CAUSE OF DEATH Holy shit! Thank you very much for the incredible oral history of the Florida death-metal revolution [“Baptized in Blood”]. The information and interviews with some of the true legends of death metal were amazing. Your “Cast of Characters” and old-school pictures made this feature one of the best I’ve ever seen in the pages of any magazine. I have been a diehard death-metal fan for 20 years and the Florida scene has produced some of the most brutal and legendary death-metal bands known to man. Without the talent and brutality of bands like Cannibal Corpse, Death, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Morbid Angel, and Obituary, death metal wouldn’t be what it is today, so it’s great to see you pay homage to them and the Florida scene. I knew in my heart, just like Hate Eternal main man and death-metal geniusErik Rutan, that nothing can kill death metal and that it would come back around with a vengeance! Thanks again, Revolver, and stay fucking brutal! —Dan Vogtlin, Lino Lakes, MN
We get punks trashing a Christmas tree. You didn’t even put cover stars Mudvayne in Santa suits. The X-mas ’08 issue looked like a regular issue, which is surprising considering
AND THE LEMMY GOES TO… So I watched the American Music Awards tonight. After I recovered from the dry-heaves caused by the overdose of insipid drivel, it dawned on me: Where the hell are our award shows? Screw the Jonas Brothers, where’s Slipknot? Where’s Soulfly? Where’s Machine Head? Seriously! Where’s Al Jourgensen’s lifetime achievement award? Where can I see Tokio Hotel get lynched by Scandinavians in corpse paint? —Micah “Jinx” Davis, Brounfield, TX
NOTHING IN VAYNE Your magazine is the best-published rock magazine to date. It keeps me informed on the hottest bands coming out. Mudvayne on the cover [January 2009]? Genius! I have been a fan for a long time now. It was good to read about the things they went through to get where they are. I can’t wait to see what happens with HELLYEAH! —Joshua Anderson, Plymouth WI
Funny you should mention a metal awards show, stay tuned…
I don’t know whether to be fucking excited that Mudvayne have written a follow-up to The New Game or pissed because we have to wait until late 2009. I love Muvayne, but they seem to be slacking. It must be tough making a fucking CD, but come the fuck on already. It’s been made for who the fuck knows how long, and we gotta wait for another fucking year. You picked the perfect title for their article because being a fan of Mudvayne is nothing but “hard time.” —Nick, Mt. Carmel, PA
Thanks for publishing the history of the Florida death-metal scene in your magazine. I used it to help write a speech for my public speaking class. My only complaint is [the writer’s last name] “Wiederhorn” is a bitch to spell for citations. Can’t you get him to change it to something easier? —Andrew Boyles
LOVE AT FIRST SIGH I love your Hottest Chicks In Metal section (who doesn’t?) and your feature on [Sigh’s] Dr. Mikannibal in January’s issue was perhaps my favorite yet. But I do wish you would’ve gone a little more in-depth about her background rather than providing a random quote. I’ve been enamored with her ever since she joined Sigh, but not just because of her looks. I think more readers would be, too, if you had included a little info about her work as a postdoctoral associate and that she has both a master’s and PhD in physics. The fact that she’s a metal chick with a bunch of academic cred is the real turn-on. If in the future you find that other ladies featured in this section have more than just a hot bod, try to include that as well. Beauty and brains, now that is sexy! —Jacob, San Francisco, CA
Thank you for the great article on Florida death metal. I grew up in South Florida and saw firsthand the huge scene of all the great bands, but there was one problem with everyone you interviewed in your “Cast of Characters.” They all left out a very important part. It was an independent record store called Ace’s Records. Ace’s was the place you would go to in Tampa to find everything metal (local bands’ demos, in-store meet & greets, rare imports). Hell, [Death, Obituary guitarist] James Murphy and [Morbid Angel’s] David Vincent use to work there; [Deicide’s] Glen Benton actually laid down the carpet when they opened. Ace’s did a shitload for the whole death-metal scene, but everyone seemed to forget that. Let’s pay respect where respect is due! —Anonymous
METAL OF HONOR Your magazine pulled me through my tour in Iraq (’03-’04) and is now pulling me through my time in prison. Your magazine took our minds off (briefly) of the carnage we were involved in, in Iraq. As a matter of fact, a copy of Revolver was in my ruck when I jumped into Iraq with Hatebreed’s “ Another Day, Another Vendetta” as our jump song. Unfortunately, I was wounded in action and sent home where things went downhill. I am currently in a correctional center in Smyrna, Delaware, being motivated by Revolver. Keep the good articles rockin’, and can we try to get something with Hatebreed as a topic? [Frontman] Jamey [Jasta] was my hero and got me pumped before a patrol. Hatebreed is the shit, and Revolver is the shit! By the way, say a prayer for all our forces fighting for our freedom. A lot come home and end up in my position…you just don’t hear about it! Rock the fuck on! —Delta, Tango/Whiskey Alpha Lingo Papa, 82nd Airborne
TOPIC MASTODON VS. GOJIRA POSTED BY stabyourcat “Gosh darnit, Mastodon are way better. Their ability to piece together such amazing playing so brilliantly and without being a bit pretentious is almost unmatched. Gojira are good, but no...just no.”
NO PRESENTS FOR CHRISTMAS Before your X-mas ’08 issue came out, I found the X-mas ’07 issue, which contained Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, and Cradle of Filth all discussing what Christmas means to the modern metalhead. The issue also contained hot chicks with gifts and other seasonal themes. However, I was disappointed by the lack of Christmas in your
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: REVOLVER MAGAZINE 149 5TH AVENUE, 9TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10010
OR
LETTERS@REVOLVERMAG.COM
References:
Archives