photos by Tim Griffin

Hum @ Fun Fun Fun Fest

I can say without any reservations that this was a moment I had thought about for nearly 15 years. HUM was a band that I worshiped from my mid teenage years until well into my twenties. Their two major label records, You'd Prefer An Astronaut and Downward is Heavenward, I clutched tightly against my chest and listened to on repeat in the closed world of my angst-fueled bedroom. Next to ninja turtles bed sheets, posters of Nirvana and Issac Asimov novels, were cassette and CD copies of both albums. I can still remember hearing when I was 13 or 14 that HUM would be playing a small festival show at Worlds of Fun with my other favorite band of the time, Kill Creek. I've been beating myself up for missing that show for over a decade. -[Demencha]

If you missed them (possibly because you live in the East Coast), we also have a consolation prize in the form of a live recording via Cavis Tapes who recorded the whole Fun Fun Fun Fest set and posted it as a free download, Grab that before the link expires.

You can also get your Hum fix via a tribute LP which was recently released via Pop Up Records. The record features contributions from names like The Esoteric, Constants, Junius, City of Ships, and many others.

So far Hum has not announced any more shows. More of those belated Hum pictures from Fun Fun Fun Fest are below...

Continue reading "Hum pics & audio from FFF Fest +++ a tribute CD out now"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: City of Ships - "Low Countries" (MP3)

City of Ships at Union Pool (more by Brian Reilly)

After two years away from the studio, Richmond's City of Ships have followed up the much acclaimed Look What God Did To Us with Minor World, the Richmond band's new LP due on July 19th via Translation Loss & Sound Study Recordings. With shades of bands like Quicksand, Trail of Dead, Isis, Junius, Caspian, and some of the quieter moments in Rosetta's catalog, the band blends melodicism and clean vocals with big riffs to mold somber songs that pay homage to a hardcore past. Check out the third track from the LP, "Low Countries", which makes its debut in this post.

City of Ships are currently touring Europe with Rosetta. The band has no US dates on their sked as of yet. We'll keep you up to date if that changes. Rosetta however, WILL head back to the NYC area to play a pair of shows at Acheron on August 5th and ABC No Rio on August 6th with Braveyoung. Check out all dates the song stream and some video below.

Continue reading "City of Ships releasing 'Minor World' (MP3 premiere) ---- Rosetta touring in August (dates)"

by BBG

The Body at Europa (more by Tim Griffin)

With their triumphant All The Waters Of The Earth Turned To Blood available to gen pop, The Body has started filling in holes on their massive US tour and will start with an NYC show on July 22nd. The Acheron will host the Providence band alongside a killer lineup of Atakke, Bad Dream, and Curandera (mem ASRA). $8 gets you into the all-ages event.

Acheron has quite a few other notable shows in the coming month as well, starting Friday (July 9th) when the venue will host Cleveland crustcore killers Masakari! The new Southern Lord signees (we profiled them last month) will team with Terror Level Red, Death First, and Zhenia Golov for the show,.

City of Ships and Constants will team up for a show with Vaste Burai and Wizardry for a show at Acheron on August 14th ($8 gets you in). It's one of two shows for the great Wizardry at Acheron, who will also play July 18th as part of a homecoming show after a tour with Bezoar. Teething and Defender support, $8 gets you in.

All dates and videos below...

Continue reading "City of Ships, The Body, Masakari, Wizardry & more (upcoming shows & tour dates) "

words by BBG, photos by Brian Reilly

Rosetta

Rosetta have no lack of releases they're a part of in 2010. Their new album A Determinism of Morality is on the way via Translation Loss (look for it May 25th). They also recently contributed to a three way split with East Of The Wall & Year of No Light, as well as volume 15 of The Silent Ballet compilation which also featured Year of No Light, along with notables Kodiak, Across Tundras, Aidan Baker, Heirs, SardoniS, and many others. Download that for FREE.

The band showcased material from the forthcoming LP at their recent show at Public Assembly (3/28) with City of Ships, Junius, and Immanent Voiceless (Starkweather cancelled). Pictures and video from that show continue below...

Continue reading "Rosetta played Public Assembly w/ Junius & City of Ships (pics, video), on free Silent Ballet compilation (download)"

Starkweather have cancelled their previously discussed appearance on Sunday night (3/28) at Public Assembly with Rosetta and Junius due to a scheduling conflict. In their stead, the not too shabby City of Ships, who NYC recently saw at Union Pool when they played with Battlefields, Tombs, and Rosetta. - BBG

words by BBG, photos by Brian Reilly

Battlefields, at war.

Brooklyn's own (and future Mayhem/Ludicra tourmates) Tombs crossed paths with the ongoing Translation Loss Tour featuring Rosetta, City of Ships, and Battlefields at Union Pool on Friday, 1/22. The show was a BV/1000 Knives production, one of two happening this past weekend (the second was Magrudergrind/Defeatist at Cake Shop on Saturday).

Every band impressed, though the clear crowd pleasers were repeat NYC offenders Tombs and Rosetta. City of Ships matched the intensity of Look What God Did To Us with an equally bombastic live show while opener Battlefields blew me away once channeled through a decent PA (as opposed to the DIY jump-offs I've recently seen them play on). Tombs gets more explosive with every time out, and Winter Hours favorites like "Filled With Secrets" were as resonant as they were pummeling.

At the show, Rosetta announced another upcoming NYC show in addition to their show with East of The Wall & Goes Cube at The Charleston on 2/19. Look for the band at Public Assembly on 3/28 with Starkweather and Junius.

More pictures and videos from Union Pool, below...

Continue reading "Tombs, Rosetta, Battlefields & City of Ships @ Union Pool in Brooklyn - pics & video"

by BBG

Tombs at Cake Shop (more by Samantha Marble)

As previously discussed, Tombs will do battle with Rosetta, Irepress, and Junius at the Studio @ Webster Hall today (Saturday, 12/12, tix here), but that isn't the only show scheduled for the Brooklyn killers/year-end list toppers.

BrooklynVegan is proud to present Tombs with Rosetta, City of Ships, and Battlefields at Union Pool on January 22nd in association with our friends at 1000 Knives. Flyer for that show is below.

In other Rosetta news, the band recently dropped a three way split with Year of No Light and East Of The Wall on Translation Loss. Pick that up here. The East of The Wall lineup on the split differs slightly from the lineup today:

EAST OF THE WALL is excited to announce its new lineup. Joining the band are guitarist Chris Alfano and drummer Seth Rheam. Both played in the band Biclops with EAST OF THE WALL bassist Brett Bamberger and guitarist Kevin Conway. Due to the merging of the two bands' lineups, all music created by the aforementioned collective, along with guitarist Matt Lupo, will be released under the name EAST OF THE WALL. This will include the release of the groups next record, Ressentiment, due out next summer through Translation Loss Records.

With this lineup change, EAST OF THE WALL has parted ways with original drummer Mike Somers. The band would like to thank Mike for his outstanding musicianship and hard work since the inception of the band.

January is turning out to be a nutso month, with the previously announced Magrudergrind/Defeatist show at Cake Shop and HopeCon/Blacklisted at Cake Shop (TICKETS), not to mention the previously discussed Disembodied show at Santos.

Rosetta/Battlefields/City of Ships & East of The Wall dates, along with the Tombs flyer, below...

Continue reading "Rosetta touring w/ Battlefields (dates), playing NYC show w/ Tombs (BV presents), released split w/ Year of No Light"

Baroness @ Bowery Ballroom - 11/20/2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

BBG will publish his own list of the best metal albums of 2009, but in the meantime here's what Decibel Magazine had to say:

Continue reading "Decibel's Top 40 Metal Albums of 2009 "