kayodot20131

heavy low-down: Black Cobra, Kayo Dot and Throaat in the single digits; new Gridlink & Alcest music ++ more

By Doug Moore

Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot

As we’ve established, it’s thoroughly unpleasant outside, but metal bands are cool with that. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve done this, so let’s get up to speed:

Though long-running Christ-metallers Stryper have postponed their aforementioned Stage 48 show tomorrow night, the other NYC heavy shows this weekend have endured. Californian sludge two-piece Black Cobra made it into town in time to hit Saint Vitus tonight (1/3) along with locals Meek Is Murder, Blackout, & Throaat. Avant-garde heavies Kayo Dot are also sticking with their announced Trans-Pecos show with Lussuria & Jeremiah Cymerman tonight.

Both Kayo Dot and Throaat have announced other local shows, too — the former will do double snow duty by playing a last-minute show tomorrow night (1/4) at Saint Vitus along with my buds in Imperial Triumphant & a solo ukulele performance by Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia, Vaura, etc.). Tickets are on sale. Meanwhile, Throaat will be joining fellow locals Trenchgrinder & Yellow Eyes for a FREE show at the Acheron on 1/28 (which is a birthday celebration for wide-ranging metal writer & occasional BV contributor Kim Kelly). Finally, brutal progsters/local live faves Child Abuse have announced a local gig at the Silent Barn on Monday (1/6) along with I Don’t Hear Nothin’ But the Blues (feat. Mick Barr of Krallice), Nebadon, & savage Minneapolis noise rockers Weakwick.

Some other noteworthy developments from the past week and change:

The great, resurrected Floridian deathgrind band Maruta has released a new video from their underrated 2011 album Forward Into Regression, which you can watch below. Ex-Discordance Axis grinders Gridlink have debuted the first ‘single’ (read: minute-long grind jam) from their upcoming farewell album; you can stream that below as well, or download it (with a bunch of other goodies) from Invisible Oranges. In a somewhat more gossipy development, Jef Whitehead (Leviathan)’s gender-bending, totally NSFW art for the upcoming third Lord Mantis album is causing a stir, thanks in no small part to the fallout from Whitehead’s notorious 2011 altercation with his then-girlfriend. (Whitehead was initially charged with 34 raps of various descriptions, but was eventually cleared of all but one and ended up with a few years of probation.)

We’re gradually emerging from holiday mode over at Invisible Oranges; it’s important to pace yourself. We did take an in-depth look at the rather un-heavy new Alcest album today, though. (Stream a tune from that below as well.) We’ll be back on East Village Radio this coming Tuesday at 10pm, too, where we’ll no doubt be getting stoked for next Saturday (1/11)’s IO-presented Pig Destroyer/Dysrhythmia/Trenchgrinder/Mother Brain Vitus lineup.

Keep an eye on our NYC metal show calendar for the latest. What have I missed?