by BBG

Starkweather at ABC No Rio

This Is Hardcore Fest 2010 details are officially in the open, and the three day Philly festival will feature appearances from Sheer Terror, Ink & Dagger (with Geoff Rickly of Thursday filling in on vocals), Kid Dynamite, Cro-Mags, Nails, Ringworm, Starkweather, Trapped Under Ice, Seraphim, and many others. The full list is below. Tickets are on sale for the full weekend, or each individual day (Fri, Sat) though Sunday (with Kid Dynamite and Ink & Dagger) is sold out.

One of the This is Hardcore bands, Starkweather, played ABC No Rio on Saturday (May 29) with Rosetta and Shell Shock, one of TWO Rosetta shows for the weekend (the second was the BV/1000 Knives production with Ken Mode). I ducked out before the headliner Shell Shock, and missed a good portion of Rosetta's set due to beverage consumption across the street, but Starkweather were as good (better?) than I had remembered, playing a mix of metal and hardcore all anchored by vocalist weighty and powerful Rennie Resmini's voice. The band's material from their new LP This Sheltering Night sounded fantastic live as well (cop that). More pictures from their appearance are below.

Another This is Hardcore band, Seraphim, is also on board to play SATURDAY at Cake Shop alongside Altered State, Voyager, and Monolith as part of a BV/1000 Knives/Science of Silence production. The show kicks off at 5PM!

Some pics and video of Starkweather at ABC No Rio, and the full This is Hardcore fest lineup are below...

Continue reading "Starkweather played ABC No Rio (pics), playing 3-day This is Hardcore Fest in Philly w/ Kid Dynamite & many others"

by BBG

Slang

Japanese hardcore hits the US shores when Slang crash lands at Chaos In Tejas 2010. Luckily for the rest of us, these headcases will hit the road for a string of dates including NYC twice as part of the ongoing Hardcore Gig Volume series! First up, Slang will team up with faves Mind Eraser, Nomos and The Rival Mob for a show at Death By Audio on June 9th. Three days later, Slang will join Perdition to support World Burns To Death (!) when the band plays Cake Shop on June 12th, their first NYC show in close to three years. Full tour dates and Slang tour flyer below.

Before that, Connecticut's The Pist will headline Europa with The Wankys, Chaos Destroy, Brain Killer, and Guilt Trip. Tickets are on sale.

Ceremony have a new album Rohnert Park due via Bridge Nine Records, and the band will be hitting the road hard over the summer as a result, doing their first pass at NYC with Blacklisted, Skin Like Iron, and The Men at Cake Shop on June 19th. The show will be an early show, and ending in time so that you can catch the previously scheduled Eddy Current Supression Ring/Pissed Jeans show at its new venue, Death By Audio (was Market Hotel). Ceremony will also be back in NYC with Punch for a pair of shows on August 7th and 8th at ABC No Rio and Death By Audio respectively.

Finland's Kyklooppien Sukupuutto are playing a pair of NYC dates as part of a larger tour for the Finnish band. Block off May 14th (Friday - TONIGHT) or May 15th (Saturday) to catch them at The Charleston (with Dry Spell, The Ominous Order of Flithy Mongrels, & Pollution) or ABC No Rio (with Acid Reflux, Staring Problem, & Crazy Spirit) respectively to catch this band before they scoot down to Chaos in Tejas 2010. Full dates are below...

In related Chaos in Tejas news, the Leatherface cancellation at Knitting Factory was just the beginning! The UK band has also cancelled their US tour including their appearance at Chaos in Tejas.

In other awesome festival news, the onslaught of post-MDF tours continue, as Mass Grave will play June 4th at new venue The Acheron (57 Waterbury St.) in Brooklyn alongside Atakke, HOG, Disma. The show originally included Bay Area d-beaters Stormcrow (and was at Rock Star Bar), who have since cancelled their appearance. Stormcrow will, however, team up with another MDF band, Coffins, for a split on 20 Buck Spin. The label doesn't have a release date, but is "hoping" to have it out by the time MDF rolls around.

Another pair of MDF'ers Jesus Crost and Rompeprop will hit the road for a tour as well, tagging Fontana's on May 26th with Ingrowing (who are also playing The Charleston on May 21st), before the festival. The show is the only other US date for the pair so far. Jesus Crost is currently streaming three new songs from their LP 010 at their myspace. Pick up that record via Bones Brigade. JC will also record a few songs later this year for a split with Phobia.

Texas terrors PLF have also scheduled an NYC show with Czech grinders Gride as part of a larger tour for the pair surrounding their MDF appearance. Power Cup, Unmen, and InTheShit will support the pair on the May 25th show at Bushwick Bike Shop.

Slang tour flyer, tons o' tour dates, and the Stormcrow/Coffins art is below

Continue reading "Slang, Kyklooppien Sukupuutto, Ceremony, The Pist & others upcoming shows (many by bands playing Maryland Death Fest) "

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Justina Villanueva

That singer from Ceremony got ups, yo!

Did I brush shoulders with death during Converge's set? Nate Newton's swinging bass whizzing inches from my face, Jacob Bannon's foot on my hand as the crowd fought to tear me a part, nor Jacob's swinging microphone straight out of a Roger Daltrey/Who video caused my near collapse. It was a moment of deviant kismet; All of a sudden Jacob Bannon snapped his wrist and whipped the microphone cord causing it to coil around my neck only nanoseconds before a stage diver jumped squarely on top of me. Hanging by the mic cord, my feet were on the floor and my body was at 45 degrees, the crowd around me holding me up from behind. I could feel myself choking until a bouncer rushed over and unwrapped for the cord from my neck... Hung at a Converge show... I guess that one hasn't happened yet (luckily).

The bill for the evening was massive, filled with the Deathwish roster of past (Ceremony) and present (Rise & Fall, Coliseum, Pulling Teeth), save for Genghis Tron, Converge's tour mates from last year's trek with Baroness and The Red Chord. Unlike Justina (who shot the whole show), I arrived towards the end of Ceremony's set, missing Coliseum, Rise & Fall, and Pulling Teeth, unfortunately.

Genghis Tron and coordinated lighting rig played their first show of 2009 directly following Ceremony. They opened with the epic title track to their critically acclaimed LP, Board Up The House. Drum-machine centric bands such as The Austerity Program, Godflesh, and GT have a large hurdle to get over in heavy music; the fact that there isn't a human being smashing the kit behind them in a genre that depends on brutality is definitely a negative in the live setting. That said, Genghis Tron make the best of it, and Mookie is a passionate and energetic frontman. Justina managed to catch my favorite moment of their set on video (below)... a cover of "Bad Penny" by Big Black!

Converge hit the stage right around 12:30 AM, running through material spanning the length of their career including "Locust Reign" from their 1999 split with Agoraphobic Nosebleed, "Heartache", "Hellbound", "Eagles Become Vultures" (video below), "Last Light" and many others.

At one point during the show, a crazed "fan" slapped a bear hug on Jacon Bannon wrestling him from the stage and onto the crowd floor.

When Jacob finally got back on stage he remarked, "I don't even know what happened here. I'm like nervous to keep playing... should we keep playing?"

They did (no encores), finishing the evening with "Concubine" from Jane Doe and a special treat for the metalheads mixed in with the hardcore kids... a cover of "Wolverine Blues" by the mighty Entombed sung by John Petitbone (Himsa, Botch, Undertow). It was their "second time" performing the song. Jacob Bannon took a breather during that one.

I've seen Converge a lot, so I was hoping to hear a lot of new songs, ones I haven't seen them perform in a while, or anything else out of the ordinary. Unfortunately the new material was in limited supply, but the two new ones they did play bore the Converge seal of oddball drum fills, Swedish Death Metal guitar tone, and clear roots in hardcore. The Entombed cover in particular was a highlight for me... well, that and the whole not dying thing.

Converge are scheduled to hit the studio in May to record their new album, according to our recent interview with Jacon Bannon.

Genghis Tron will play Public Assembly on April 12th with Tombs, Black Anvil, and Wetnurse as part of the Show No Mercy series.

More pics & videos (from the whole show, 3/27 in Brooklyn), below...

Continue reading "Converge, Ceremony, Coliseum, Genghis Tron, Rise & Fall and Pulling Teeth @ Europa in Brooklyn - pics"

by Black Bubblegum

Converge in Moscow (photo by Alexander Welsh)

Good news / bad news / good news. Let's start with the bad news.

All signs point to Genghis Tron off of the previously announced Deathwish super bill of Converge, Pulling Teeth, Rise & Fall, and Ceremony (now ex-Deathwish) at Europa in Brooklyn on March 27.

UPDATE: Genghis Tron said they will know for sure soon whether they will be playing this show or not. Stay tuned...

UPDATE 2: Genghis Tron are in fact also playing this show.

Tickets are still available.

Now some good news... Coliseum has been added to the Europa bill!

Even more good news: It's part of a seven date mini-tour leading up to the recording of their new long-player in May. Look for the follow-up LP to No Heroes to land on Deathwish/Epitaph later this year. Converge is also playing the embarassingly awesome Scion Rock Fest in Atlanta, GA.

In related news, the Supermachiner side project is back in print. Here's a little history on Supermachiner:

Supermachiner originally began as a collection of four track recordings by J. Bannon (Converge) in 1994. The music was much different than his known vocal work in Converge, having more in common with influences Swans, Bauhaus, and others... Along with the help of good friend Ryan Parker (Daltonic, Black Spot, The Jaded Salingers), the project was brought back to life in the winter of 1998...

The two entered the studio with Kurt Ballou (Converge) in the winter of 1999. During these sessions, Ballou also contributed a great deal to the material. The finished album titled "Rise Of The Great Machine" was released by the defunct Undecided label in 2000 (now out of print). After the album release, future projects were planned but never materialized...

"Rust" features the sought after "Rise of the Great Machine" tracks, as well as four track ghosts of forgotten songs, and other unique audio experiments. All of it showcasing the artistic spirit that made Supermachiner such a unique animal for the time. All the while foreshadowing the future marriage between the "post hardcore" and "shoe-gaze" genres that dominate today's avant garde/experimental music world.

Continue reading "Converge - 2009 Tour Dates (Brooklyn w/ Coliseum)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Landmine Marathon - "Bile Towers" EDIT (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Suicide Note - "Black Snow" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Toxic Holocaust - "Wild Dogs" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Asva - A Trap For Judges EDIT (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Noothgrush - Unreleased 1994 Demo (MEDIAFIRE, Details At KILL THAT CAT)

I think its safe to say that I am a smidge eager to get my dirty little hands on the new Landmine Marathon. Due October 28th on Level Plane, Rusted Eyes Awake features guest throat by Jonny Davy (Job For A Cowboy) and Antony Hamalainen (Nightrage) and is the follow-up to this year's awesome split with Scarecrow (mems Repulsion, Noothgrush, Dekapitator, Exhumed). Check out "Bile Towers" available for download above!

Toxic Holocaust has posted four songs from their vicious new rabid dog, An Overdose Of Death (due Sept 2nd on Relapse). Check out "Gravelord", "War Is Hell", and "Endless Armageddon" at their myspace and download the ravenous "Wild Dogs" above! The band is currently working on a video for "Wild Dogs", we'll let you know when that drops.

Jesu will drop the Why Are We Not Perfect? EP which is the Jesu part of their recent split with Eluvium with some added bonus tracks. Look for that on August 19th via Hydra Head. Jesu recently dropped their split with Battle Of Mice on Robotic Empire.

Heaven & Hell, Metal Masters Tour, PNC, NJ - Aug 9, 2008 (kitty kowalski)

In what has to be a first, Black Sabbath (or, in this case Heaven & Hell) have apologized for NOT playing their hit "Neon Knights" at both NY area Metal Masters shows. In related Metal Masters news, Testament has been added to the NYC date of the previously mentioned Children Of Bodom, Between The Buried and Me, and (now official) The Black Dahlia Murder tour.

Tombs are currently hard at work on their new album Winter Hours. It's the follow up to the their collossal self-titled debut on Black Box (Mike Hill of Tombs's label). Look for it to land in Feb of 2009. Meanwhile, the boys are readying a tour of Europe including dates with faves Capsule, Pulling Teeth and Ultra Dolphins.

The Haunted, Trap Them, more Metal Masters, Clutch, Baroness and much more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (08/14/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: U.S. Christmas - "The Scalphunters" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lions Of Tsavo - "The Hooven Swarm" (M4A)
DOWNLOAD: Lions Of Tsavo - "Body Drift" (MP3)

Intronaut

Intronaut is about to get prehistoric on dat azz, when the new LP Prehistoricisms (full tracklisting below) hits the shelves on September 16th via their new label Century Media. Metalkult has a preview in the form of "Australopithecus" which is downloadable at their site. .Tickets are still on sale for their show at Knitting Factory on August 8th with Behold The Arctopus, Mouth Of The Architect, Deadsea, and Wetnurse (one helluva bill). Mouth Of The Architect drops Quietly this week and Wetnurse drops Invisible City on September 30th. Deadsea's S/T record is out now, catch it at their myspace. "Prehistoricisms" album art there to the right.

I have heard from a very credible source that the mighty sunn 0))) will return to NYC to play a special show in celebration of the ten year anniversary of The Grimmrobe Demos. Um, yowsers. As details come in, you'll get em.

Sweden's Burst have posted two new tracks from and announced a release date for (September 16th in the US) their new record Lazarus Bird. Dig on "Cripple God" and "(We Watched) The Silver Rain" streaming at their myspace. The band has commented "Expect an album that will NOT be Origo Part 2, but something new", and if this is any indication, should be a good 'un.

Speaking of good 'uns, the Bowery Ballroom show on July 25th featuring Early Man, Valient Thorr, and the mighty Monotonix should be a grand ole time. Wanna get in gratis? Email us at BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Denim Vests) with your first & last name, and we'll randomly pick two winners and drop 'em a pair of tickets each.

Lions Of Tsavo, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Akimbo, Obituary and more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (07/24/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Integrity - Those Who Fear Tomorrow THE ALBUM (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Blacklisted - Live on WERS 2006 Live Show (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Converge - Live in Minneapolis, MN 9/21/05 Live Show (MP3)

Oh you silly Cursed! Why, oh why, do you have an such a crushing new album (III: Architects Of Troubled Sleep) and yet you spurn us Americans? I mean only Burlington, VT and Niagara Falls, NY? Are we not big enough fans? Did we not read your interviews in Decibel, Chart Attack, and Exclaim? Until we get an answer, look below for some Canadian dates, European dates, and every other goddamn place dates.

Thrash metal legends Testament have posted a new song, "More Than Meets The Eye" from their new album The Formation Of Damnation on their myspace. Make sure and check them out April 6th (tickets are still available) at BB Kings.

Dwid Hellion has announced a new Integrity album, "The Blackest Curse", for Deathwish Inc this year, accompanied by a DVD film. Head over here for a FREE copy of their landmark album "Those Who Fear Tomorrow"! Integrity will hit the roads of Europe with Converge and Coliseum this summer.

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (03/22/08)"