JIM FLORENTINE, comedian and Special Ed from Comedy Central's Crank Yankers, was in town a couple weeks back to deliver some hilarious stand-up, including material from his very first attempts at humor, documented on his latest CD, Awful Jokes: From My First Comedy Notebook. It’s cringe worthy stuff for the composer, but so bad it’s good for the audience (sample: “I broke my toe the other day and I couldn’t move it.

Last year Allston-based metal night BORN OF FIRE joined forces with the Phoenix for one of the most successful compilations we’ve ever issued. So how do we top that? By dropping Vol.2, this free 17-track online comp that features brand new SHADOWS FALL, DOOMRIDERS covering fucking Devo, and two bands featured in this week’s second annual Metal Issue: Cellars by Starlight spotlight RULE, who release their debut EP Friday night at T.

Since there’s a bunch of great stuff lying around the New Hampshire tag on Bandcamp, I figured I would give Boston a taste of the best metal/hardcore/punk the Granite State has to offer, divided into the closest sub-genres I could match them. DISCLAIMER: Please don't try to berate me about how some band is way more "technical darkcore doomcore oi punx" than what I said they were; I'm not an expert.

NONE MORE METAL

With inspiration from Nigel, and with an assist from VH1, we've now got yet another excuse to party on the magical date of 11.11.11 -- "National Metal Day." Here at the Phoenix, we're celebrating by putting BLACK SABBATH on the cover -- although you should totally go re-read our metal issue from over the summer -- and also by teaming up with our friends at MASSCONCERTS to give away a golden ticket to 15 of this winter's raddest metal shows.

Fresh off being named "Best Metal Act" in our 2011 Best Music Poll and nominated for "Metal/Hardcore Artist of the Year" in this month's Boston Music Awards -- as well as being asked to perform live at the Liberty Hotel for the November 20 awards party -- Boston thrash dudes RAZORMAZE today announced an east coast tour and plans for a new record.

Karlynn Holland, Black Forest

In the Phoenix's first annual METAL ISSUE, we introduced you to "WE STILL SEE THE BLACK," a survey of heavy metal-themed art that opens with a reception tonight at the New Art Center in Newton. (Here's a slideshow of works that'll be included.) For a quick introduction to a few of the artists, read the preview piece that we ran then

Because I hate haircuts and wear black t-shirts a lot of the time, people assume I know a lot about metal. In truth, my favorite metal bands are Dethklok and Children of Bodom. Calling myself a metal expert would be practically equivalent to somebody declaring themselves an authority on punk when they’re mostly just really into Green Day.

CAVE IN secretly recorded a new album last year and didn't tell anyone about it until about a week ago, when news of its existence leaked onto Amazon -- catching even the band's label, Hydrahead Recordings, off guard. And by "off guard," we mean that they knew about it but were supposed to let us tell you first.

ZODIAC MINDWARP AND THE LOVE REACTION have been an inspiration to many generations of rock and roll stars who dress up in leather jackets and scream poems about abuse and outer space to people they want to fuck in the backseat. Alice Cooper has covered their material, Motley Crue stole their look, and Adam Lambert has done both, sort of

Wondering why they're nominated for BEST METAL BAND in this year's BEST MUSIC POLL? Click on this you'll get an idea: it's "Heavy Lies the Crown," recorded last week at the Middle East, where DOOMRlDERS were finishing off a tour with Red Sparowes. If you missed it, your next chance to see them is at this weekend's NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HARDCORE FESTIVAL

As promised, the all-star ANAL CUNT lineup kicked off a tour last weekend with a set that included a sneak peak at their forthcoming album, Wearing Out Our Welcome. The surprise? The new shit -- or "hot new traxxxx" as Seth Putnam is calling them -- is indeed a different look. "Accessible" would still be a stretch, but shout-along choruses, sub-250bpm drums, and lyrics about fucking? And (wait for it) .