UNDERGROUND REISSUES IX
Flotsam & Jetsam, Control Denied, Disgust, Acrophet, etc.

THE DEVIL AND THE SEA
2008 Tour Diary.

TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR
On Their Relationship W/ Their Van and Tour Diary.

COMPLETE FAILURE
Today Is The Day Tour Highlights & Lowlights.

UNDERGROUND REISSUES VIII
Skullflower, Abomination, Winter, Macabre, etc.

TALES FROM THE
CUTOUT BIN VIII
The Record Industry May Be in
Shambles But We Feel No Guilt.

TAMPA: A VERY VERY
CURTAILED HISTORY
And the Current State of Our
Metal Scene.

UNDERGROUND METAL
REISSUES VII
Some Germans, some Brazilians, some Christians, some weirdos walk into a bar...

UNDERGROUND METAL
REISSUES VI
Some Germans, some Brazilians, some Christians, some weirdos walk into a bar..

LOS VIOLADORES
A Retrospective Conversation
with Pil Trafa vocalist of the
Argentinean punk legends.

MORE FEATURES

LANDMINE MARATHON: Arizona: Desert Oasis or Wasteland?

A couple of months ago, Matt Coplon from Tampa's Light Yourself On Fire wrote an article on the current underground music Tampa scene. Now is the turn for Landmine Marathon to talk about their scene and their hangouts. Their latest album Rusted Eyes Awake is metal metal metal. Oh yeah! Just what we all need.
 
Arizona: Desert Oasis or Wasteland?
 

By Matt Martinez, bassist for Phoenix, Arizona's Landmine Marathon.

Arizona: is it a desert oasis or a wasteland? Perhaps a bit of both, and both in a good way. I have lived here my entire thirty-two years, traveled across the country multiple times, and still enjoy being firmly rooted in this state. I constantly hear kids utter the word stating how much this town sucks, and how badly and quickly they want to make an exit for a 'utopia city'. Don't get me wrong, many of those 'utopian paradises' are definitely amazing but there are enough good things to keep me here in Phoenix.

We have so many excellent bands here and I would like name drop a few personal favorites: Black Hell, Red Queen, Netzeah, Run with the Hunted, Slut Sister and, love 'em or hate 'em (we love the dudes), Job for a Cowboy. There are many art galleries in Phoenix where most of the good shows happen -- a couple of favorites are Modified Arts and The Phix. There are some great bars in town to see some bands play, but we prefer all ages shows. They are just more fun!

A close second favorite to making eardrums bleed is eating good food, and the Phoenix area has plenty to offer. Probably the most frequented eatery by Landmine Marathon is Green Vegetarian Restaurant in Tempe. Vegan comfort food, is this possible? Yes and oh so good! Everything imaginable from vegan Buffalo wings to Fake Chicken Parmesan sandwiches to Po-Boys and BBQ Tofu. Be sure to follow your meal with a Soy-nami… it's like a Blizzard but better. Decadent and good for you, yes it's a dichotomy, but the kind that tastes superb. Another Landmine Marathon favorite is Via De Los Santos in Phoenix. Traditional Mexican fare with an awesome vegetarian menu. Every meal starts with chips and some of the best salsa we have ever had, plus they have almost one hundred tequilas on their menu. This should become Landmine's official band meeting spot. Some other noteworthy restaurants are Udupi Café for some of the best South Indian fare and Lee's Sandwiches for Vietnamese Sandwiches that will destroy you. While we are on the subject of edibles and Arizona, I would like to mention the business our friend Tayrn has started called the Vegan Oven. She makes all sorts of baked delectables: cookies, brownies, donuts, and twinkies! She ships all over the country and hopefully one day soon she will open a walk in and sit down bakery.

Since Phoenix always seems to be plagued with insane heat, it is never a bad idea to cool off with a beverage. We like to visit a bit of an upscale joint in Downtown Phoenix called the Clarendon Hotel. The Clarendon Bar is a classy bar that isn't too cool to mind a couple of scumbags dropping by for a drink. The staff there is awesome, and resident bartender (and our drummer's girlfriend) Stephanie is the best! But the real gem of delight in this bar is in the men's room. I mean, who here has not dreamed of pissing into a giant porcelain MOUTH. Amazing to say the least! Other favorite standbys are The Bikini Lounge (a beat up tiki dive in Downtown Phoenix), Seamus McCaffrey's Pub, and The Stray Cat in Tempe.

So if you find yourself stuck in Phoenix, find something to do. There is always something good going on, sometimes you just have to make it happen!

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