by BBG

Tombs at BV-Rocks Off Official CMJ Showcase 2011 (more by Jonathan McPhail)

Decibel released their list of the best LPs of 2011. The list features a few repeat offenders and not too many surprises. One record listed technically came out in 2010 (and made my list of favorites that year). You can check out the full thing below. What record do you think they left off?

Continue reading "Decibel Magazine's Top 40 of 2011"

photos by Stephanie Crumley, Villains photos by BBG

Proscriptor McGovern of Absu by Stephanie

Absu headlined Europa on National Metal Day (11/11/11) as part of a string of dates with Infernal Stronghold. Absu played a 75 minute set of old and new material (like "Earth Ripper" in the video below), some from their latest Abzu out now via Candlelight, and some from their contribution to a tour-only split with tour-mates Infernal Stronghold (available at the show).

Local blackened-sleaze favorites Villains supported Absu/Infernal Stronghold, and pictures/video of them and all other bands are below..

Continue reading "Absu, Infernal Stronghold & Villains played Europa (pics/video)"

by BBG

Exclusive look at Absu/Infernal Stronghold flexi cover by Dilek

Absu is commemorating their string of dates with Infernal Stronghold in physical form.

For the upcoming tour, the bands have self-released a split flexi that will only be available at these few shows. It will not be available for sale through other mediums whatsoever. one new song from each band on clear vinyl and 4 different colored silk-screened covers. Limited to 250 copies.

In January Absu heads to Australia for a string of dates with Portal. Check out our just-posted interview with Portal's Horror Illogium (and the accompanying remix he did for Bloody Panda).

All Absu tour dates, the show flyer, and some streams from Absu's latest LP Abzu (as well as other material) is below...

Continue reading "Absu to release tour-only split flexi with Infernal Stronghold, kick off East Coast dates tonight"

words by Adam Schragin, photos by Arian Brumby

Absu in San Antonio

Absu are setting to embark on a string of East Coast dates that will include Europa on 11-11-11 (a BrooklynVegan/Order of The Serpent production). Tickets are still on sale. The "mythological occult metal" crew recently kicked things off in San Antonio on 10/22 at Bonds 007 Rock Bar. Adam Shragin's thoughts on the gig follows... - BBG

As far as Texas metal is concerned, Austin may have the venues and Dallas may have the pedigree (or Arlington by extension - R.I.P. Dimebag), but San Antonio has the devotion. The city is railroaded frequently by simps who think only Tejano and metal can get a foothold locally, and while that's not entirely true, it is a fantastic place to live if you're a fan of accordions and/or down-tuned guitars. The city's metal-ness is probably one of the reasons it was chosen by Absu for their one Texas date before they speed off to places as far flung as the Netherlands, Montreal, Brooklyn and Massachusetts for a selection of winter dates.

Though crystallized in 1990, Absu's self-described "mythological occult metal" has made a big impact lately with the release of this year's Abzu, their seventh studio album and the second release in a trilogy that will end with the undetermined birth of the final act, Apsu. For now, the energy surrounding Abzu's technical, thrashy strengths are enough to rally an entire mini-festival around, which is exactly what happened on this Saturday night. Eight dark acts banded together under the banner "The Blackest of Hate," with Absu installed as the headliners and guests of honor at SA's Bond's 007 Rock Bar.

Though the whole thing kicked off at 6pm, it was possible to show up later and still see a walloping cross-section of black metal and other sinisterly inclined sounds. Dallas' Ophian are a blackened trio with a guttural flair, and while the stage was weirdly bifurcated by a pillar (wtf?), we could at least watch bassist Forgotten One tear through fast-paced bass runs. The set ended with a "Hail Lucifer!" and the horns from the crowd went up for not the first or last time that night.

Muddiness and a knife-twist into clarity and cleanliness are part of the black metal experience, but any band playing live needs to be able to hear themselves, and the bands at Bond's all had to struggle with sub-par sound. The problem was made manifest with the six-piece, symphonic-leaning Torment Defined out of Dallas, a band that was clearly trying to find their comfort on stage. The overdose of guitars made it difficult to parse out what happening, and the keyboard - unfortunately reminiscent of the synthesizer sounds on Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad" - didn't help either.

Houston's dramatic and powerful Morbus 666 fared better, and lead man and bassist Grimlord (also of Bahimiron) was able to cull out everything in his vocals from a tortured shout to a curdled scream. The guitars alternately shrieked like birds of prey and then morphed into tough, chugging machines - this band has range. Colorado's Nightbringer were also a powerful, heavy-hitting beast, though their lack of a bottom end (three guitarists, no bass) seemed an odd choice. Regardless, the band were clearly synched up, and the mollifying screams and heavy tone enticed the biggest crowd of the evening so far.

Absu took to the stage at one in the morning, the smoke machines pouring over bar decorations including severed heads and an outstretched zombie - a paean to Halloween and metal that felt both appropriate and a tad silly. The band is led by the very busy Proscriptor McGovern, a musician who manages to put his peers to shame by matching his assault on the drums with screeched vocals. Dude has got to have some sort of Kenny G.-style breath control, and appeared to do the work of three players without so much as gasping for air. Newer additions to Absu Vis Crom (guitars) and Ezezu (bass and vocals) led the charge, and played rapturously well when they weren't distracted by the venue's shortcomings - "This sounds like fucking dog shit," was how Ezezu put it at one point, though the venue's obvious problems only got worse when his bass stopped coming through the speakers mid-song, only to reappear with all the finesse of a farty dubstep drop. Gamely, the band played on, though Absu's obvious unhappiness seemed to coat the rest of the performance. A dude picking a fight in the pit who had to be roped by the neck out of the bar by his shorter, wiser girlfriend also sucked out some of the remaining energy, and any compassion we felt for the beleaguered sound guys was obliterated when they came on the PA near the end of the set to tell us all to "clean up all of your shit" before the bar closed for good - Ezezu's expression at the interruption was nothing short of total pissed-off-ness. The rare pleasure of seeing Absu may have been obstructed in part by amateurish club antics and testosterone-ranging fools, but them's the black metal breaks, and Absu and guests managed to pummel regardless - though it may be some time before our favorite mythical occult metal step foot in that venue again.

More pictures from Bonds 007 Rock Bar and all tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Absu & friends played San Antonio (pics, review, more dates)"

by BBG

Kuxan Suum at Acheron (more by BBG)

Though previously listed with the same lineup as the show they just played at Acheron, this Friday's 9pm Black Twilight Circle show at The Charleston will feature an almost entirely different lineup with Raspberry Bulbs, Volahn, Arizmenda, Shataan, and The Haunting Presence. Black Twilight Circle also visit WFMU that day (10/7).

The show is also one of two upcoming shows for Raspberry Bulbs who will also join Villains, Occultation and Skull at Saint Vitus on 10/18 (tickets).

Speaking of black metal, the.... New Yorker wrote a piece:

The fertile and fractious U.S. scene in the genre known as black metal can be understood through a familiar moment in rock history. In the sixties, British bands like Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones mined American blues, first copying their heroes and then creating something vivid and novel. In the nineties, a range of American acts began drawing from the work of Norwegian metal bands that were famous mostly for a look and for several unpleasant events. The Norwegians were largely faithful to the "corpse paint" costume, in which the face is covered in white makeup, with black circles drawn around the eye sockets. Upside-down-cross pendants and spiked bracelets were common accessories. The tabloid-worthy events centered on a musician named Varg Vikernes, of the one-man band Burzum, who encouraged and participated in the burning of churches. In 1993, while playing bass in a band called Mayhem, he murdered the guitarist, a man known as Euronymous.
Until recently, it was a legacy that the genre couldn't shake. But now American bands such as Liturgy, Krallice, Absu, Leviathan, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Inquisition have left a fair amount of the pageantry behind--not to mention the violence--and helped to create a community, as well as a musical moment that is rife with activity...

Wolves in the Throne Room, who premiered a track at NPR, have also since received 'Best New Music' from Pitchfork.

Speaking of Liturgy, The Quietus recently interviewed Aaron Weaver of Wolves in the Throne Room . They discussed, among other things, Liturgy and its place amongst the "black metal elite": Aaron Weaver says:

"Wolves in the Throne Room has absolutely received the same kind of criticism, because over the years I've said the exact same thing [as Hunter regarding black metal's ability to be positive and optimistic]. That's something that I believe very strongly. I think that maybe the difference is that I've always said that we don't play black metal. I refer to Wolves in the Throne Room as a black metal band just sort of out of convenience. But I've also been really clear over the years that I do think that true black metal, which is a worthwhile and very powerful thing, does need to be negative. It does need to be rooted in the darkest aspects of the human experience - bitterness, negativity, hatred, violence, tribal warfare, mass murder, these sort of things lurk in the human experience, and it's always been there. And true black metal channels that incredibly destructive and insane and violent energy."

Liturgy's tour with Boris hits Irving Plaza later this month.

by BBG

Absu at Gramercy Theater (more by Greg Cristman)

Mythological occult metal trio Absu will hit the road for some dates with Infernal Stronghold that will include a show at Europa on 11/11/11. Tickets for the Brooklyn show are on sale. All dates are listed below.

Absu's sixth LP Abzu is due on 10/4/11 via Candlelight. The LP marks the recording debut of guitarist Vis Crom (also Rumplestiltskin Grinder) and is the second of a planned trilogy of recordings that started with 2009's Absu. The band is also preparing to re-release The Sun of Tiphareth as a 3xLP box set with bonus tracks via Dark Symphonies/The Crypt. Look for more reissues via the label in 2012, including The Third Storm of Cythraul and Tara.

Meanwhile get familiar with Absu with a mixtape and Infernal Stronghold's latest split with Pizza Hi-Five, both streamable below. All tour dates down there too...

Continue reading "Absu releasing stuff, schedules shows w/ Infernal Stronghold, playing Brooklyn on 11/11/11 (dates)"

photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

[Immortal's] set was varied and opened to the tune of the title track off of their most recently released disc All Shall Fall and it was superb... The band continued playing most of their post-At The Heart Of Winter material which included plenty of material off of Sons of Northern Darkness, Damned In Black, and All Shall Fall.... Immortal simply blew me away with a live rendition of... 'Solarfall' ...with all of its excellent riffs and beautiful interludes. The powerful 'Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms' reflected the 33 degree weather outside along with 35 mph winds that Immortal had clearly setup for the entire city to endure.
-[The Number Of The Blog]

In related news, Immortal's Demonaz has announced his solo debut, March Of The Norse, due on April 1 (Europe) and May 17 (US). Look for it in CD, limited picture disc and regular black vinyl formats.

All dates, more pictures and Immortal's setlist, below...

Continue reading "Immortal & Absu played Gramercy Theatre (pics & setlist)"

by BBG

Immortal at Brooklyn Masonic Temple in April (more by Greg Cristman)

Immortal will team up with Absu (!) for six US dates entitled the "All Shall Fall 2011" tour. That tour includes a NYC show at Gramercy Theater on February 19th, 2011. Tickets are on sale as of noon today (11/17). All dates below.

Immortal recently dropped a new DVD, Live at Wacken 2007: The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh. Wacken was one of a few rare appearances that the band made after reformation in 2006/2007 (they did select US dates in 2007 as well). Pick up a copy.

Current tour dates and tour flyer along with some videos below...

Continue reading "Immortal & Absu touring in 2011, playing Gramercy (dates) "

words by Kim Kelly, intro by BBG, photos by Christopher Mumma & BBG

Thou

SXSW was a blast, but days before that the Scion Rock Fest shook the college town of Columbus, Ohio (March 13th) with it's mix of metal gods of the past (DRI, Cannibal Corpse, Voivod, Shrinebuilder, etc) and killers of today (Ludicra, Landmine Marathon, Yob, Thou, etc). The one-day fest was spread throughout four of the town's venue, meaning any one person could only see a limited amount of the full lineup. Luckily I went to Columbus with my own camera, two other photographers (Jessie Barber and Christopher Mumma), and crossed paths with writer Kim Kelly along the way. If there is a metal show worth a damn within hundreds (thousands?) of miles from Kim, she'll be there. Her version of the story along with half of the pictures from the day (the rest HERE), below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest in pics & review (part 1) - Ludicra, Liturgy, D.R.I., Yob, Thou, Lightning Swords of Death & more "

by BBG

Shrinebuilder at LPR (more here)

Atlanta no more! Scion Rock Fest 2010 will take place in Columbus, Ohio on March 13, 2010. The show will officially expand its reach from one to FOUR venues in Columbus: Circus, Newport Music Hall, Skully's, and Bernie's Distillery. 2010's lineup contains zero return bands from the 2009 festival but does contain sets from bands that released my favorite albums of last year (namely Magrudergrind, Yob, Absu) and played my favorite shows of last year (Lightning Swords of Death, Landmine Marathon, Trap Them, Black Tusk, Ludicra) in addition to sets from headliners Cannibal Corpse, Voivod, Shrinebuilder, Brutal Truth.

The rest of the lineup, the show flyer, and RSVP info is below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest 2010 (March 13 in Ohio) - lineup announced"

by BBG

Dave Verellen of Narrows (more by Samantha Marble)

Another year gone, but not without lasting memories! Eyehategod (x2). Akitsa. Rorschach (x2). BV-BBG @ CMJ. Ludicra. BV @ Northside. Keelhaul... Not to mention the tons of memories jogged by my turntable and iPod. Estimates place the number of albums released in 2008 at 115,000, and while similar data for 2009 is scarce, I think that number seems on the low side. With so many to choose from, you can imagine that it was tough to sift through 20 (22 actually) that represented my year...

Continue reading "The Year in Metal (BBG's best of 2009)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Doomriders - "Lions" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Portal - "Omenknow" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Javelina - "Step Child" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Karma To Burn - Live at Lit Lounge 4/20/09 (Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: 20 Buck Spin Label Sampler (Mediafire, Zipped MP3 via)
DOWNLOAD: Kowloon Walled City - Gambling On The Richter Scale (Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Converge - "Axe To Fall" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Power Pellut - "Black Molly" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Skies - "Smoke and Mirrors" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yoga - "Seventh Wind" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sleep - Live at ATP 5/9/09 (MP3)

Javelina @ the Northside BV-BBG Showcase (more by Jason Walker)

Alright! I get it. Doomriders rules. Revocation is up there. There's a new Converge and Baroness on the way. But even with all of those great releases, it suprises me that Javelina isn't near some of the top of those lists. The band's filthy debut was a monster and their new one, Beasts Among Sheep, only adds to their considerable reputation. If you are a fan of the last LP, this one is a must have. Dig on "Stepchild" above and preorder the limited edition LP version of Javelina's Beasts Among Sheep via Brutal Panda Records and the CD version via Translation Loss.

Speaking of that Doomriders album, Darkness Come Alive is out NOW via Deathwish Records. Though the party vibe that permeated through Black Thunder is mostly gone, it has been replaced by a propulsive punk rock fury and, at times, a Misfits-era Danzig croon (see "Come Alive")! There are quite a few killer moments on this long-player, but we present to you the most "fuck you" of them all, the galloping "Lions" downloadable above!

In our last round up, we shined a light on into the deepest fathoms of Australia and the truly frightening Portal. The band's claustrophobic and positively frightening new death metal LP, Swarth, relies as much on freak-out atmosphere as it does killer discordant riffery. Swarth is due out on 10/20 via Profound Lore and we have a second taste in the form of "Omenknow" above.
Misery Index have completed four new songs and are looking to enter the studio in early 2010 to record their follow up to Traitors! Stoked.

Iron Age @ Cake Shop (more by Jason Walker)

I still remember that kick ass Cake Shop show with Iron Age, Mind Eraser, and Sex Vid, and walking out of that show wanting more. Thankfully, I can add to those great memories with a PAIR of Iron Age shows in the coming weeks! First up, the rowdy Texans will team up with the great Mother of Mercy (profiled here) for a show at Cake Shop (10/16). The next day (10/17), look for the band to pull a double header with a day show at Generation Records and a night show at The Charleston with Brain Killer, Naam & Descender. Speaking of Mind Eraser, the band will team up with the kick ass Iron Lung for a string of east coast dates which will include Cake Shop on 11/8! Full Iron Age and Iron Lung dates are below.

Black Skies will release the limited edition vinyl from their 2008 EP Hexagon on I'm Better Than Everyone Else Records. The Chapel Hill doom trio is currently on the hunt for drummer #5, but not before blessing us with some seriously killer riffage in the form of "Smoke & Mirrors" above. Preorder Hexagon here.

Power Pellut is also releasing their debut LP via I'm Better than Everyone Else Records. Preorder that here and dig on "Black Betty" from that LP above!

Church of Misery will release a live record culled from their recent set at Roadburn 2009! More details are to come, but look for Burning World to do the honors in November/December of this year. In the meantime, dig on this killer live video from Roadburn 2009!

That video, news on Kowloon Walled City, Boris, Asphyx, Struck By Lightning, Ringworm, Repulsion and more!

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (09/30/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Asphyx - "Scorbutics" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gods & Queens - "Head To Wall" (Quicksand cover, MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Catalyst - "I Hate The Future" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Planks - S/T (Rapidshare, Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: They Are Cowards - Demo (Mediafire, Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Overmars - "Born Again" (MP3 Snippet)

Asphyx

Thanks all who came out Sunday night to Public Assembly. Full recap and pics coming soon HERE. In the meantime, pics from Friday's Repulsion show are HERE.

Asphyx's Death... The Brutal Way is due out in the US on August 18th, but it's shipping NOW at the Ibex Moon site. It's a sickening death/doom trip that's part down-tuned riff fest, part beastly conjuring, but 100% heavy heavy heavy. Recommended for fans of old school death metal, Entombed, Dismember, Autopsy, and the like. Check out one of the tracks, "Scorbutics", available for download above.

Gods & Queens currently have a new split 7" on the way via Hawthorne Street with the mighty Medusa, and have taken the time to drop off a killer cover of the Quicksand classic, "Head To Wall"! Download that above.

Weedeater have announced that Steve Albini will record their new album, which will be available in Spring 2010.

Swallow Your Teeth is the end of a long road for Richmond's The Catalyst, as the band has dropped multiple releases over their seven year history but THIS is their first LP! The noise-core merchants are currently streaming their Swallow Your Teeth at Scene Point Blank, but you can download the sick opening track, "I Hate The Future", above! The Catalyst have a few shows in the very near future, including The Glass Door on August 14th and a TBA show lined up for Aug 15th in Manhattan. Full tour dates are below. Pick up a copy of Swallow Your Teeth here.

Attention hardcore fans! Lambgoat is reporting that the legendary Disembodied will release Psalms of Sheol on Prime Directive in August, comprised of thirteen tracks of rare and unreleased material that includes the Existence In Suicide MCD and the Confession 7". Disembodied has reunited and sporadically played shows recently.

Baroness has a new album on the way, which we knew, but we now can attach a name to that effort Blue Record! The LP was recorded in Dallas, Texas with producer/engineer John Congleton (Explosions In The Sky, Black Mountain) and will hit the racks in October. Meanwhile, dig on the cover art (to the left) and the tracklisting below!

First of all, The Endless Blockade would like it be known that they "have not broken up". As a matter of fact, they finally released their split with Agoraphobic Nosebleed and have a split with The Bastard Noise out soon (stream the new BN track here). The boys in TEB "just figured another band would give us even less time in our lives to do anything else". That new band? Slaughter Strike.

Candlelight records has signed the mighty midwestern band The Atlas Moth, whose new album A Glorified Piece of Blue Sky will be released on Oct 6th. The band dropped their massive EP, Pray for Tide, on Witch Trial last year.

Planks have reissued their 2008 split with Tombs as the "European edition" featuring artwork by Mike Wohlberg. If you never got a hold of the Black Box Recordings version, it is highly recommended. Pick that up through the either of the bands on tour. Meanwhile, Planks recently made their massive S/T LP (where these two songs came from) available for free download! Pick that up above. Mike Hill of Tombs has posted all of the lyrics from the massive Winter Hours via his blog.

Crucial Blast is set to release Overmars's 2008 LP Born Again. The LP combines electronics, ambient soundscapes, Swans industrial dirge, and the thunder of Neurosis to create a different and powerful take on post-metal. The band is scheduled to hit the US with the mighty Battlefields, logging a pair of dates in NYC: Europa on August 16th and September 3rd at The Charleston. This will destroy.

Mastodon, High On Fire, Converge, and Dethklok announced dates (and a presale).

The premiere of the NEW Goes Cube video for "Saab Sonnet", more news on Black Sun, Absu, Trap Them, Kylesa, Anaal Nathrakh, and Darkthrone as This Week In Metal continues.....

Continue reading "this week in Metal (8/5/09) (includes new Goes Cube video)"

by Black Bubblegum

it hasn't turned out to be a disaster on the level of Blackenedfest, but the current CIII tour has had it's fair share of ups and downs. First Averse Sefira dropped off and were subsequently replaced by Rumplestiltskin Grinder. Then French Black Metallers Glorior Belli drop off. That said, Absu is still prepared to destroy NYC with Sothis (and Rumplestiltskin Grinder) this Sunday (6/21) at BB King's. tickets are still available.

In addition to Sunday's show, tonight's sold out gig at Fontana's (6/19) will offer a rare live glimpse into the black metal underground with the first EVER US show by Quebecois BMer Akitsa crossing paths with Bone Awl, Ashdautas, and Volahn.

Absu is currently touring off of their first LP in 8 years, and first to feature an entirely new lineup save for drummer/vocalist Proscriptor McGovern. In addition to the CIII tour, the band has lined up an appearance at Hostile City Deathfest with Deicide, Vital Remains, Monstrosity, Anal Cunt, Fuck The Facts and many many others.

Glorior Belli recently added a new drummer and has a new album out NOW, Meet Us At The Southern Sign.

Anal Cunt & Fuck The Facts will join Copremesis, Gwynbleidd and Locrian for Show No Mercy on July 5th. Stay tuned for some VERY exciting announcements regarding Show No Mercy August!

Check out the Seldon Hunt-designed flyer for Show No Mercy, all Absu tour dates, and a few Absu videos below...

Continue reading "Absu Sunday, Akitsa & Bone Awl tonight -- a black metal weekend in NYC ++ other tour dates "

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

Absu @ Spiro's, March 20th at WFMU/Acquarius Records SXSW Showcase

Much like Cynic, Carcass, and At The Gates before them, fallen metal heroes Atheist are BACK. A few weeks ago, the Atheist camp let loose that they were booking shows for summer 2009 and "into 2010". One of those shows, Maryland Deathfest on May 22 - 24 at Sonar in Baltimore, MD, was revealed six months ago, but we now have word that Atheist will play BB Kings with The Faceless, Psyopus, The Agonist, and Gnostic on July 12th! Ticket info is forthcoming. Full Atheist tour dates are below.

Atheist are a technical death metal band from Florida, founded in 1984, whose music combined brutal riffs with subtle latin music arrangements and elements of jazz. Their second album, Unquestionable Presence, released in 1991, has been regarded by some critics as one of the most influential technical death metal albums of all time. -[Wiki]

Absu, Wildildlife, and Slough Feg as well as Obits and many many esteemed others played Spiro's on March 20th as part of the WFMU/Aquarius Records showcase. Although there were some sound issues, Absu were phenomenal and it seemed like they could have (and wanted to) kept on playing well past their slot time. Slough Feg was equally as impressive; those riffs were somehow even more soaring live than on record. Although Wildildlife in the live setting lose some of the quirky experimentalism that makes their records so unique, they were great in a wholly different sort of way.

Absu's new self-titled album, their first in eight years (!), is out NOW on Candlelight. Wildildlife recently reissued the Peas Feast 12" on Crucial Blast. Slough Feg's new album, Ape Uprising is due on June 2nd via Cruz Del Sur.

More Absu, Wildildlife and Slough Feg pics, and all tour dates, are below...

Continue reading "a NYC Atheist show; Absu, Wildildlife, Slough Feg SXSW pics"

DOWNLOAD: Napalm Death - "The Silence Is Deafening" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Napalm Death - "Low Life"(MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Napalm Death- "When All Is Said And Done" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Amesoeurs- "Gas In Veins / Amesouers" (MP3 Excerpt)
DOWNLOAD: Cobalt- "Arsonry" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hellmouth- "Praying For Plague" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Big Business- "Gold & Final" (MP3)

Absu

With Absu's new self-titled LP due only a few weeks away (Feb 24th), the band have announced their participation in CIII along with French black metallers Glorior Belli, Austin's Averse Sefira, and Sothis, including a date at BB Kings on June 21st! Tickets are currently on presale here and go on sale to the general public on March 5th. Glorior Belli recently dropped a preview of their upcoming album.

Funeral Mist, the black metal crew featuring Mortuus of Marduk, have announced their NEW album, Maranatha due on Norma Evangelium Diaboli (link NSFW) on Feb 23rd! Funeral Mist's last album, Salvation, was released in 2006. In related/as exciting news, Marduk have announced more dates for their previously reported US trek with Mayhem, Cattle Decapitation, Cephalic Carnage, and Withered including Irving Plaza on May 21! No ticket details as of yet, but we'll let you know when they surface. Full tour schedule below.

Javelina have announced the more details about their previously announced Sanford Parker-produced LP coming soon on Translation Loss. Their sophomore effort will include nine original tunes, as well as a Buzzov*en cover ("Whisky Fit") that will be featured on a upcoming tribute record (which will also feature contributions from Sourvein, Deadbird, Fistula, Kylesa, Zoroaster and many more). Look for the new record in late summer or early fall with song titles like "You're Going to Hate This", "Towers of Silence", "The Black Blizzard" and "Stepchild".

Grace of Landmine Marathon

Landmine Marathon have scheduled an East Coast tour including TWO nights in NYC! On April 13th, Grace and the boys will descend upon Lit Lounge (Precious Metal) backed by Wizardry and Seizure Crypt. Three days later (4/16), the band have set aside the day to play an additional show in Brooklyn... details are forthcoming. Landmine Marathon are also on board to play both the New England Hardcore & Metal Fest, as well as the Los Angeles Murderfest. Full tour schedule below. Speaking of Wizardry, the band will record their entire live show at Union Pool on Feb 25th for later release.

Pelican have signed with Southern Lord! The band is currently recording material at Red Room studios in Seattle for what will be their debut EP for the label. Look for the new material to be "heavier, darker and very riff-oriented," according to guitarist Trevor De Brauw. Pelican also announced a slew of tour dates with Tombs (none in NYC), including a stint with Wolves In The Throne Room that will bring the trio to SXSW as part of the Southern Lord showcase. WITTR have a new EP AND LP on the way, and recently dropped a live LP, Live at Roadburn.

Deathspell Omega's Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum - Chaining the Katechon EP, culled from their split with S.V.E.S.T. is out NOW at Southern Lord, and if you were a fan of their last LP, I highly reccommend it. Also of note at Southern Lord: Wolves in The Throne Room's previously mentioned Malevolent Grain EP, the new and mega-rare Boris/Michio Kurihara Cloud Chamber LP (1500 total copies) as well as the Boris Vs. Choukoku - More Echoes, Touching Air Landscape reissue. WITTR's new album Black Cascade is due on Mar 31st.

Speaking of WITTR, Scion Rock Fest is a little more than two weeks away, and we have 10 PAIRS of tickets and 10 Josh Graham designed posters for giveaway. In the meantime, dig on the recently posted set times below (thx anon)!

As we originally reported in September, sunn o))) has a new album on the way that we THOUGHT was called Dimensions. Turns out, according to an interview with The Quietus, the new album is due in May, will be entitled Monoliths & Dimensions, and will feature Jessika Kenney, Eyvind Kang, as well as frequent contributors Oren Ambarchi, Attila Csihar (Mayhem) and Dylan Carlson (Earth). Check out the tracklisting below. Speaking of Stephen O'Malley, the previously discussed Aethenor record, Faking Gold & Murder is out NOW.

Napalm Death, Malkuth, Hellmouth, Cynic, Reverend Bizarre and more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (02/10/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Harpoon - "Frogs, Boils, Locusts..." (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Like Rainbows in Gasoline" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Brown Acid Brainwound" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Subliminal Force of Suggestive Notion" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Super Happy Fun Slide - "Fast One" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Super Happy Fun Slide - "Bohemian" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Elder - "White Walls" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Serpentcult - "The Weight Of Light" (MP3)

Welcome to this week in Metal! This week we'll start with the pedal to the floor with Harpoon of Chicago, who will release their new LP Double Gnarly / Triple Suicide on Interloper Records. Featuring members of 7000 Dying Rats, the band recorded the LP in August 2008 with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos), sending it off to metal-mastering go-to Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) for the finishing touches. The trio takes advantage of the drum machine gun to create a relentless grind assault reminiscent of Plague Bringer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, or Genghis Tron (sans keys). Check out "Frogs, Boils, Locusts..." available for download above, and cop it on limited LP (400 in black, 100 in white & blue marbled vinyl) when it drops on Feb 10th! Harpoon recently added bassist DJ Baracca (ex-Lair of The Minotaur) to their ranks and have added a few live dates in and around the Chi (dates below).

Absu have announced a new self-titled album, posting the ripping new track "Girra's Temple" to their myspace. Due on Feb 24th on Candlelight Records, the band have also lined up a few dates including SXSW on Mar 20th at Spiros and at... you guessed it... Maryland Deathfest. Meanwhile, Absu is garnering alot of media attention lately... check out features in Metal Maniacs, Terrorizer, and Zero Tolerance.

Hot off of the release of his first solo album Punctuated Equilibrium, Wino will play his first show with his solo band (featuring skinsman extraordinaire Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch) at the 9:30 club in Washington, DC on Sat Feb 7th! Wino will be joined by King Giant and the mighty Salome, who will be in NYC with Ocean on Feb 15th. In related news, Clutch have released their first digital single "King Of Arizona" (iTunes users, buy it here), from the upcoming remastered Slow Hole to China, Rare & Unreleased. The band have lined up a few dates with their alter ego (most of 'em anyway), The Bakerton Group including Feb 27 at The Chance in Poughkeepsie and Feb 28 at The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale. Full tour dates below.

As much theorized and finally realized, The Auditory Assault Festival will take place at Club Europa on May 16 & 17.

Complete Failure announced a short tour of the east coast and the midwest with Polish grinders Antigama including an NYC date at Europa on May 20th. Details are forthcoming, full tour dates are below. The Pittsburghers (CF) have posted a trio of demo tracks at their website, check them out above. Antigama is prepping for March 3rd, when Relapse will drop their new album Warning.

Mastodon's Crack The Skye artwork

Mastodon is currently streaming "Divinations" from the upcoming Crack The Skye. Check it out kids... it's a burner! The single is also available for sale with a limited edition tee. Mastodon and Genghis Tron are playing the Coachella festival this year.

Eyehategod, Rotten Sound, Cripple Bastards, Malignancy, Resistant Culture, and Voetsek have been added to the Los Angeles Murderfest!

Napalm fucking Death will be in NYC in April!

Rise Above dropped the new album by Belgians Serpentcult, a doomy hybrid of Electric Wizard and High on Fire fronted by Michelle Nocon, a female with some SERIOUS pipes. The Weight of Light was produced by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins) and the band is streaming three of those tracks at their myspace, with the title track available for download above. So far the band haven't added any North American dates, but if they do, we'll let you know (european tour dates below). Meanwhile, dig on an interview that Serpentcult did with Hellride Music here.

Coliseum have announced a slew of tourdates (below) as well as a new seven-inch entitled "True Quiet / Last Wave" on Deathwish! Full tour dates are below. Coliseum with join Converge, Genghis Tron (who was recently added), Ceremony, Pulling Teeth, and Rise & Fall at Europa on March 27th.

Blut Aus Nord have posted "The Formless Sphere (Beyond The Reason)" to their myspace page, the first new song from the upcoming Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With The Stars. Look for in Feb 23rd on Candlelight.

Valient Thorr have added a February 6th show at The Shank in Greenpoint (98 Bayard @ Leonard) with Acid Tiger, Golden Error, with Tournament. This show makes it TWO NYC dates.... don't forget about their upcoming show with Anthrax and a half pipe.

Minsk, Slayer, Battlefields, Devourment, Obituary, and more below...

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