Hey there readers, and a Merry Post-Christmas to you all (if you indeed celebrated the holiday like we do at the PiercingMetal Command HQ); It’s also Boxing Day for some and we wish well to those readers indulging in that holiday. So why are we here you ask….. Well, as 2012 draws to it’s inevitable end, I once again found myself wondering what the people who bring us that sweet, sweet music during the year had on their minds for the coming year of 2013. As I mentioned in a reflection blog posting only a couple of days ago, I had greatly enjoyed obtaining this information for you with last year’s series of “New Year’s Metal Resolutions for 2012″ so it was high time to do it again. In case you were curious, I slightly changed the premise this year to allow for a broader reach and at the end of the day I think you will be satisfied with the results. So now without any further adieu, the answers to “What Is Your New Year’s Music Resolution for 2013″ from some truly talented musicians. I reached out to some of the same contributors as last year and also to a wonderful new batch of people to make it all the more interesting.

1. Oderus Urungus (GWAR): To write and record the most awesome GWAR album yet, with our new guitar player, Pustulus Maximus!

2. Lance King: To make more music, it’s time to create another badass metallic opus for those paying attention!

3. Acey Slade (The Dark Party): If all goes as I hope I will be a part of 3 albums that come out in 2013. Which would be great because it’s been about 3 years since I put out anything new. The weird climate the music ‘business’ has been in, along with a shit economy has made musicians like me treat releasing new music with some trepidation. But on the creative end, there are over 20 Dark Party songs written, a dozen for another project I am working on and there’s other stuff too. So, my resolution would be to release new material, start to reestablish the ‘business’ side of things and also buy more new/current music. Last year I bought a lot of Motown, 70′s Glam, and 90′s alternative. I need some more metal in 2013…13 is a pretty metal number so..seems fitting.
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While attending the NYC performance by Mayhem last night I suddenly noticed a large amount of emails and texts asking me if I knew what happened with the band GWAR and their guitarist. Sadly I hadn’t and did an immediate search thanks to the trusty Droid phone and learned the sad news about their guitarist Cory Smoot aka Flattus Maximus”. The musician had been found dead in his bunk on the bus by the other members of the band, he was 34 years of age and had been in the lineup for about ten years to my knowledge. No cause of death was disclosed at the time of this posting.

GWAR's Flattus Maximus in Action (12/2009)

Despite my greatly enjoying their visual antics on the stage I had only seen GWAR three times over the course of my life and two of those instances allowed me to witness Cory’s character Flattus as he did his thing. I can say that he was a solid player and one that brought a lot of good to the lineup and the shenanigans happening up on the boards. He will very surely be missed by the fans and we send condolences to his family, band mates and the worldwide supporters of the band.

An official press statement that came from band leader Dave Brockie or Oderus Urungus to the world said that “Out of respect to Cory, we have officially retired the character of Flattus Maximus. Flattus has decided to return to his beloved “Planet Home”, and will never return to this mudball planet again. And this is a sadder place for that”.

People of Earth take heed for GWAR was coming to town to close out their “Lust In Space” CD and would be doing this tour with their other Metal Blade Records colleagues Job For A Cowboy and The Red Chord.  The scene of the insidious crime would be The Fillmore NY and it was sure to be an unforgettable night of Metal madness.  It had been a long time since we caught GWAR in concert in terms of how many concerts I had seen since the last time I witnessed their mayhem and their shows are always a wonderful trip to the abbatoir.  That means slaughterhouse in case you were wondering so hold on tight and learn more by clicking the logo below.  It will take you to the full article and photos on the main PiercingMetal.com website.

Drummer Jizmak da Gushers kit

Before the band came on we snapped a shot of drummer Jizmak’s kit as it was surrounded by various implements of destruction in terms of shields, swords and battle axes. If you look closely you can even see a couple of demonic baby figures between the two kick drums. Tonight was going to be a lot of dangerous fun.

Balsac's microphone stand base

What you see above is the microphone stand base for rhythm guitarist Balsac the Jaws Of Death.  We snapped this because it not only said GWAR but also had a little cartoon graphic of Balsac which lets the road crew slaves know whose equipment it is when they are setting it up.

The Sounds Of The Underground gig was going to be a doozy because it was a Festival styled event that brought together eighteen bands on a single stage out in Sayreville, NJ. While being held at the Starland Ballroom venue, the actual show would take place out in the parking lot on the asphalt blacktop and since we were in the middle of Summer, it was a sweltering day with temperatures upwards of 98 degrees with no shade to speak of. I braved this show with my buddy Pete Pardo from the Sea Of Tranquility website and gave heaviest focus to the later performing bands. Check out some of the photos and that critique by clicking the logo below. It will take you over the main PiercingMetal.com website.