by BBG

Tombs @ the Studio

Unlike certain shows that cancel because of the rain... joking, of course... ours was inside, but Tombs and A Storm of Light brought the thunder to The Studio at Webster Hall last night (6/9) as part of a dual (or based on those heavy riffs, should I say dueling?) record release show with Bastard Sapling.

Tombs, who just get more incredible with every show, were particularly amazing last night as they blasted through songs like "Constellations" from their new LP Path To Totality. A Storm of Light featured Nerissa Campbell for the evening and the band's newer material was heavy and awesome in the live setting, with Josh Graham's compositions inching more towards the sound of his other band (Neurosis). Despite playing directly against the storm, Bastard Sapling delivered a powerful set too; their icy black metal blast sounding bigger than ever on the Studio PA.

Tombs and A Storm of Light are currently on the road together. More pictures from The Studio show below...

Continue reading "Tombs, A Storm of Light & Bastard Sapling @ The Studio (pics)"

by BBG

Indian

Chicago metal bands Indian and Bloodiest both released killer albums on Relapse in the past year, and the two bands will team up to play a Brooklyn show together at Union Pool on June 25th. Hallux is also on the bill. $10 gets you in the door. Flyer below.

Indian and Hallux will also team up for a free show at Generation Records at 2PM the next day (6/26). More info is available at the Facebook invite.

Indian returned to the studio and released their latest LP Guiltless in April via Relapse. The sludge/doom release is their first in three years, as the band has been occupied in other projects like Lord Mantis, Wolves In The Throne Room, and A Storm of Light.

A Storm of Light kicks off their tour with Tombs at The Studio at Webster Hall in NYC WEDNESDAY with Bastard Sapling (Panzerbastard has sadly cancelled their appearance). Tickets for the NYC show are still available. Flyer below.

Bloodiest, which features the great Bruce Lamont (of solo/Yakuza fame), also recently released their LP for Relapse, Descent. Stream that LP in full, with all dates and flyers, below....

Continue reading "Relapse labelmates Indian & Bloodiest playing a show, A Storm of Light kicking off tour w/ Tombs"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Avichi "Under Satan's Sun" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Disma"Spectral Domination" (MP3)

Only in Japan will you find the unique combination of bratty punk rock, crust, doom, and drone all rolled into one. After releasing the well-received Ill Innocence in 2007, Gallhammer is back albeit without founding member Mika Penetrator. The now-duo hit the studio late last year to record their follow-up LP, The End, which will see its release via Peaceville on May 31st. Recorded by Maniac (Skitliv, Mayhem), the new LP (thats the art to the left) visits familiar blackened themes from their previous Fenriz-approved debut, like the riot-grrl inspired new song "Aberration". Stream that below and preorder a copy at Peaceville.

Reminder, Inter Arma will link up with Bastard Sapling, and Castevet on May 7th at Mother Pugs in Staten Island and at Acheron on May 8th with new addition SALO (Saturday & Sunday).

And you can make Sunday a day of heavy music, as Woe has added a last minute show in NYC, and its an early one. The show goes down at 3PM at Semi-Legit (6 Charles Place in Brooklyn) and will also feature appearances from Primitive Savagery, and MAD. $5 gets you in to the early 3PM show. Flyer below.

Bastard Sapling at BV-BBG CMJ (more by Keith Marlowe)

Check out some snippets from the upcoming Autopsy LP Macabre Eternal at their mini-site. We recently posted the first track, "Always About To Die".

Dark Castle is streaming a new song from their forthcoming Surrender to All Life Beyond Form at Invisible Oranges. The band will go on tour with YOB (with Rob Shaffer of DC on drums) and hit Le Poisson Rouge on July 12th (tickets). Invisible Oranges is also hosting a pair of interviews with Earth.

Stereogum is currently hosting a new track by Premonition 13 due on the forthcoming 13 via Summer Solstice/Volcom on 6/21.

Blake Judd admits that Nachtmystium's Addicts was inspired by his own battle with heroin, and that he is working on new Nachtmystium material with members of Avichi as well as Sanford Parker. Judd is also scheming new material with Von! Speaking of Avichi, look for their new LP, The Devil's Fractal, via Profound Lore on 7/19 (thats the art work). Check out "Under Satan's Sun" available for download above.

Last but not least, Disma will release their new LP Towards The Megalith via Profound Lore Records. Check out the new song "Spectral Domination" available for download above and look for the LP on 7/19. More brutal death from these long-time metal/hardcore vets.

That Gallhammer stream and some suggested NYC shows are below...

Continue reading "Evillive (Avichi, Gallhammer, Bastard Sapling, Woe, Disma...)"

by BBG

Bastard Sapling at The Charleston (more by Samantha Marble)

Richmond's Bastard Sapling and Inter Arma share a few members, but more importantly they share that very-Richmond, punk rock ethos that makes their scene so fertile. The black metal-tinged pair are on the road in May and will play a string of shows including NYC twice: May 7th at Mother Pugs in Staten Island and a BrooklynVegan presented show on May 8th at Acheron with Castevet.

Inter Arma's last release was the groove-sludge black-metal LP Sundown, while Bastard Sapling's blastingly powerful last effort was the V: A Sepulcher to Swallow the Sea 7" for Tension Head Records. Bastard Sapling is currently working on a full length and Inter Arma have a new EP in the works.

Both Inter Arma and Castevet are BV showcase veterans, as Inter Arma played the official BV-BBG CMJ showcase last year at Union Pool and Castevet played the BV/Profound Lore show at Lovejoy's during SXSW 2011.

All tour dates and a few videos below...

Continue reading "Inter Arma touring w/ Bastard Sapling (NY show w/ Castevet)"

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble, BBG

Battlemaster, summoning the darkness

Richmond spread a little darkness at The Charleston as Bastard Sapling, Inter Arma, and Battlemaster teamed up with the Brooklyn's own Mutant Supremacy for a night that tipped the scales back from holy to balanced on an Easter (4/4) evening. From Battlemaster and Bastard Sapling's blackened thrash attack, to Inter Arma's thundering post-metal crunch, all three bands destroyed and made me think... what is in the water down in Richmond? (Is every heavy band down there incredible?)

Unfortunately due to the late hour, Samantha and I had to skip out before Mutant Supremacy (who thrash/kill/destroy), so no photos of the great locals, but pictures of all the other bands are below...

Continue reading "Battlemaster, Bastard Sapling & Inter Arma @ The Charleston in NYC - pics "

by BBG

Battlemaster at Heart of Winter Fest (more by Diana Lee Zadlo)

Call it the "heart of early spring" fest. Two stellar bands that roughed up the crowds at Heart of Winter fest, Battlemaster and Bastard Sapling will re-emerge from their coffins and team up with Inter Arma for The Charleston TONIGHT (Easter, 4/4) with Mutant Supremacy (who replaced Castevet on the bill). Later this year Bastard Sapling and Inter Arma will hit the road for a (much more) extensive US tour. Full tour dates below... lots of TBA's. Contact the band to help out.

Inter Arma have a new LP entitled Sundown due on Forcefield Records this spring. More on that soon.

40% of Inter Arma, 20% of Battlemaster and one Elway (of Celebrity Murders, CR, and Murdock fame) make up the great Bastard Sapling whose unholy rituals I managed to witness when they played Lit with Lightning Swords of Death.

Battlemaster are also on board for the third year of an absolutely insane free festival on Governor's Island. Punk Island returns this year on June 20th. The massive lineup features Negative Approach (!), Midnight, Nunslaughter, Star Fucking Hipsters, Infernal Stronghold, No Redeeming Social Value, and many other notables. The current and currently expanding lineup with some videos and those dates, below...

Continue reading "Punk Island's initial 2010 lineup (Negative Approach & MANY more), Battlemaster & Bastard Sapling tour dates "

by Black Bubblegum

Lightning Swords of Death

What better place to see the black metal attack of Liturgy (though some call them "white metal"), Lightning Swords of Death, Bastard Sapling, and Agrath than the dingy basement of Lit Lounge, where the bands squared off on August 17th as part of Precious Metal.

I arrived bright and early to catch Agrath, the only band of the four that I wasn't familiar with. The NYC band had some interesting discordant riffage and were tight/executed very well, but had little to no stage prescence- save for the moments in between songs when the vocalist croaked song titles in his best black metal screech. If Agrath can somehow channel the evil from their riffs into their live show, they could be something interesting.

Richmond's Bastard Sapling followed, whom I was previous familiar via their performance at the ABC No Rio in Feb with Tombs, Black Anvil, and Woe (helluva bill right?) back in February. Beyond intense performance from this thrashy black metal five piece which includes the ex-drummer from CR (who are reuniting in September). Killer band, and highly reccommended if you get the chance to catch them.

Lightning Swords of Death was the main attraction of the evening for me, and the Los Angeles band managed to be beyond amazing in what ranks as one of the greatest performances I have ever seen in the basement of Lit Lounge. LSOD played with a fog machine (set to maximum, I am guessing?) which, when coupled with the Lit Lounge house light rig, clouded the basement and recalled a Zoroaster live show. Each member contributes a vital piece to LSOD: Roskva's (who also does time in Endless Blizzard) thundering guitar tone recalls that of a doom band and not one more conducive to tremolo picking. Reverend Black snarls, crouches low and plays bass like an unhinged barbarian, complete with a freakout noise session that would have made Thurston Moore proud. Lead vocalist Autarch vocals are fantastically diabolical, and he is comfortable in the role of blasphemous ringmaster. And drummer Thrudvang... he is talented and all but I pretty much can't guarantee much more than that because the fog was so damn dense.

LSOD were unbelievable live and I cannot reccomend them enough. I find it somewhat shocking that a major like Metal Blade would sign a band of this style (although Century Media did sign Nachtmystium), but I am beyond excited to see it. Random question though... is this band's name a reference to the great Lone Wolf and Cub series of kung fu films? If so, my appreciation for that moniker jumps up considerably.

It was a tall order for Liturgy to top LSOD, and the four piece did their best. Drawing heavily from their to-be-lauded LP Renihilation, the band were tight, focused, and muscular. I have seen Liturgy many a time, and it seems that this relatively young band is experienced beyond their years and keep getting better. During their second to last song, guitarist/vocalist Hunter broke a string and instead of having the audience wait until he replaced that string, said "that's it, sorry guys". A few in the audience started to trickle out, but screams of "one more" eventually led the band to make a deal: if they could wait until the string was changed and the band would play on. The audience did, and Liturgy did. Sounds like a fair trade to me.

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Lightning Swords of Death, Bastard Sapling & Liturgy @ Lit Lounge in NYC (Precious Metal) - pics"