79 minutes, 29 seconds

Uruk-Hai
Tawantinsuyu

Yes, Uruk-Hai. And, no, I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan. But credit this Tolkien-obsessed band (it's probably just one poor slob in his bedroom studio) with coining the term battle ambient. This type of music hits that somewhere-between-peaceful-and-ominous sweet spot in my ear. It doesn't really make me think of orcs, though. Is it supposed to?

Uruk-Hai joins a small fraternity of bands that seem to wear their LOTR geekdom on their sleeves. There's also Caprice, one of the dozens of fairy-voiced groups on the Prikosnovénie label, who sing (in an irritatingly sharp voice, if you ask me) about elves and forests and moss and...elves. And even progressive electronic bands like Squaremeter have released CDs laced with LOTR samples.

I won't hold my breath for a band to name itself after this movie.

Also today:

79:26 In Strict Confidence, Face the Fear (CD 2 of 2)
79:21 Front Line Assembly, Corroded Disorder
79:11 Keef Baker, The Widnes Years