photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

Neil Fallon of Clutch

Craveonline: Not to get overly personal right off, but will your new baby put a kabosh on how much touring Clutch does?

Neil Fallon of Clutch: We hadn't planned any touring regardless, baby or not. We've pulled back on our touring just because the older you get; it becomes a drag to just go on touring forever and ever. This two-month tour we're about do [with Black Label Society & Children Of Bodom] is about as long of a tour as we're willing to do... We'd actually only like to tour four weeks at a time. This one is an exception to the rule because it's a support slot and you can't really pick and choose how long you're gonna play. We also knew that after this one we were really going to focus on writing the next record so they're wouldn't be a lot of touring.

Clutch churns out new LPs on the regular, so look for that LP. In the meantime, check them on the above-mentioned tour which hit Hammerstein Ballroom on 10/20. The CMJ show was one of a scant few metal events during the festival, and the largest of the bunch (with Nevermore at Gramercy coming in second).

The sold-out BV-BBG Saturday night showcase at Union Pool was also one of those events. Pictures from that show are forthcoming, but more from Clutch and the rest of the gang at Hammerstein (some setlists included), with all remaining dates, below...

Continue reading "Clutch played Hammerstein Ballroom w/ Black Label Society & Children of Bodom (pics & setlists) "

photos by Justina Villanueva

Happy Holidays! I take on more than I can handle. That results in a lot of unposted content. In the name of catching up, while also taking it easy during this final week of the year, here's some of that lost material.

A set of pictures from Muncipal Waste shared a bill with As I Lay Dying, Children of Bodom and Lamb of God at Roseland in May. More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Municipal Waste, Lamb of God & friends @ Roseland Ballroom in NYC - pics"

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: 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

Gigantour in Luna Park, Sydney Australia (geeewocka)

Gigantour is back! Mustaine & co will bring his traveling circus (think EVIL clowns) to the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC on April 22, with swede-death monsters In Flames, Children Of Bodom (not the coffee press), the devastating High On Fire (also on a seperate tour near you, and now coming through NYC), young'uns Job For A Cowboy, and of course, Megadeth. Tickets are on sale.

Megadeth (with the newly recruited Chris Broderick from Nevermore and Jag Panzer) will also embark on a short UK tour in February before hitting the US & Canada in April. All tour dates below.....

Continue reading "Gigantour 2008 (Megadeth, In Flames, High On Fire)"