EDITORIAL This is a semi-regular, occasionally missed annual “what I think, where we’ve been, what I’m doing next” post which celebrates the late July anniversary of Grizzly Butts as a website. It is aimed at longtime followers and avid readers who want to gauge what is working, what isn’t, where the site is going and what ideas I have for features in the coming year. Simple as that. Paintings are mine, don’t use ’em without permission. Keep the snark to yourself but feel free to contact me me with any serious questions here: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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SAPIENTIA MELIOR AURO

NIHIL I. // The gate to the Underworld has been sitting there, goatse’d all the while. // The COVID-19 pandemic was officially taken off the board in terms of “global health emergency” status this May and as such we find billions of people around the world doing their damnedest to return to a state of feigned normalcy despite life having irreparably changed for the majority. Plague and pestilence offer semi-random variables which typically affect change upon entire continents, yet the trend is opportunism among the ruling class across the board. Global mass death inevitably reshapes expanding societies with a cross-eyed effect upon existing generational ideations of culture, the inherent class warfare available to all civilizations, and how a freshly malformed sense of identity relates to (or disconnects from) oppressive political/economical structures. The last few years have been more obvious than ever in terms of the positioning of the pleb, the working class and below, beneath the heavier whip of billionaire-lead corporate instruction yet we find fewer folks wanting to persist with the meager outrage and action it’d take to at least slow the loss of the polis in symposium, to retain discourse on agency and uphold the will of community. The ultimate outcome is horrifying to me, as I see people of all ages embracing the 15 second attention spanned lifestyle and calling it “progress” in the midst of their hypnotized mass dementia.

NIHIL II. // Our collective pool reeks of hopelessness piss and slimy stress diarrhea. // Perhaps the most grotesque development, as the poverty of corporate social engineering enacts its rotten blade upon your necks, is a fear of politically divisive or challenging rhetoric intruding upon one’s commercial viability, a hideous form of self-censorship which leaves little in the way of passionate discourse, or, any real ambition toward autonomy coming from general “heavy metal” headspace. I do not speak to politico in literal terms but rather the rebellious and independent attitude of heavy metal and especially extreme metal as this sense of defiance continues to wane, whittle and misdirect down to a few diaper-pissing thrash vocalists bothered by wearing a mask at the Post Office; In my mind this speaks to a need for coverage and education on heavy music history in terms of socio-economic change around the world since the early 70’s, a separate but related conversation which teaches sub-culture as effective surrogate, self-checked community and not tepid puddles reserved for hobbyist (read: plagiarist) drivel.

NIHIL III. // Death fantasies, or, how I gave up the (robotic) ghost. // If there is one takeaway from the general extreme metal musicianship of the underground and their still in-chamber “pandemic” albums of late it is that even in their parables, high-set fantasy worlds, and thrumming ideation away from the noise of apocalyptic uncertainty… curling up and preparing to die is the outcome. The fight, the upheaval, and the general “attack” of extreme metal continues to wane in ear even in the darkest circles where the work of writing riffs which kill with their power are less and less requisite. Last year when I’d heard the worst of the #LOLcow armchair podcast-level metal sophists proclaim the new generation doesn’t like dated ideas like “riffs” set within ambitious, rapid-fire arrangement I’d become a bit more jaded myself, finding some truth available within the music I’d been listening to on a daily basis for the last half-decade. Borrowed ideas are perhaps more rampant than ever and this low bar of acceptance only seems more threatening as artificial intelligence begins to replace necessary support for both visual artists (cover artists, video editors, animators, etc.), musicianship, and the written word. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve done my best these last three years attempting to capture the best of what is available and celebrate the outliers who arrive at the highest standards yet I cannot help but conclude today that I do not see the fight behind the eyes, or the riffs at the fingertips, of any one particular “new” generation of heavy music. A side-effect of getting old, knowing better, and having a very good memory for the history of a single (well-branching) subject.

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STATE OF THE SHITE

VOID I. // The anthropogenic pressure cooker is heating up. — Earthquakes are getting bigger, tropical cyclones are whirring for over five weeks at a time, bullets are whirring overhead across the states at a higher rate than ever, banks are collapsing to record losses which’ve lead to record bailouts… now a full seven xTrEme months into 2023 and six years deep into GrizzlyButts.com the chance to reflect upon the last two years is daunting to say the least and not due to a lacking sense of accomplishment but because I am more interested in what comes next in all cases. Any attempted recap will be incomplete since I’d failed to produce any reflection upon the fifth year (2022) anniversary of the site. I didn’t see the first couple years of Spirit Coffin Publishing as a success beyond my own learning/experience and didn’t want to talk about it. Whenever I do choose to write about it (more on that later) it’ll end up sounding like complaining, or, might indirectly insult the artists I’ve worked with so I’ve taken time to consider the best, most respectful way to proceed and stay entirely on topic; Instead of writing the Fifth Year post last year I’d instead begun making YouTube videos, trying to develop an adaptive, impromptu voice for both reviews and features despite being introverted. Thus far it has been about a year’s worth of developing a work schedule, a decent enough standard, and keeping up with it… minus the last three months as I worked overtime (at my actual career) and lost pace with both written reviews and videos.

VOID II. // Over the course of the last three years the writing on GrizzlyButts.com has changed for the sake of my own personal bouts of change. If you’re among the rare group of folks who’ve followed my exploration of new releases since 2011, or at least 2017, you’ll likely have noted that I see an idea through before I change things up. Nothing I do exists as a “service” or as “content” in (direct) reaction to the audience but more of an exploration of taste, a font of developing personal skills, and of course an itemization of what meaning there is to be gleaned from heavy music in general. It is important that the contents of this site cover music as it exists in its most interesting, genuine states of underground ambition and (in some cases) canonical tradition. This isn’t possible to sustain if I set a weekly quota which cannot be filled by new releases every week. The machine doesn’t work when it runs dry and in that case, particularly in late 2022, it was time to change the rubric which makes up my own general rating system. This amounts to an infographic where choices are elaborated upon per a simple (if not slightly esoteric) metric to provide easier communication of standards between multiple genres. By refining and establishing a detailed rubric, shifting towards a blend of practical vs. emotional choices, and likewise communicating thoughts and opinions in video form scores will become better-rounded and hopefully communicate value more clearly. You should already be experiencing more variety, extended conversations about less refined music and a general sense of exploration and yes, I’m not sure how satisfying that might be for readers but this is necessary for my own sanity. I’d particularly appreciate feedback on variety and where I could expand or contract.

VOID III. // The most common question I get from social media: “Why don’t you do things like every one else?” Either I know better or I don’t have to. Also, please note that social media accounts for less than 5% of actual click-through readership. Most folks on there are responding to things they do not actually read. // Grizzly Butts projects from an island of disturbed, depressive thought with vague knowledge of the audience beyond the freaks I see at live gatherings and the readership/viewership numbers I see behind the scenes. “Who is the audience for this music?” b/w “Who is the audience for written reviews of music on the internet?” These questions nag me less often these days as coverage comes down to personal, hyper-specific preferences. After six years spent explaining that I am completely independent and don’t need to monetize this site to be fulfilled I still find people suggesting I am “grinding”, working towards a goal (i.e. working in press relations, writing for big publications, etc.) rather than enjoying music and the potential of presentation/analysis as its own entertaining form of documentation. Allow me to clarify that I am not “in the trenches” working towards a career writing about music but that I do everything for the sake of supportive fandom. My tastes have always thrived within the enrichment and inspiration provided by underground, or, personalized niche spaces where the most exciting artists tend to be and the dialogue within those arenas is still absolutely underserved.

VOID IV. // Last year site traffic went up by roughly +20% and this year has continued to increase beyond an average baseline of about ~60-65k views per month. Back in 2017 when I started the view count for our first month (July that year) it’d tallied 375 visitors total. This is not a brag, in fact my peak readership might be terrible numbers compared to larger sites, but the info I have speaks to consistent readership which I am grateful for. Statistics, search engine numbers, social media numbers etc. all of these continue to paint a picture that the time I spend on this site (even when I’d rather not) is a worthy fixation; Donations have paid for the site’s hosting fees and many readers have been kind enough to buy Spirit Coffin Publishing releases/distro out of sheer support, so, please don’t let my disinterest in treating GrizzlyButts.com as a “job” diminish my thanks and appreciation for your contributions. In most practical terms I’ve always considered a self-driven, self-funded site the only level of accomplishment one can achieve in such a subjective, esoteric and small space. Not a day goes by where I don’t feel inadequate in giving thanks to those who are supportive and my way of doing so is keeping the quality of the site up and my engagement (and experimentation) on a consistent schedule. I appreciate folks allowing this rare self-post as an indulgence, a point of self-awareness that allows a fresh goal post to be set for what comes next.

THANK YOU

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

ÆTHER I. // These are in-the-works ambitions and not official announcements. I might not have enough free time or funding enough to make each of these happen. // First off (and mostly complete) is a retrospective of the first year (2021) of Spirit Coffin Publishing, a free PDF which acts as a longform writ reflection upon the label side of the venture, taking a look at the process of each release in an honest yet reverent mood as I collect all lessons learned. This will of course also act as a a sort of “catalog” and discography for all releases up to and including TOMB-17, a post-mortem proper. This will be complete by the end of August and it will coincide with a heavily discounted sale on the label’s BigCartel. I will also be selling some of my personal collection in the shop to help fund other stuff, look for that to post alongside the catalog.

ÆTHER II. // Mystification will become monthly PDF zine which will be accessible for a “small fee”, ~5.00 USD or nearby. The switch to digital is in response to the cost of publishing a print zine rising repeatedly over the last couple of years, the decision to charge is an alternative to things like Substack and my web host’s own paywall features. All of the contents of the zine will be exclusive though there will be YouTube videos that act as introduction and addendum to some features. Among the features to expect every month: [1] An Exhaustive Study, our sub-genre deep dive series will explore ten important/interesting releases at a time in monthly installments. [2] Band interviews, short two-page spreads for each band. [3] Then-and-Now retro reviews inspired by the month’s new releases, a focus on precedence at the very roots of heavy and extreme metal. [4] There will also be shorter features, such as a monthly hit of NWOBHM worship or a focus on 80’s hardcore punk. [5] The Top 20 of the Month will be included earlier than when it publishes online. The general focus will be on ‘old school’ extreme metal, doom, thrash, metalpunk, and bands that are viably keeping traditions alive without being shills. The zine will work towards print/collections if it becomes a financial reality. At this point I’d rather be making the zine than waiting to be able to fund it. The first issue will take the longest, aiming for September 25th.

ÆTHER III. // What about video features? [1] No big plans in terms of music related video. [2] I’ve been demoing WEEKEND RENTAL for the last seven months and am starting to arrive upon the first season of this limited video game centered series which remarks on my experiences with renting video games every weekend in the mid-to-late 80’s through the mid-90’s. Folks might recall I’d had the idea for this a few years ago but not the means/skills to do it. The first 15 episodes will focus on the Sega Genesis, some information about a pair of games, reflecting upon the rental experience, the music, and gauge their lasting value. A short pilot and explainer should be ready by the end of Summer/early Fall but I won’t be sure until the work flow makes sense in terms of arriving upon an effective tone and level of polish worthy of a full series.

ÆTHER IV. // Of course there are still a few odds-and-ends coming up: Starting with TOMB-20, a new CD release and perhaps our best yet on Spirit Coffin Publishing which will likely release later this year. Expect some [1] random video game reviews (Diablo IV, Final Fantasy XVI, Atlas Fallen, Blasphemous II, Sea of Stars etc.) in the next two months, and [2] a Backlog entry (Far Cry 5, Dying Light, The Witcher 2, and a few others) as well. In terms of music writing: [3] An extensive list, “Under the Radar Pt. I“, is drafted and it will include short reviews for everything (important) I missed or haven’t talked about thus far (January through July) in 2023, all gems and hopefully no fodder. [4] A similar list focusing only on Noise Rock will follow after that. At this point that is about as ambitious as I can get with my free time. Thanks for reading.

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