Riddle of Steel, Traindodge, Stella Link @ Record Bar 4-28 / Melt-Banana - Bambi's Dilemma

Traindodge singer/guitarist Jason Smith

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I managed to make my way down to the Record Bar here in KC Saturday night and catch Riddle of Steel, Traindodge, and The Stella Link all play. Needless to say the show was quite the display of ass kicking rock. I remember after the Stella Link set turning around and hearing the guy operating the sound board make a remark at just how loud it was. And indeed, it was loud…in fact everyone was loud and it was fucking great. I didn’t even bother to listen to anything in my car on the way home because it would have had to been cranked up for me to even hear it well enough. For anyone that hasn’t checked out any of these bands yet, please do so.

Riddle of Steel – Lovers of Nothing [MP3]
Traindodge – Wolves [MP3]
The Stella Link – Undetermined [MP3]

All three bands are on the fabulous Ascetic Records. Head on over there and purchase mucho CD’s, merch, etc.


I don’t know how I missed this one but apparently those crazy spazzed out noise makers Melt-Banana have a new album out called Bambi’s Dilemma. For those not familiar with the band, they play what I guess could be described as an avant-garde amalgamation of punk and grind. Seriously, I have no other way to describe just what Melt-Banana does. While this new record is still filled with quite a bit of that distinct Melt-Banana sound, it also could be considered the most accessible album I’ve ever heard from them. Some of the songs even stay tame long enough to get into a slight groove, however keeping in line with their unpredictable style of play, the albums direction changes on a dime and you’re greeted with multiple 30 to 40 second songs full of blast beats, distortion, and waves of electronic screeching.

Really, although maybe a slight departure, this is about where you’d expect the band to be after their last album Cell-Scape. They are every bit as otherworldly and unpredictable as they’ve ever been. For fans of the band, this shouldn’t disappoint in any way.

Melt Banana – Green Eyed Devil [MP3]
Melt Banana – Slide Down [MP3]

Bambi’s Dilemma just came out last week, so head on over to Amazon and pick it up.