Euroblast.

Just when I thought the only good things comin out of Europe were Ferraris and Heineken, I came across two badass bands from across the atlantic pumpin out some fresh new rock.  In Flames, a swedish metal quintet and The Fashion, a Denmark funk-punk group, recently caught my ear and have me hooked. I was wandering around the village monday night when i happened across a gathering of people outside the Annex clamoring to see a band I was unfamiliar with (The Fashion). I popped into the crowded bar for a minute and witnessed them performing their catchy as hell single “Like Knives.” I loved it the same way I loved the Hives when I first heard them… it’s the kind of music where I can’t tell if they’re very foreign or very talented, but I settled on talented.  In Flames, on the other hand, was referred to me through my buddy Fridge, a certified metal-head. When a dude with Gwar, Sabbath, Primus, and Mastodon tattoos says your metal band is kickass, your metal band is kickass. In Flames embodies everything I’ve come to love about post-metallica metal… they’re loud, fast, mean, and HARD.  They’re quite simply the best, most original metal band I’ve come across since Kodiak Bear Regiment.

So what do these seemingly unrelated bands have in common? Well, they’re both making mature, progressive music that I wouldn’t expect to come out of such remote areas – they’re both on extensive summer tours (The Fashion is touring the states with Alkaline Trio, In Flames is canvassing Europe) – they’re both racking up devoted groupies both in the US and abroad at an alarming rate – and they’ve both got custom merch available throgh MusicSkins. In Flames and The Fashion each have deals with this company to produce limited edition iPod, laptop, and cell phone skins featuring their artwork.  It seems that more and more bands are hopping on this trend of selling unique merchandise to separate themselves from the standard t-shirt-hoodie-cd package that most bands have to offer. These ’skins’ look badass and don’t leave any sticky shit behind when removed. Check em out at www.music-skins.com where they’ve got a ton of rappers, bands, models, and artists… each with exclusive graphics and sweet designs. Also, make sure to check out The Fashion with Alkaline Trio in the states and In Flames if you’re in Europe this summer.

Crack kills, heroin is where it’s at.