by Kim Kelly

Tom Warrior at Gramercy Theater (more here)

Thomas Gabriel Fischer - Tom G. Warrior to you - is one of extreme metal's truly legendary figures. He is the definition of a lifer. From the first primal screams of Hellhammer through the incredibly influential and ever-tumultuous Celtic Frost to his latest endeavour, the darkly cathartic Triptykon, the man has spent well over half his life creating, appreciating, and inspiring metal, and his fans love him dearly for it. However, as he was quick to remind your humble narrator, Tom is still a mere mortal, made up of the same flesh and blood and heartache as you, me, and the legions of metalheads the world over that call him their hero. He has had his doubts, his failures, and his own demons to fight, but has risen above to offer us yet another chance at redemption.

Our interview took place in a cramped office backstage at New York City's cavernous Gramercy Theatre. As paint-streaked members of 1349 wandered by and the dull roar of excited fans outside filtered through the door, Tom offered up an deeply personal and intensely honest look at his new band, his past, and himself. It was an honor and a great pleasure to speak with him, and I hope you enjoy delving into this admittedly gargantuan account. Only one question remains...are you morbid?

continued below...

Continue reading "The Emperor's Shattered Throne: A Conversation with Tom G. Warrior (of Hellhammer, Celtic Frost & Triptykon)"

words and photos by BBG

"Very late in the evening of October 5, 2010, Triptykon arrived at John F. Kennedy airport in New York, flying in from London. The very next day, we played the group's first concert on North American soil, at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan, thereby embarking on the Weltenbrand co-headlining tour of the US and Canada, together with 1349.

"The Gramercy was filled with long-time friends and new acquaintances alike. Painter/tattoo artist Vincent Castiglia, who is such a major contributor to Triptykon's first album, publisher Ian Christe of Bazillion Points, who gave me the astounding news that my second book Only Death Is Real will already go into its third printing run, the extraordinary Kim Kelly, HR Giger's US agent Les Barany, who photographed and filmed the concert, master sculptor Eli Livingston, the artist behind HR Giger's jewelry and Celtic Frost's pendant, who showed me the prototype of a proposed miniature sculpture based on 1984's The Sitting Death Hellhammer EP cover drawing. There were many more. How good it felt to return to touring in North America, finally, after the past three eventful years." [Tom G Warrior]

Ungh! Gramercy Theater echoed with the trademark Tom Warrior grunt as Triptykon played their first show on US soil in NYC on Wednesday night (10/6). The show, which featured appearances from 1349, Yakuza, and locals Immolith was the first for the Trip/1349/Yakuza package, which will last through the end of the month.

Although Triptykon did play some choice Celtic Frost material (setlist below... "Circle of Tyrants", no "Usurper"!), all three bands are touring in support of their latest recorded output: Triptykon has the new Shatter EP along with the Epistera Daimones full-length. 1349 unleashed Demonoir earlier this year, and Yakuza's Of Seismic Consequence is out now via Profound Lore.

More pictures from the show, including Triptykon's setlist, are below...

Continue reading "Triptykon (Tom Warrior), 1349 & Yakuza kicked off a tour @ Gramercy Theatre in NYC (pics & setlist) "

by BBG

Only Death is Real is the extensive history of Thomas Gabriel "Warrior" Fischer, Eric Martin Ain, Hellhammer and early Celtic Frost:

[Only Death Is Real] combines hundreds of unseen early Hellhammer and Celtic Frost photos with a vast treasure trove of artwork and memorabilia. A substantial written component by Fischer details his upbringing on the outskirts of Zurich, Switzerland, and the hardships and triumphs he faced bringing the visions of his groundbreaking bands Hellhammer and eventually Celtic Frost to reality.

Without question Only Death Is Real goes farther than any other source in exploring the origins of underground heavy metal.... the written chapters combine Tom Fischer's often shocking stories with lengthy quotes from Martin Eric Ain and the other main Hellhammer members, explaining in intimately human terms how extreme metal was born.

For a fan of any of those bands it's a killer look (in photo and verbal history) into the mind of the band. It also details the pre-Hellhammer days and Tom Warrior's early band Grave Hill.

Though I can't really confirm that the name of Tom Warrior's band was their inspiration, I do know that the current band named Gravehill (one word), from the bleak stretches of California, toil in some of the same murky waters as Hellhammer. The old-school death metal team are on the road with Cardiac Arrest and HOD, and will team up with Philadelphia's Gorephobia for an NYC show at Fontana's on July 13th. They hit Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ one day earlier.

Cardica Arrest's Haven For The Insane impacts on June 8th on Ibex Moon. Gravehill's Rites Of The Pentagram is out NOW via the same label.

Full Gravehill dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Gravehill touring (dates) - not to be confused w/ Grave Hill (whose Tom Warrior is the author & subject of a new book) "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Crucifist - "Honor" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Flood - "Aphelion" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Culted - "Social Control" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fall Of Efrafa - INLÉ (Zipped MP3 Album)

Fall of Efrafa

Though the rain is mostly gone, it's still a doomy gloomy day here at Week In Metal, where we kick things off with Fall of Efrafa, who have dropped their FINAL album of thundering post-hardcore sludge on Denovali. It's called INLÉ and takes inspiration from an extremely unlikely source, the book Watership Down. The final in a trilogy of LPs that also included OWSLA and ELIL, INLÉ is available for FREE download above of for purchase via Denovali or Sound Devastation.

More details on Shrinebuilder have surfaced, including the FULL album art, as well as the tracklisting for the upcoming self-titled LP. Dig on that art here and the tracklisting below. Speaking of Al Cisneros, Vice blog recently interviewed Sleep and Om are on their way to NYC.

Roadburn has announced that 2010's Roadburn event will be partly curated by none other than Tom Warrior of Celtic Frost/Hellhammer/Triptykon fame! His new band Triptykon will headline Only Death Is Real, the Friday 4/16/10 event, and Tom will choose an additional 16 bands for the festival! Stokeage. More info is to come.

San Francisco's Flood, who take a line or two from the great Khanate with their low & slow doomy funeral marches, recently dropped their new LP Native on the esteemed MeteorCity (get that here). Check out a track from that massive LP, "Aphelion", which is downloadable above. Flood currently has no plans to head out east, but here's for hoping!

Kirk Lloyd is currently shopping an EP of unreleased material by legendary southern dirge merchants Buzzov*en!

It was recorded in Brooklyn by Shane and mixed by Mike Davidson and Brian Hill. Its 4 songs including "Nod" which was previously released on a split with Sourvein. The 3 other tunes are "Paintake","Breed" and "Mainline". "Mainline" got redone by the At A Loss lineup, but is actually a good bit different... with the original lineup of Brian Hill on bass, Ash Lee on drums, ...and this is the only recording with Johhny Brito on gtr. [Also look for] ...Pat Vigil now in Watch Them Die doing 2nd vocal on "Breed"!!

Meanwhile, Kirk Lloyd's current project, KK Lloyd & The Disciples (which includes Brian Patton of Eyehategod/Soilent Green and Jimmy Bower of EHG/Down) have scheduled a few shows in the NOLA area and are wrapping up the mixing and tracking of Purepainblues, the new album. A Hydra Head spokesman has stated that 2010 will see the release of the long-awaited Revelation: Sick Again LP by Buzzov*en. Sourvein are scheduled to play Union Pool next week with Saviours.

The legendary Autopsy will reunite at Maryland Deathfest 2010 bringing along with them Coffins, Melechesh, and Jesus Crost! Chris Reifert's current home, Abcess, recently released a split with Population Reduction.

More on Brutal Truth, Culted, Salome, Napalm Death, Torche, a new grind-fiesta in Williamsburg, and so much more, below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (07/22/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

Ocean

My favorite of the two Oceans, the one missing a definite article in front of their name (Ocean of Maine), will be the next heavy band to headline Show No Mercy at Public Assembly (Feb 15th). As part of some sort of bizarre doom-off, Ocean will try to out rumble and underpace the mighty Salome, Riff Cannon, and Batillus who are also on board for the (anti-) festivities. Both Ocean (profiled here) and Salome (who we profiled in August) released full-length LPs last year... Pantheon of The Lesser and S/T respectively. Riff Cannon will drop their debut LP in 2009 and Batillus recently made their new self-titled EP available for free download here.

Speaking of Salome, lead vocalist Kat will make her first Agoraphobic Nosebleedappearance on Agorapocalypse, the latest LP from Scott Hull's pummeling grindcore project. Due April 14th, Agorapocalypse won't be the lone AnB in 2009; the band plans a series of splits for this year with a wide array of bands including Despise You, ANS, Agents of Satan and Thrones!

Mayhem, Marduk, Cattle Decapitation, and Cephalic Carnage have added a date together in Seattle Washington @ Studio Seven on June 5th. Pleasegodletitbeafulltour... Pleasegodletitbeafulltour... Cattle Decapitation's The Harvest Floor dropped on Jan 20th.

Brutal Truth recently announced their involvement in the Auditory Assault Festival (with Gadget, Kill The Client, Jig-ai and others), and now comes word that the band will have released their new record before then! Enter Evolution Through Revolution, recorded at Watchman Studios by Doug White (Psyopus) and due on April 14th via Relapse. Stokeage. Brutal Truth drummer Richard Hoak will do double duty at the Auditory Assault festival, also playing with his Total Fucking Destruction project.

Isis announced their new album, Wavering Radiant, due on May 5th via Ipecac Records! Produced by Joe Baressi (Tool, Queens of The Stone Age), look for the wax to hit the streets on Apr. 21. Tool's Adam Jones contributed guitar tracks to a pair of songs on Wavering Radiant.

Sweet do, Jared Big Business!

Big Business have announced their new album, Mind The Drift due in April via Hydra Head Records. Produced by Phil Ek (The Shins, Earth, Fleet Foxes, Built To Spill), the record is the first to feature new guitarist Toshi Kasai. Stream the new track "Gold and Final" at their myspace.

Ahhh... NOW I know why 1349 are heading out on tour.... Revelations Of The Black Flame is the name of the recently announced new album by the black metallers! Recorded at StudioStudio Nyhagen in Bøverbru, Norway, 1349 have enlisted Tom Gabriel Fischer to help man the boards! Look for it sometime this spring. Meanwhile, Tom Gabriel Fischer's new venture post-Celtic Frost, Triptykon, is currently in the demo phase. 1349 will be at BB Kings on March 2nd, tickets are available here.

The sickos in Sourvein have scheduled a few new dates, including an NYC date that looks to be part of an upcoming US tour. No details just yet, but set aside April 19th until then. Tour dates below.

The previously announced Converge show at Europa on March 27th (tickets here) just got a little bit nuttier with the addition of Genghis Tron, Ceremony, Rise and Fall, and Pulling Teeth.

Lair Of The Minotaur's new DVD, WAR METAL BATTLE MASTER is out NOW at Southern Lord. Meanwhile, bassist Nate Olp (Demiricous) has been sent in to replace the departed DJ Barraca for live gigs. DJ recently left LOTM to joined Harpoon, who's new record, Double Gnarly / Triple Suicide is due on Feb 10th via Interloper Records.

News on Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition, Weekend Nachos, Carcass, Blut Aus Nord, Lamb Of God, Javelina, and more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (01/23/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Bloodbath - "Slaughter The Will To Live" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Samothrace - "Slaughter The Will To Live" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: North - "Eidolon" (MP3)

Attila Csihar of Mayhem, The Winterdemon (metalnorge)

Highly influential black metallers Mayhem have announced that they will tour the US in spring of 2009! The 21 date tour will be announced soon, but in the meantime, look for the band to announce a new guitarist to replace departing axe-slinger Blasphemer. Mayhem's Attila Csihar lent his unholy vokills to the new Jarboe record Mahakali due Oct 14th on The End. Skip on down for video of Thurston Moore discussing Mayhem.

Doomriders are currently grinding away at their new album due on Deathwish in 2009! In the meantime, look for the band to hit the Autobahn on a European tour with Disfear & SSS. SSS is currently streaming two new tracks from their upcoming record The Dividing Line. Doomriders recently played Europa.

Metallica is streaming six tracks from Death Magnetic. Check out my review for their new record below.

Guitarist Kris Norris has left Darkest Hour and is "actively pursing some producing routes and any band that might want a guitarist".

Corrupted LIVE (tawaraya)

The extremely elusive Japanese doomers (in fact, the above is one of the only pictures I have ever found of them), Corrupted announced a brief West Coast tour with Asunder, check out the flyer here. Asunder's Works Will Come Undone recently dropped on vinyl via Kreation Records, pick it up here. Corrupted's (current? these guys are elusive I tell ya!) bassist Lowell Isles's old band, YOB recently reformed.

Vikings Amon Amarth are streaming a new track, "Guardians of Asgaard", from their upcoming Twilight Of The Thunder God.

Bloodbath, the death metal supergroup featuring Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (Katatonia), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Martin "Axe" Axenrot(ex-Witchery, Opeth), and Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson, will drop their new studio album The Fathomless Mystery on Oct 28th via Peaceville Records. Filled with ""nothing but hateful brutality", check out "Slaughtering The Will To Live" available for download above and stream another track, "Mock The Cross", at their myspace.

Bloodbath's cover art, plus news on Danzig, Celtic Frost, Landmine Marathon, sunn 0))), Necrophagist, Immortal and so much more....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (09/15/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

Thomas Gabriel Fischer (aka Tom "Warrior"has announced that he is leaving experimental black metal pioneers Celtic Frost, the band he formed with Martin Eric Ain in the wake of Hellhammer's dissolution. From TGF's blog:

I have always seen the Monotheist album as a mere beginning, and a tame one at that......... Celtic Frost had become the unreserved focus of my life for the second time. I was looking forward immeasurably to working on the next Celtic Frost album. To me, it needed to be darker, heavier, and more experimental than "Monotheist".

And yet, Celtic Frost consisted of three individuals, and I was only one of them. In the end I had to concede to myself that there was no other option.

My friendship with and respect for Martin Eric Ain remain unaffected. Moreover, I am in the process of assessing my options to eventually complete, record, and release some of the ideas I originally created for Celtic Frost and the planned next album in the course of the past few years, and to take our distinctive music out on the road again.

There is no way back.

His departure comes as a shock in light of the amazing reception Celtic Frost has received from recent touring and their awesome, critically acclaimed comeback album from 2006, Monotheist.

Even Ted Leo and Dave Grohl are fans! (Fischer can also be found on Grohl's metal side project, Probot.

Continue reading "Tom "Warrior" Leaves Celtic Frost"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: The Sword - "Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Soilent Green - "Antioxidant" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Iron Maiden - "Intro", "Aces High", & "Two Minutes To Midnight", Live in Tokyo Feb 16th, 2008 (VIDEO, WMV)

Neurot Recordings have announced details for THREE Neurosis-related releases in the next two months! First up, a new solo album from the mighty Scott Kelly, who will release The Wake on May 5th, his first release in the seven years since his debut Spirit Bound Flesh. Two weeks later, the world's most intense elementary school teacher Steve Von Till drops A Grave is a Grim Horse, his first non-Harvestman release in six years (Harvestman recently collabo'd with Fear Falls Burning). More details on A Grave Is A Grim Horse can be found here. The third we knew about, but has now gone official: A Storm Of Light's debut And We Wept the Black Ocean Within will be released on June 2nd. Read our recent interview with Josh Graham here.

Tickets for the previously mentioned second At The Gates show go on sale Thursday April 3rd at 10 AM here. Tomas Lindberg's other band, the mighty Disfear, have announced a few more dates, including another show in Brooklyn at Europa on May 22nd with Trap Them and Bloodhorse! Ticket info for Disfear at Europa isn't available, but there are still tickets for their show at the Knitting Factory. New tour dates are down below.

MUCH MORE..............

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (04/02/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Disfear - "Get It Off" from "Live The Storm", out 1/22 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lair Of The Minotaur - "Horde of Undead Vengeance" from "War Battle Metal Master" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rwake - Leviticus from "Voices Of Omens" (MP3)

A Storm Of Light

How do you top what will surely be one of the greatest metal shows of the year? Try adding A Storm Of Light - the new project from Josh Graham (recently ex- Red Sparowes, Battle Of Mice, Neurosis visuals)! Graham, Domenic Seita (ex-Asea), and Pete Angevine (Satanized) will open the January 25th date @ the Brooklyn Masonic Temple (now sold out), but not before playing Union Pool on Jan 20th with Ghastly City Sleep & Titan. Stream their new track, "Mass" from their upcoming LP "And We Wept The Black Ocean Within" @ MySpace. (and look for my interview with Josh coming very soon!)

D-Beat fiesta up in this mutha! Swedish D-Beat badasses Disfear will release their new crusher-of-an-album, "Live The Storm" on 1/22 via Relapse. Produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge, et al.), the album features the first go around by ex-Entombed axeman Uffe Cederlund.... Download "Get It Off" above!

more below.....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (1/18/08)"