearted, mocking the nature of their recent “feud”, the interview was one of the hardest hitting and most rewarding that I’ve seen Stewart ever give. The interview opened with a few softball questions, but while it proceeds, Stewart grows more resolute as he realizes Cramer is ducking his questions and giving him answers he can’t stand behind. With an arsenal of stock interview footage at his back, Stewart goes in for the kill. So far, this is the most satisfying commentary on the media that I’ve seen during the financial crisis. Stewart is taking on some great opponents, and he’s taking them to the cleaners.
WATCH: Part 1
Hit read more to watch parts 2 and 3 of this battle royale… Continue reading
Concert Review: Battlefields, Irepress, Frontier, Vernal Pool @ the Triple Rock Social Club
Posted in Concert Reviews with tags battlefields, boston, concert review, fargo, frontier, irepress, massachusettes, minneapolis, minnesota, north dakota, triple rock social club, vernal pool on Thursday, March 12, 2009 by Ryan Buege
It was Wednesday night, and the turnout was surprisingly good for the show at Triple Rock Social Club featuring a billing Battlefields, Irepress, Frontier, and Vernal Pool. For braving the cold, fans in attendance were treated to a perfectionist display of some visionary one-of-a-kind doom, post, and progressive metal from some bands that the music community is sure to be hearing much more of in the future. Though clearly young bands, both Battlefields and Irepress played like veterans of their craft during their brief appearances, with the former opting for a punishing, unpredictable brute force doom, gloom, and hardcore and the latter playing an impassioned, progressive and riff heavy style of post-rock. The enthusiasm was noticeably high (especially for a doom metal show) even throughout the open sets of slow, plodding doom by Vernal Pool and jagged, riff heavy post-metal from Frontier, as well, and I guarantee that every band playing earned themselves a few new fans that night. The Battlefields and Irepress tour is now headed down to SXSW, and I urge anyone in their path to go see it. For now check out the small set of photos from the Wednesday night show at Triple Rock (ps. unfortunately I could only get a few, as my camera battery died soon after Vernal Pool and I didn’t bring a spare – live and learn).
(Battlefields)
(Irepress)
(Frontier)
(Vernal Pool)
I’ve still got quite a few more photos after the jump.. Keep reading! Continue reading
Mind Inversion’s Sound Immersion 03/09 (Vol. 2)
Posted in Mind Inversion Exclusive, Sound Immersion with tags bassnectar, black moth super rainbow, Black Star, burning spear, gravediggaz, Jedi Mind Tricks, jens lekman, lynyrd skynyrd, mogwai, ruby suns, soulfly, Sound Immersion, super furry animals, the mars volta, varano on Thursday, March 12, 2009 by Ryan Buege
Ah yes, my friends, the day is here where we officially christen our Sound Immersion various artists compilation as a monthly feature here on the site. My fellow posters and myself are starting to anticipate these releases greatly, mainly because it’s an easy way to talk about the music we’re listening to without necessarily shoving it down each others throats. We hope you all enjoy the songs that we’re bringing straight to your computer, iPod and stereo speakers each month, as well. From our point of view, these comps are likely to be the most diverse and reliable mixes your bound to get your hands around; music to focus your mind and let the muscles groove loose to the flow.
Last month, our posters introduced themselves with a debut compilation of the most recent modern sounds they’ve been loving; this month we’re continuing our a journey through our collective pasts. On Sound Immersion 03/09 (Vol 2.), we’ve decided to cop the popular Facebook meme and assemble a biographical mix of the two songs that we each consider to be the most influential or important in our life. Some of the contributors looked to the music that defines their modern taste while others selected the songs that signaled a clear turning point in their music listening life when we first heard them. Either way you consider the question, this wound up as a collection of some of the most important songs in our lives. A few of us have chosen to comment on why we decided to include these songs for our “most influential” mix, and others chose to let their song selection speak for itself. Here’s our playlist:
01. Mogwai – “Summer” (contributed by Eddie)
02. Bassnectar – “Zealots Slow Down (Remix)” (contributed by Nick B.)
03. Black Star – “Hater Players” (contributed by Tim)
04. Burning Spear – “Resistance” (contributed by Nick H.)
05. Jens Lekman – “Maple Leaves (7” version)” (contributed by Erik)
06. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Things Goin’ On (original version)” (contributed by Ryan)
07. Super Furry Animals – “Juxtaposed With A U” (contributed by Dan).
08. Black Moth Super Rainbow – “Rollerdisco” (contributed by Eddie)
09. Varano– “Universal Rhythm” (contributed by Nick B.)
10. Jedi Mind Tricks – “I Against I” (contributed by Tim)
11. Soulfly – “The Song Remains Insane” (contributed by Ryan)
12. Ruby Suns – “Palmitos Park” (contributed by Erik)
13. Gravediggaz – “Zig Zag Chamber” (contributed by Nick H.)
14. The Mars Volta – “Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)” (contributed by Dan)
The ZIP download of this amazing mix and our thoughts about our choices are waiting for you behind this next link. All that you have to do is click “read more”… Continue reading
MIND INVERSION 