Erik Rutan, best known for guitar duties in Morbid Angel and frontman duties for Hate Eternal, has (according to the internet) produced 12 songs for the new Mountain Goats album All Eternals Deck. While this might be Rutan’s first foray into one-man ‘band’ solo acoustic whatnot, this is not John “Mountain Goats” Darnielle’s first encounter with death metal.
The Mountain Goats are the sort of band that appeals to me as an English major (“No Children” is probably one of the most painfully accurate accounts of the bad days of being in love), but I think what solidified me as a big John Darnielle fan was realizing he grew up listening to metal and still loves it. His most widely-known metal tribute is “The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out Of Denton,” about two kids who seek out metal to escape their small-town blues. I can relate.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IsXKMkDAMQ[/youtube]
“People think this song is a joke,” Darnielle told at least one audience, “but theres nothing funny about being in a goddamn hospital when youre 12 and trying to explain to the people that the music you want to listen to isn’t going to turn you into a serial killer or anything, it just makes you feel better. Except when you get a little bit older, then it does get funny.”
Darnielle has also written some pretty awesome poetry about his metal record collection.
THE IMPENETRABLE CRYSTAL TOWER OF MY AMBITION
nice weather outside
but I spent the day
flipping through
my Mercyful Fate record collection
I have about half the catalogue,
and hope to someday have
the other half
plus all the bootlegs
All Eternals Deck will be released March 29, 2011 by Merge Records.
