A Good Read A Good Listen and a Good Drink: Shroud Eater

It’s a simple yet sublime pleasure, and just thinking about it can make you feel a little calmer, a little more content. Imagine: You bring out one of the good rocks glasses (or your favorite mug or a special occasion tea cup) and pour a couple fingers of amber liquid (or something dark and strong or just some whole milk). You drop the needle on the jazz platter (or pull up a blues album on your mp3 player or dig out that mixtape from college). Ensconcing yourself in the coziest seat in the house, you crack the spine on a classic (or find your place in that sci-fi paperback or pull up a biography on your e-book reader). And then, you go away for a while. Ah, bliss.

In this series, some of NTSIB’s friends share beloved albums, books and drinks to recommend or inspire.


Shroud Eater is – I think relentless is the word I’m looking for. That’s the first thing I noticed, anyway, that they start off with a grinding pace and a tight grip and they don’t ever let go. Depending on how you feel about sludge metal and/or the crash and thrum of heavy guitars, the resulting sensation is either a warm bath of noise or enough to squeeze the breath out of you. Spoiler alert: I’m on Team Warm Bath of Noise.

Their most recent effort is Destroy the Monolith which they released in November as part of a split with Dead Hand:

And with that, I turn the floor over to Shroud Eater, who join us today to discuss a favorite book, record and drink.


Shroud Eater, from left to right: Davin Sosa, Janette Valentine, Jean Saiz.

A GOOD READ:

Jean Saiz: When I was a teenage misanthrope, I was very fortunate that my high school English teacher gave me Les Chants de Maldoror to look for solace, inspiration, horror and quite a few hearty laughs. Written by Le Comte de Lautreamont (the nom de plume of Isidore Ducasse ) in the 19th century, the work is a blasphemous kamikaze ride of wildly beautiful, horrific surrealist prose.

Written from the point of view of its ferocious anti-hero, Maldoror exposes his sadistic, murdering philosophies on life, civilisation, the praise of evil and the complete annihilation of “God” the creator throughout its pages. This is not literature for the faint of heart!

A couple of my favorite passages include the tale of “God” the creator materializing on this earthly coil, only to pass out in a drunken stupor on a street and be shat on four days straight by animals and humans alike. Another passage has Maldoror watching a shipwreck from a nearby cliff, then shooting and killing its remaining survivors as they try desperately to reach the shore. He culminates this vile act by swimming out into the maelstrom and coupling with a female shark, the only other creature who was as evil as he.

The whole book is a cruel and bizarre intersection of Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Marquis de Sade, Nietzsche and a dash of Hunter S. Thompson – it’s truly a work ahead of its time, or completely out of time altogether. Because of this, it remains one of my favorite pieces of literature, and something I pick up 18 years later, still finding inspiration and awe within its murderous text.

A GOOD LISTEN

Davin Sosa: Jesu – Everyday I Get Closer To The Light From Which I Came

With no prior knowledge of the band, I checked out this record at the suggestion of a friend. Since then, it’s done more to shake the foundation of how I look at music than most albums. Lyrics dealing with loss and hopelessness, accompanied by music that asserts an air of finality. This record sounds like what we hear when we die. Honorable mention to the Shoegaze influences sprinkled all throughout the album and cool warped tape effects. I’ll shut my trap and let the music speak for itself:

A GOOD DRINK:

Janette Valentine: As a seasoned drinker, my go-to spirit of choice is a delicious whiskey neat. I’m a big fan of a smooth, smoky drink . . . the kind you savor and warms you on the way down. Truth be told, there’s no better reason to enjoy a glass of Glenlivet or Black Label other than to relax and kiss daily woes goodbye.

However, after doing some research I learned that drinking whiskey CAN do a body good – double win! The word “whiskey” comes from the Gaelic word Uisge Beatha which means “water of life”. Research points to reduction in risk of heart disease, prevention of cancer, and it can lower your chance of developing dementia. Ultimately it tastes good and feels even better. Pour away and enjoy…cheers!

A Good Read A Good Listen and a Good Drink: Nikos Mixas, Twingiant

It’s a simple yet sublime pleasure, and just thinking about it can make you feel a little calmer, a little more content. Imagine: You bring out one of the good rocks glasses (or your favorite mug or a special occasion tea cup) and pour a couple fingers of amber liquid (or something dark and strong or just some whole milk). You drop the needle on the jazz platter (or pull up a blues album on your mp3 player or dig out that mixtape from college). Ensconcing yourself in the coziest seat in the house, you crack the spine on a classic (or find your place in that sci-fi paperback or pull up a biography on your e-book reader). And then, you go away for a while. Ah, bliss.

In this series, some of NTSIB’s friends share beloved albums, books and drinks to recommend or inspire.


Twingiant are in a transitional phase, and by that I mean they are in the process of evolving from stoner/sludge metal to a more “traditional” sound. The two songs below are their most recent demo and serve as signposts for their new direction. Here’s what I like: It’s heavy, sure, but there’s some guitar wizardry involved, as well as some ogre roar.

And with that, I will turn the floor over to guitarist Nikos Mixas, who joins us today to talk about his favorite book, record and drink.


twingiant

A Good Read

Confessions of A Heretic: The Sacred And The Profane: Behemoth And Beyond

There are a ton of books I could have chosen but this is probably the most recent one I’ve read. I always like reading biographies and autobiographies about people I deem “interesting” and Adam “Nergal” Darski definitely fits that mold. I really enjoyed reading about his battle with leukemia. It’s inspiring that someone didn’t coin their faith in “God” to beat a life threatening disease. It just shows you that most organized religions are a farce and as long as you have faith in yourself, anything is possible.

A Good Listen

Fuck . . . this can go a million different directions but I’m going to go with what I’m listening to at the moment . . . Journey “Evolution”. This album follows that signature 70’s guitar rock mold. Plus, Steve Perry is one of the best rock vocalists EVER. My favorite rock guitarist of all time??? You guessed it, Neal Schon and he fucking rips on this album. Who doesn’t love Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’?

Journey - Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

A Good Drink

Because I’m Greek and it would be asinine if I said anything else, it’s going to be Ouzo. Don’t drink it by making a shot of it, shots are for frat boys and frat boys are fucking lame. Find yourself a small glass and drop a few ice cubes in the glass. Slowly pour in the Ouzo (I prefer the brand known as “12”) and watch the ouzo turn from clear to cloudy as the anise reacts with the ice, it’s trippy. Sip it, don’t gulp it and I recommend drinking it accompanied by a small plate or two of mezedes – the Greek version of tapas. Yamas!