photos by Adam Murray and Genie Sanchez, words by BBG

Morbid Angel

Two outdoor tents, a club, and a theater hosted 26 bands. Perhaps by design, the premises lacked alcohol (except for the theater). So bad behavior was scarce. Fans happily bounced from venue to venue, queuing for some bands (Wormrot, Floor, Atheist, Obituary, Morbid Angel), and eating burgers from the Grill 'Em All trucks. To order the Witte Burger (beef, bun, cream cheese, deep-fried bacon, beer-and-Sriracha-soaked onions, malt vinegar aioli), my friend Robert merely pointed several feet away, where Dave Witte himself was standing.
-[Invisible Oranges]

Saturday (3/5) was the left coast's turn for Scion Rock Fest 2011. The one day, multiple venue festival relocated to Pomona, CA this year, and housed legendary names like Morbid Angel, Obituary, Integrity, Agalloch, and many more alongside names of tomorrow and underground favorites like Bastard Noise, Anaal Nathrakh, Floor, Wormrot, and many more.

Kvelertak were supposed to play too. but their passports and visas were stolen at the airport moments before they boarded the plane to the US. As a result, they'll also miss some days of the Weedeater/Zoroaster tour, but should "be in the states by Friday" (3/11). That means they should have no trouble making it to SXSW where they're on board to play Full Metal Texas. The band was replaced in Pomona by Black Cobra.

More pictures and some videos from Scion Rock Fest 2011, below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest 2011 in pics & video (Morbid Angel, Obituary, Integrity, Agalloch & more) (but not Kvelertak)"

by BBG

UK Crust legends Doom

Doom were an English crust punk band from Birmingham, England, whose first, influental lineup were together from 1987 to 1990. Despite its short existence, the band is considered pivotal in the rise of crust punk, a style within the punk rock subgenre that fuses extreme metal with anarcho-punk. They recorded for Peaceville Records and are cited as an early precursor to the grindcore style of heavy metal music. Doom were also a favorite of BBC Radio DJ John Peel. -[Wiki]

As we knew, Doom have reformed again and is scheduled to play Maryland Death Fest and Chaos in Tejas. Now comes word that the UK crust legends will fill the holes in between, adding Europa on May 27th with Dropdead, Teargas, and others. Tickets are on sale. The full tour schedule is below. Dropdead recently played the A389 Anniversary show in Baltimore with Integrity and a host of others.

In related Maryland Deathfest bands on the road news, a pair of great all ages metal shows have popped up at Shea Stadium recently. May 20th will see death metal from Deutchland as Defeated Sanity team up with the great Dysrhythmia and Andromorphus Rexalia. The show is one of two scheduled for Dysrhythmia in the near future. March 11th will see them at Union Pool.

The next day at Shea Stadium, May 21st, The Kill and Noisear have added a second show in addition to their previously discussed appearance with Cripple Bastards at Public Assembly on May 25th. "Interracial deathgrinders" Copremesis and The Communion will kickstart the show. Speaking of that Cripple Bastards show, the bill just got a little more impressive with the addition of Shitstorm (mems Torche, Capsule, ex-Kylesa).

They must love us! After playing Death By Audio last weekend, oddball doom faves The Body will play Union Pool on February 22nd with Braveyoung and one more TBA. The show is one of two NYC shows scheduled for the band, as they will also team up with Unearthly Trance and Whitehorse (!) to play the Acheron on 4/1 at the tail end trip back from SXSW.

Not quite metal, but Jarboe has scheduled an NYC show at Europa on March 24th with Vampilia. Tickets are on sale and the show is Jarboe's only current tour date. No word on who will join Jarboe on stage, as both Nick Palmirotto and Fade Kainer (members of her band, along with Erik Wunder) will be on tour with their respective bands (Hull & Batillus). Hull & Batillus play The Studio at Webster Hall two days later (3/26) with Caltrop, tickets are on sale.

In other metal related news, the facade know as Sepultura (Andreas Kisser is the lone original member) rolls into town and the band is hitting the road for a string of dates that include Gramercy Theater on 4/25. Tickets are still available. They'll be joined by Keep of Kalessin, Bonded in Blood, Neuraxis, and Hate. Full tour dates are below.

Atheist will play Santos Party House on March 3rd with A Life Once Lost, the great Revocation, and Last Chance To Reason. Ticket info is forthcoming. Atheist released the well-received Jupiter last year and A Life Once Lost, who recently lost their drummer, have signed on to Season Of Mist.

All tour dates and some video is below.

Continue reading "UK crust legends Doom touring ++ Defeated Sanity, The Kill, The Body, Jarboe & others add shows too (dates)"

by BBG

Yob at Scion Rock Fest 2010 (more)

Scion has confirmed exclusively to LA Weekly that they will be bringing their metaltastic Rock Fest this year to Southern California.

"Scion's major event of the year," confirms their publicist, "is a huge metal festival with four stages and 30 bands. We did the first in Atlanta and the second in Columbus [check out part one and and two of our pics & review]. It's always a mix of legendary bands, important bands and up-and-coming bands, representing all the areas of underground metal. And like all the stuff we do it's all ages and free."

"What no one knows yet," he continues "is the next one will be on March 5, 2011 in Pomona. We're taking over the Fox Theater and the Glass House and building two more stages nearby."

Headlining the Scion Rock Fest in the LA area will be death metal royalty Morbid Angel with their first US show in six years (and as of now, the only scheduled US date in 2011)

...Founding member guitarist Trey Azagthoth, regarded by many as the greatest death metal guitarist of all time, will be at the helm along with bassist David Vincent (member 1986-1996 & 2004 - present) and Destructhor (member since 2008).

The Scion Rock Fest will include 26 bands on four stages (including The Fox Theater, The Glass House and two outdoor stages). -[LA Weekly]

Rumors circulated right around the announcement of Scion Rock Fest 2010 that Morbid Angel would play that year's show. Glad to hear that those were (somewhat) true. Hopefully Morbid Angel schedule some shows outside of California too.

One of the bigger names at Scion Rock Fest in 2010 was Shrinebuilder. Don't forget that half of Shrinebuilder, Scott Kelly and Wino, are going on a solo tour in February. Tickets are still on sale for the February 12th Mercury Lounge show which now looks like this:

Scott Kelly (of Neurosis) 11:30
Wino (of Saint Vitus) 10:30
Man's Gin (of Cobalt) 9:30
Hunter Hunt-Henrix (of Liturgy) 8:30

You can also catch all of Liturgy (who played Scion Rock Fest 2010) on January 14th At Silent Barn with Controlled Bleeding, Cellular Chaos, PAK, and Diablo, January 27th at Union Pool with Naam, Yr Youth, and Arms, February 10th at Glasslands with Extra Life, Lichens, and Chaos Majik, and February 25th At Monster Island Basement with Talk Normal and Nat Baldwin. More local metal shows are listed in the latest edition of Evillive.

The PRP is also reporting a rumored list of other artists playing Scion Rock Fest 2011. I can confirm that at least half of a dozen of those are true. That list is reprinted below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest 2011 will be in California, Morbid Angel confirmed (and more artists rumored) ++ more Liturgy dates"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Coalesce - "Questions To Root Out Fools" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brutal Truth - "Sugardaddy" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "Agorapocalypse Now" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: General Surgery - "Restrained Remains" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lord Mantis - "Lord Mantis"
DOWNLOAD: Mournful Congregation - The June Frost Medley (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Atomic Bitchwax - "Revival"
DOWNLOAD: Weekend Nachos - "Pain Over Acceptance" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Weekend Nachos - "Shot In The Head" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ruins - "Suicidal Pulse" (MP3)

Coalesce LIVE at Scion Rock Fest (photo by Mike White)

Relapse is KILLIN' IT in the 09 so far. In one month's time, Relapse will destroy the Earth with THREE grind releases that could all potentially make my list of favorites for the year! First up, Mumakil's new album Behold The Failure which is out NOW on Relapse. Made up of ex members of Knut, Behold The Failure has been in constant rotation since it dropped on Mar 31st. Hear the whole thing here. Then on April 17th, Relapse aims to make you empty your wallets, by releasing both the new Brutal Truth (Evolution Through Revolution) and Agoraphobic Nosebleed (Agorapocalypse) on THE SAME DAY. In other ANb/Brutal Truth news, if you skate, dig on the ANb, Total Fucking Destruction (featuring Richard Hoak of BT), Crom, and Cryptic Slaughter decks for sale here. ANb and Crom dropped a split 7" which is fading fast.... head here to scoop it before it goes bye-bye.

A month or so after the grind mayhem, Relapse will drop the new Coalesce, Ox, their first record since the classic 0:12 Revolution is Just Listening which was release TEN YEARS AGO. The quartet recently debuted two new tracks; check out "Wild Ox Moan" streaming at their myspace and download "Questions To Root Out Fools" above!

Swedish gore-grinders General Surgery will drop their new album Corpus In Extremis on Listenable Records on April 7th, which includes the massive "Restrained Remains" available for download above! Check out their myspace page or their home page for a preview, dig on the album cover (to the right), and swing way low for tour dates.

Malkuth's latest record Sefirah Gevurah is out NOW on Hospital Productions. Pick it up here. The band has one show on their itinerary... May 9th at Starr Space in Bushwick. Mark your calendars.

Mournful Congregation recently dropped their new LP, The June Frost, on Enucleation Records, and if you like your guitar chords served up in first-gear (or maybe even in neutral) this funeral doom opus is for you. Check out the above snippet MP3 featuring moments from The June Frost above, and pick that record up here. For more on the band, check out an interview with Mournful Congregation here.

The Atomic Bitchwax will re-release their LP TAB4 on Tee Pee Records. Check out "Revival" available for download above and look for the record on 4/21.

The previously mentioned Atheist tour has expanded. Check out current tour dates below. Tickets for their July 12th show at BB Kings are currently on sale.

Weekend Nachos have offered up two new songs from their upcoming LP Unforgivable due on Deep Six Records in May. Check out "Pain Over Acceptance" and "Shot In The Head" downloadable above.

Xasthur's new full length LP on cassette, All Reflections Drained has sold out. "The 2xLP should be out shortly"

More on The Auditory Assault Festival, Om, Coffins, Dark Castle, Lord Mantis, The Holy Mountain, Church of Misery, Minsk, and sooo much more as The Week In Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (04/09/09)"