by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Deathwish Records Sampler (ZIPPED MP3)

Coliseum @ Bowery Ballroom (more by Tim Griffin)

Deathwish has released a new sampler of bands featuring 19 songs, 15 of which are previously unreleased! Download above and check out tracks from The Hope Conspiracy, Narrows, Lewd Acts, Coliseum, Victims, Reign Supreme, Trap Them, Nails, Rot In Hell, Mother Of Mercy, Carpathian, 108, Resurrection, End of a Year, Doomriders, Pulling Teeth, Integrity, Supermachiner, J Bannon and Rise And Fall.

Speaking of Jacob Bannon and Supermachiner, we interviewed the Deathwish kingpin before we went down to Atlanta for the Scion Rock Fest.

Converge, Rise & Fall, Coliseum, Pulling Teeth (and the non-Deathwish Genghis Tron) are playing Europa in Brooklyn on March 27th... that show is now sold out.

If you don't have a ticket, but wanted to see Coliseum, don't worry you just got another chance... The band has been added to the previously announced Napalm Death / Kataklysm / Toxic Holocaust / Trap Them mindmelt! Tickets for the NYC show at the Gramercy Theatre are still on sale.

And, just prior to the Napalm Death tour, Trap Them added a few new dates including a show in New Brunswick, NJ on April 8th.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Coliseum added to Napalm Death tour, more Trap Them dates, a free 19 song Deathwish MP3 sampler"

by Black Bubblegum

Scion Rock Fest in Atlanta is just a few days away (Feb 28th) and until the opening tones of Kylesa's guitars, we'll present a series of discussions with some of the key artists taking one of the four stages at the Masquerade. Monday we spoke to Scott Hull of Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed and yesterday it was CT of Rwake. Today, we speak to none other than Jacob Bannon of Converge.

Jacob Bannon has a tattoo of a heart that covers his throat. Heart in your throat... I'd say that it's appropriate. As vocalist and lyricist for Converge, Bannon is one of a handful of the hardcore elite that crafts poignant, thought provoking lyrics that can comfortably sit side by side with the challenging hardcore mindbenders that the rest of his band spews forth. Converge has delivered blistering hardcore for more than seventeen years, and along the way Bannon has been involved in multiple side projects (Irons, Supermachiner, etc) and solo efforts, all while also steering the hardcore superlabel Deathwish Records.

Converge is set to close out Scion Rock Fest at The Masquerade in Atlanta, just a few short weeks before the band goes on a short tour that will include Europa on March 27th (tix here, full tour sched below). We sat down to talk to Bannon about the new Converge LP, Deathwish, his collaboration with Dwid of Integrity, and his forthcoming solo record.

===

You and the guys are working on the new Converge... Does it have a title? Any song titles yet? A theme?

The record does have a title as well as song titles, however we are not ready to release them just yet.

continued below...

Continue reading "an interview w/ Jacob Bannon of Converge"

by Black Bubblegum

108 in South America, (GaryGo)

108, Krishna-hardcore royalty, have announced a short US tour including a date at Santos Party House on April 25th with Have Heart, Cold World, Title Fight, Soul Control & I Rise. Pulling Teeth, Lewd Acts, & Skin Like Iron will accompany the band on the Westside, while the east gets Soul Control & I Rise.

108 is working on material for a new EP, their first release since their 2007 "reunion" album A New Beat From A Dead Heart on Deathwish. The band recently added former Quicksand/Burn/Seaweed drummer Alan Cage to their ranks, and now 108 in 2009 looks like this:

Robert Fish/Rasaraja: Vocals (Ressurection)
Vic Dicara: Guitar, Vocals (Burn, Inside Out)
Trivikrama dasa (Tim Cohen): Bass
Alan Cage: Drums (Quicksand, Burn, Seaweed)

One of those Pulling Teeth/Converge/Rise & Fall/Ceremony shows is more than just a date in Richmond; It is part of the two day United Blood Festival of hardcore galore. Full lineup below.

Rob Fish (108) was recently interviewed by the guys at Kill Fuck Destroy.

Amenra will team up with Zoroaster and A Storm of Light to attack Europa on Feb 15th. Tickets are still available.

Cro-Mags (Jam) are playing Europa. Tickets are still available.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "108 tour dates, Santos, United Blood Festival, Pulling Teeth"

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: -16- - "So Broken Down" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Obscura - "Universe Momentum" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JODIS - "Continents" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Satyricon - "The Sign Of The Trident" (MP3)

Happy New Year and Welcome Back to The Week In Metal! We took some time away, but believe me, the hate only grew STRONGER.

Wolves In The Throne Room have emerged from the dark forests of the Pacific Northwest to announce a pair of new releases and drop more details on their previously announced upcoming live LP, Live At Roadburn 08! First up, the Malevolent Grain EP will hit Southern Lord with a 180-gram LP bang, with Conspiracy Records dropping a small pressing of picture discs for the record (a limited batch of CDs will be available on tour). Then on March 31st, the band will drop Black Cascade their new full-length on Southern Lord! Both Malevolent Grain and Black Cascade were recorded by Randall Dunn/Mell Dettmer and are the first to feature new guitarist (former touring member) Will Lindsay of ex-Middian / Age Eternal fame. In addition, WITTR's Live at Roadburn 08 will be released with a companion DVD available with the first pressing of 500 copies, with 150 coming in gold vinyl with a silkscreen. Full WITTR tour dates are below, including their date at Scion Rock Fest.

Obscura, an astonishing tech-death band from Deutchland that may or may not be named after the classic Gorguts LP, are streaming a trio of new tracks from massive and recommended upcoming LP Cosmogenesis. Relapse has been kind enough to allow one of those tracks to be made available here for download... check out "Universe Momentum" available above! Cosmogenesis impacts on Feb 17th.

Tombs is pulling double duty on Feb 21st, having scheduled a day show at ABC No Rio with Black Anvil, Woe, and Bastard Sapling and a Winter Hours Record Release show with Defeatist, Engineer, and The Wayward later that night at Death By Audio. Winter Hours is due on Feb 17th via Relapse.

YOB have announced that they will hit the studio in late March with Sanford Parker to record their new album of "5 songs hitting about the 60+ minute mark". Look for it to surface in late summer 2009. In the meantime, Northwesterners can catch the band at their first reunion gig on 2/28 at The Ash Street Saloon in Portland, Oregon.

Shrinebuilder

Shrinebuilder is in progress! The band blogged through the weekend as they completed recording of their debut album for Neurot.

The previously announced Down/Weedeater/Evil Army tour has been postponed.

With a tagline like "2 stages + 2 days = Total Brutality", you better f'n deliver. That said, The LA Murder Fest will turn those sunny California skies black on May 9th & 10th when Coffins, Landmine Marathon, Ghoul, Stormcrow, Agenda of Swine, and Lack of Interest hit the stages of The Knitting Factory in Hollywood! Also on the bill are sickening sludgemeisters -16-, who's new record Bridges To Burn drops on Jan 20th. Check out "So Broken Down" available for download above from the record and to all y'all left coasters, support the band when they hit the road with Giant Squid! Tour schedule is below.
General Surgery will also report for duty at the LA Murderfest, and recently announced the release of their split with Butcher ABC. Look for it on CD via Obliteration Records on January 11 (email grindrock@hotmail.com for a copy) and limited-to-1,000 LP in February via Living Dead Society/Coperaction Records (email unsane_crisis@hotmail.com for a copy). The band will also hit the road with Ghoul following the Murderfest and leading up to Maryland Death Fest (thx SMNNews). Full tour dates are below.

Malkuth, an absolutely killer black metal band featuring members of No Neck Blues Band, have scheduled a show on 1/25 at Public Assembly with Villians, Castevet, and Ipsissimus. Malkuth recently released Mutus Liber out on Hospital Productions and are prepping their second LP for the label.

Converge have scheduled a show at Europa on March 27th! Tickets are on sale. Converge has been added to the Scion Rock Festival in Atlanta... yet one more reason to go! (Thanks Chris!)

Also recently added at Europa, Young Widows will team up with The Austerity Program, My Disco, and Tournament for a show on April 1st! Ticket info is forthcoming, full Young Widows tour dates below. Tournament is lined up to play with Kylesa, Tombs, and Black Anvil at The Charleston.

Satyricon's new record The Age of Nero drops on Jan 13th via KOCH Records, and I have to say that I definitely enjoyed it a hell of alot more than Now, Diabolical. Check out the video for "Black Crow On a Tombstone" below and dig on "The Sign Of The Trident", which the band has made available for download above! Satyricon will hit the road opening for Cradle of Filth at Starland Ballroom on Jan 15th (tix here) and have scheduled an NYC date at Nokia Theater on Feb 27th (tix here).

That Satyricon video, Mastodon, Khanate, Burnt By The Sun, Dillinger Escape Plan, Coliseum, Amenra, Pestilence and more as The Week In Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (01/13/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: United Nations - The Spinning Heart of The Yo-Yo Lobby (MP3)

Hey wait! I know that hairless chest (photo by James Petrozzello)

A band of unknowns announced their new self-titled LP to be released on Eyeball Records on September 9th, as well as another EP and a seven inch. Ok, they aren't exactly unknowns... it's just that the true line-up of United Nations ISN'T known. Lets start with the facts.... Yesterday, Geoff Rickly of Thursday sat down with Alternative Press to discuss his new side project, United Nations, a "secret supergroup of mid=90's screamo revivalists"

So who are the members involved with this project, and what do they do in the band? Besides you and vocals, obviously

Well, I actually mostly played guitar and did some of the singing. The rest of the band are in contracts, so they're anonymous.

How did this idea first come up?

I was... This is really weird... I've known a kid named Daryl who plays in Glassjaw for a long time, and we used to go to shows, all the same hardcore shows, and we would get excited about a lot of the same bands. We both really loved what was going on on the West Coast in the early '90s, like Gravity Records stuff, really spazzy stuff. We also really loved the Ebullition style, mid-'90s, what they call the emo power-violence stuff.

So we have some kind-of-but-not-really confirmation that Daryl Palumbo is on board. That in and of itself is not a mindscrambler, but add in the fact that Converge has confirmed that drummer Ben Koller (also of Acid Tiger and ex-Cave In fame) is on board, as well as that message boards / the world's most accurate online encyclopedia are claiming Cooper of Made Out of Babies has joined on, UN takes on a whole new realm of possibilities.

United Nations is streaming their entire self-titled album at their myspace and you can download "The Spinning Heart of The Yo-Yo Lobby" from that record above.

In related Thursday news, Japanese badasses Envy will share a split with the band for Temporary Residence Limited, due on vinyl (with accompanying CD) September 15th. Spanning seven tracks, the record will have four new joints from Thursday and three new ones from Envy. The split was recorded this spring and Thursday enlisted Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev to remix one track, "Appeared And Was Gone", the lead in to Envy's first song. Pick it up at TRL when it drops....

Continue reading "United Nations = Thursday + Glassjaw + ?, full stream, MP3"

DOWNLOAD: Black Anvil - "Ten Talons Deep" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Transitional - "This Paradise Pt. 1" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Capricorns - "November Suicides" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Capricorns - "The Bell Rang Backwards" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Phobia - "Protest/Solution" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Phobia - "Savannah's Assault" (MP3)

Agalloch

Folkin' black proggers Agalloch has announced that they are at work on their fourth LP, the follow-up the the critically acclaimed Ashes Against The Grain! The band recently parted ways with The End and "have received several offers ranging from the ridiculous to the very interesting" with respect to a new home, but no decision is expected until 2009. Meanwhile, Agalloch also announced the release of The Demonstration Archive, a retrospective of songs from 1996 - 1998 before they signed to the label. For more info on The Demonstration Archive, including how to pick it up, head here.

As we announced a couple weeks ago, doomy instrumental trio Capricorns have released River Bear Your Bones in jolly old England, but the US will see the record on September 30th. Have no fear, as we have posted 25% of the whole record (above) for you to download!

Intronaut's new record, Prehistoricisms, is up for preorder, with or without a limited edition tee ($4 more). Check out "The Literal Black Cloud" from Prehistoricisms here.

Black Anvil

World, Black Anvil. Black Anvil, world. I wish it was that easy, because word needs to get out on these grim lords constructed from ex-members of Kill Your Idols. Drawing from early black metal and thrash and with only an occasional foray into Emperor-style tremolo picking, their new LP Time Insults The Mind is an unholy creature of shadow. Check out "Ten Talons Deep" available for download above and the video of the band tearing through "Deathsomnia" (also from Time...). and pick up the record at Momentum Records when it drops. The band is also playing Traxx in Ronkonkoma on August 23rd and The Charleston on Sept 30th.

That video, plus Neurosis, Coalesce, Converge, Municipal Waste, Rosetta, sunn 0))), Corrupted and more after the jump...

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

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Melvins - "Nude With Boots" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Graf Orlock - "A Shocking Interrogation" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Anaphylactic Shock - "Ultimatum" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Adai - "Hawkins" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rob Halford - Metal Hammer interview podcast (MP3)

Weedeater sets fires while Jeff Matz (High On Fire, Zeke) admires (wusspie)

Smoke monsters Weedeater have announced a co-headlining tour with Black Cobra, including one date in NYC at the Knitting Factory! Tickets are on sale. Tour details are below. Black Cobra's Feather & Stone is now available on gatefold LP at their webstore. Weedeater is still touring off the might of God Luck & Good Speed.

Just because At The Gates doubleheader (July 9th & 10th @ Irving Plaza) (and many of their announced dates) is sold out, doesn't mean that the Bjorler twins are forgetting their day job. The Haunted dropped an update on their new record and plans to tour the US in 2009!

Roooooadtrip! Kirk Windstein (Crowbar, Down, Kingdom Of Sorrow) has announced that Crowbar and the legendary Eyehategod will share the stage in New Orleans at One-Eyed Jack's on August 29th for their 20th anniversary show! Crowbar also recently announced that they will tour "every country that's got electricity" with their forthcoming 2009 album.

Totimoshi and Nebula announced a US tour, sweeping coast to coast in early August and concluding in mid-September. NYC has been blessed with August 25th at the Knitting Factory with Tournament. Tickets are on sale. Nebula have just finished an EP, Heavy Psych, though there is no release date as of yet. Totimoshi will drop Milagrosa on July 8th celebrating with a record release party with Big Business and Triclops! Check out the newly minted video "Gnat" featuring Eugene Robinson of Oxbow....

That video, Watain, Graf Orlock, Carcass, Converge, and much much more below...

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

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Deathwish Inc. Summer Sampler (MP3 ALBUM ZIP*)
DOWNLOAD: AKIMBO - Great White Bull (EXCLUSIVE MP3) from the forthcoming Jersey Shores

Lemmy Is God (Rui M Leal)

I haven't even seen it yet, but I have hereby declared the following as one of the most metal movies of 2008. It's called Lemmy: The Movie. A feature-length documentary on the man, the legend, Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. In case you had some doubt about how amazing this will be, check out this video of Lemmy and his then drummer "Philthy Animal" trashing a hotel room. Motorhead are one of the Metal Masters, and tickets are still available.

Downloadable above, check out the first tasty nugget from Akimbo, pulled from their upcoming Jersey Shores LP! Akimbo's new concept album, about how "sharks.... will totally fuck you up" is due later this year on Neurot Recordings. Akimbo are scheduled to play Jello Biafra's 50th BDay party with the Melvins.

While all of us are getting riled up for Monticello, All Tomorrow's Parties have announced the curators for 2008's Nightmare Before Christmas.... Melvins & Mike Patton! Info is limited so far, but we do know it'll take place between December 5 - 7 at Butlins Holiday Camp in Minehead and you can expect to see the following confirmed performers: Melvins, Isis, Neil Hamburger, Dälek, Big Business, The Locust, Zu, and Fantômas performing The Director's Cut! More deets are available here. Melvins will drop Nude with Boots this July on Ipecac. Mike Patton recently released a soundtrack to a short film, A Perfect Place.

keep going....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (06/03/08)"

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: 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)"

by Black Bubblegum

Sean Penn & Dennis Kucinich introducing Ringworm

I am convinced that Sean Penn is everywhere: Alaska to shoot an amazing film, Iran, New Orleans during Katrina, Venezuela to meet Hugo Chavez, Cleveland with Dennis Kucinich to see Ringworm... wait, what? Next up, Susan Sarandon will visit Dwid Hellion (Integrity) to check up on his new project with Jacob Bannon (Converge).

Continue reading "Sean Penn & Dennis Kucinich are metal"

by Black Bubblegum

Both Coliseum and Baroness have announced separate tours with before they hit the road with Converge/The Red Chord/Genghis Tron. Baroness will be joined by Young Widows (who recently signed to Temporary Residence) for their new Kurt Ballou-produced LP (does he produce everything?) and will be in NYC to open the Dalek/Russian Circles show @ Mercury Lounge. Now if we can only convice Evan Patterson to persuade his brother Ryan to play a Coliseum date in NYC soon..... All dates below...

Continue reading "Converge, Red Chord, Genghis Tron, Coliseum, Baroness, Young Widows, Russian Circles... - updated 2008 Tour Dates"

by Black Bubblegum

converge @ nuvolari libera tribù, 20/07/07, cuneo (italy) Charlie Cravero

Converge. Baroness. The Red Chord. Genghis Tron. Coliseum. No, this isn't a list of the best heavy albums of the past two years.... it's a list of bands that are going on tour... TOGETHER. Dubbed "The Lambs For Lions", Converge has announced the initial dates for their freight train of a tour in 2008. They play Blender/Gramercy Theater in NYC on April 1st - tickets are not on sale yet.

Independent of that, Genghis Tron will embark on their own merry jaunt, with a stop at SXSW, and one in Brooklyn on March 1st with Aa, Ponytail & Shooting Spires. All Converge dates below...

Continue reading "Converge - 2008 Tour Dates with Baroness, The Red Chord, Genghis Tron"