You don't want the beer holder physically attached to any of the drums, because then it gets shaken up when you hit things. Beer holder attached to your snare? Hello, foam! The pros have a separate table in their kit for drinks, like Mike Portnoy's DT drink table.

http://mikeportnoy.com/drums/mirage/

if you are going to attach it to anything... your stool would be a better bet cause it's not going to shift much, just get your sweat in it. or maybe on your floor tom cause it's hit the least. But i've never done that. I always stuck it off to the side slightly behind my stool so I don't hit it at all for anything.

Get a beer helmet!

Not compatible with headbanging, not an option for metal.

Not an option for playing without headbanging cause again your head slightly still moves making more froth and just ruining your beer in general. thumbs down.

Speaking of drum gear: Anyone have recommendations for drum thrones that go 28" high or more? I've been looking at the DW9100/9120 and haven't seen much else that'll work that's below the $200 range, so I'm in no rush to get something.

bar stools.

how tall are you? I don't even go that high.

Get a Roc 'n' Soc Lunar throne. It's the same kind I have. It's more like an office chair in that rather than bracket legs, it's got solid, unadjustable legs, and the seat pumps up and down. Much easier to use than a normal throne where you hafta screw the seat in and out to adjust the height.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-pe ... um-throne/

Yeah, that's likely my temporary plan. I'm 6'10".



My concern with an air-piston is that it'll wear out pretty quickly because I'm big. Inexpensive chairs tend to start leaning to one side quickly, and the height doesn't always stay too stable. It also only goes up to 27" which I think is a little bit too low, and may drop a bit more with all my weight (~300lbs) on it.

I was well over 230 lbs. for the majority of time I've had the throne (biggest ever was 263), and the piston's yet to wear out on me, and my chair's five years old. It'll be perfectly durable for you, I'm sure.

Zodi I didn't know you were a fucking giant.

Hi peeps, long time no see!

It's good to see everybody's still working on their stuff. Gonna try to check out your recordings in my free time, it's been a while since I listened to anything new in metal and now I feel like catching up a bit.

Also, seeing SLK reminded me of something. Remember I was going to send you some cds of my demo (Apteronotus too, is he still around? Haven't seen any post of him here)? I sent them, but they came back because at the time there was a lot of problems dealing with sending or receiving stuff internationally (sucks living in the third world, wachagonnado), and after a while I got too busy and forgot about it. Thing is, I still have the copies around, if you want them, I'll send'em again.

Musically, I am working on a new release for my band. This one's going to be much grander conceptually, I honed my lyrical skills in the time since our last release, and am planning to do a huge booklet to go with the concept of the words and music, tying everything together.

Hey Garth, glad to see you back.



He's quoted on the first post of the page, more active than ever!

My hardcore band just recently finished and released our debut EP and we are pretty happy with how it ended up.

http://ratsofrealityband.bandcamp.com

hell yea I'm down.
welcome back!

I released my Poisoned By Life CD at the local guitar shop and CD shop today and gave away a few copies to some friends who I owed one. Starting to get artwork done for Psychological Regurgitation, my grind band. I really want both of these albums released before school starts!

Recorded drum tracks for the Zombie Raiders/ Corpse Arise split this morning, working on tracks for the ZR/Fun With Dead Things split cassette tomorrow, if my mic survives it anyways.

Been recording a song the last 2 or 3 nights. This is a rough mix, and I still need to record some lead bits, maybe some synth, and some other little things, then have the vocalist do his part.

https://soundcloud.com/glorioususurper/drepa-the-howling-winds-of-vinland-unfinished

Yupeee... With Nangilima we've signed 2 albums contact with Xtreem Music

Working on the Collosam EP for my band GALLIUM, man it sucks being the only dude working on everythink (especially drums, and Garage Band sucks at the drums especially). Otherwise doing the God of Emptiness cover will be a breeze, hopefully, I know Morbid Angel loves their seven-strings so I'll just start on bass then.

Ramping up production on the two songs Josh and I have for our absurdist black metal side project. Guitars should be tracked this month, and bass will follow. Sound wise, think of older Satyricon mixed with Immortal.

--

I read a review of a compilation that Sorrowseed is earlier that called our sound "progressive black/death metal".

I could kinda get behind that. I do like when other people describe us as "progressive", even if we only occasionally dabble in longer, more sprawling stuff (for now). Still, an interesting moniker nonetheless.

That is an odd comparison. Def didn't think of it as progressive or death metal. Just gothically laced black metal.

Off to record the last 2 tracks of guitars for one side of the album. Next, the second guitar tracks, then on to the bass and the solos. Long ways to go, but we're getting there. Also, we finally have a new fantastic drummer.

There are some proggy moments in some songs, mainly the longer ones, but overall it is indeed gothic black metal. Perhaps if the nutty style change Josh and I talked about doing for the eventual third album comes to pass, that genre descriptor will be fitting.

Played a show last night opening for Iron Kingdom (Canada) and Coven. Super fun show, great venue, amazing crowd! I set up a drum cam to record myself, felt it was one of the best shows that I have played, got home, went to upload.... only to find out that it didn't record

Subrick, that's cool hopefully when you say prog as in actual prog cause it almost reads in your posts that you equate long songs to prog.

John, I know that feeling. I set up to record one of the possibly last show ever for Raum and apparently I didn't record shit, didn't know till after the fact. Sucks.. always sucks.

got a show next sunday in nola. not looking forward to it as much since... well it's sunday. Do get to play with Budd Dwyer so that's nice.

Well one of the big influences in this discussed style shift will be Opeth, so think the stuff they do. Same with Devin Townsend's solo stuff. Long songs will be one of the main elements (Josh and I specifically discussed doing a 15 minute tune as an opener), but also even more odd time play than we do now, less rigidly structured songs, and just generally a more loose, free form feel to the whole thing. Check the songs "Reaping Requiem" and "Astral Harvest", especially the latter, as examples of what I want to build and elaborate upon.

The songs we did on the last album we had come to the conclusion were written with being played live in mind, what with all of them being a compact 4-5 minutes aside from the last song, and this new stuff, whenever it happens, he and I are gonna go into it with the mindset of coming up with material so ridiculous, complex, and layered that it'll be practically impossible to replicate live. Considering that neither he or I really like playing live all that much, it sounds like a nice goal to try and achieve.

At least you have a set goal and that's good. And it sounds like you have a more fleshed out idea of prog than you were letting on from earlier.

All guitars done on one side. Now for the other, then on to the bass and then the solos. I feel a lot more in control by doing both guitars so I'm in control when meshing harmony/counterpoint melodies and making sure they gel just the way I want them to.

I had the last two days off of work, so I recorded some new drum covers. They didn't turn out THAT tight (I rarely get any chance to play along to other bands material anymore), but it was fun, and I'll be uploading them throughout the next week or two. Here is a list of what I've done...

Kingston Wall - Two of a Kind (uploaded already, http://www.youtube.com/user/johnthedrummer88 )
Dissection - The Somberlain (In memory of Jon, uploadign tonight)
Melechesh - Mercury and Mercury
Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
Gallowbraid - Oak & Aspen (aka Oaken Halls of Sorrow)

I (re?)mastered Bulletface and put it out on CD. This one's gonna be a little less involved than Poisoned By Life though, there are fewer copies, they're for dirt cheap, and I'm probably not going to ship any. It also has an archives page now too!

Finished drumming on one of Arkhane's cool sad-sounding songs. I heard his thrash challenge song, but I didn't realize how good of a clean singer he is too.

I'm finally home. I'll looking forward to working on anything tmwr. I'm leaving again on Monday.

Just found out my band is playing with Novembers Doom and Solstice on September 3rd, so that's pretty exciting.

Edit: November's Doom is apparently out. Fuuuuck. Ah well, still glad that's another one of three shows we're already playing in September.

going to write lyrics and record vocals for this track


https://soundcloud.com/darkrealmzero/new-song

After many years of doing very little writing, I've been pretty inspired since I bought a new guitar.

I'm currently writing a concept album. It's going to be death/thrash (basically thrash metal with death metal style vocals). It's called "Mutant Mummy Invasion" and is about Mummies coming back to life and escaping Egypt into the sewers of the world, where they discovers a species of mutants, who exist because of toxic sludge that humans have dumped into the sewers. The mummies and mutants meld together into a new species that vows revenge against the humans. They begin an age of technological progress in the sewers, but ultimately become too powerful. They begin attacking humans, and end up destroying the Earth.

At this point, I have two songs fully written on guitar/drums, and I'm working on a third song at the moment. I've got all of the song titles down, and the general concept lyrically for each song, but I suck at writing lyrics, so I am leaving that until the end.

This is pretty ambitious for me, because I rarely write anything, but this is coming easy to me.

Uploaded my cover of "The Somberlain" by Dissection. It is definitely rough around the edges at some points, but this was in one take without listening or practicing beforehand, I also haven't listened to this song.... or played it for a good month or two. Just wanted to do something in honor of the anniversary of Jon's death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHVBK9wSgM

JohnTheDrummer, I'm excited for the Melechesh cover.

Thanks man! I'm pretty stoked to upload it. Could be tighter, of course, but I just don't get a lot of time anymore to practice songs outside of my own bands songs anymore



In other news, Hells Headbangers now stocks my bands debut full length! So fuckin stoked when my friend texted me about it! I know we have some stuff on small distros, but that is a huge step!
http://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item.asp?PID=32081

Well I decided the bite the bullet and get a bridge Bare Knuckle Aftermath. That's right, the fabled BKPs that everyone is raving about. Will post a short review once I install them. Replacing a Seymour Duncan Invader with it. While the Invader has served me (and several others of note) very well, it just doesn't have the definition I want.