photos by Samantha Marble and Jason House, words by BBG

Cripple Bastards @ Public Assembly (by Sam Marble)

Before the shitstorm that was Maryland Deathfest (pictures of day 1 HERE, day two HERE, day three HERE, and day four HERE), another Shitstorm was brewing in Brooklyn. Shitstorm (the band) played an NYC MDF pre-party at Public Assembly with Italian grindcore band Cripple Bastards, Magrudergrind, The Kill, and Noisear on May 25th. Pictures from that show adorn this post.

All mentioned bands except Magrudergrind played MDF. Cripple Bastards, Shitstorm and the Kill also played secret MDF after-shows in Baltimore on Friday & Saturday, both of which eventually got shut down by the cops. Dropdead, Lack of Interest, DOC, Coke Bust, Triac, Mammoth Grinder, Extortionm and others were scheduled to play the after-shows.

More pictures from Public Assembly below....

Continue reading "Cripple Bastards, Magrudergrind, The Kill, Noisear & Shitstorm played Public Assembly before MDF (pics)"

words & photos by BBG

Neurosis

After a day of heavy music that culminated in the last US set from Cathedral, the second day of Maryland Deathfest was marked by sets from Neurosis, Aura Noir, Corrosion of Conformity, Funebrarum, Marduk, Exhumed, Kylesa, Machetazo, Cripple Bastards, Pulling Teeth, Nocturnal, The Impalers & Nails. Save for the latter two (and COC), I was able to catch all of them... with my favorite sets of the day going to Neurosis, Cripple Bastards, Funebrarum, and Exhumed.

Neurosis's set touched on songs from their latest Given To The Rising and reached back as far as Souls at Zero for "The Web". The band closed with "Through Silver In Blood" which, considering I had met the album's producer Billy Anderson earlier in the day, had a special meaning and power on top of the band's already considerable weight. Favorites like "Locust Star" and "A Sun That Never Sets" also made an appearance during the band's incredible set. The full setlist is listed below. A picture of Exhumed's is down there too.

Marduk

Marduk, Aura Noir, Black Anvil, and Panzerfaust are on a tour that hits Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 3rd. Tickets are still available. Their full list of dates is below.

A ton more pictures from Friday, below...

Continue reading "Maryland Deathfest 2011 -- Day 2 in pics & review (Neurosis, Cripple Bastards, Funebrarum, Exhumed, Marduk, more)"

by BBG

UK Crust legends Doom

Doom were an English crust punk band from Birmingham, England, whose first, influental lineup were together from 1987 to 1990. Despite its short existence, the band is considered pivotal in the rise of crust punk, a style within the punk rock subgenre that fuses extreme metal with anarcho-punk. They recorded for Peaceville Records and are cited as an early precursor to the grindcore style of heavy metal music. Doom were also a favorite of BBC Radio DJ John Peel. -[Wiki]

As we knew, Doom have reformed again and is scheduled to play Maryland Death Fest and Chaos in Tejas. Now comes word that the UK crust legends will fill the holes in between, adding Europa on May 27th with Dropdead, Teargas, and others. Tickets are on sale. The full tour schedule is below. Dropdead recently played the A389 Anniversary show in Baltimore with Integrity and a host of others.

In related Maryland Deathfest bands on the road news, a pair of great all ages metal shows have popped up at Shea Stadium recently. May 20th will see death metal from Deutchland as Defeated Sanity team up with the great Dysrhythmia and Andromorphus Rexalia. The show is one of two scheduled for Dysrhythmia in the near future. March 11th will see them at Union Pool.

The next day at Shea Stadium, May 21st, The Kill and Noisear have added a second show in addition to their previously discussed appearance with Cripple Bastards at Public Assembly on May 25th. "Interracial deathgrinders" Copremesis and The Communion will kickstart the show. Speaking of that Cripple Bastards show, the bill just got a little more impressive with the addition of Shitstorm (mems Torche, Capsule, ex-Kylesa).

They must love us! After playing Death By Audio last weekend, oddball doom faves The Body will play Union Pool on February 22nd with Braveyoung and one more TBA. The show is one of two NYC shows scheduled for the band, as they will also team up with Unearthly Trance and Whitehorse (!) to play the Acheron on 4/1 at the tail end trip back from SXSW.

Not quite metal, but Jarboe has scheduled an NYC show at Europa on March 24th with Vampilia. Tickets are on sale and the show is Jarboe's only current tour date. No word on who will join Jarboe on stage, as both Nick Palmirotto and Fade Kainer (members of her band, along with Erik Wunder) will be on tour with their respective bands (Hull & Batillus). Hull & Batillus play The Studio at Webster Hall two days later (3/26) with Caltrop, tickets are on sale.

In other metal related news, the facade know as Sepultura (Andreas Kisser is the lone original member) rolls into town and the band is hitting the road for a string of dates that include Gramercy Theater on 4/25. Tickets are still available. They'll be joined by Keep of Kalessin, Bonded in Blood, Neuraxis, and Hate. Full tour dates are below.

Atheist will play Santos Party House on March 3rd with A Life Once Lost, the great Revocation, and Last Chance To Reason. Ticket info is forthcoming. Atheist released the well-received Jupiter last year and A Life Once Lost, who recently lost their drummer, have signed on to Season Of Mist.

All tour dates and some video is below.

Continue reading "UK crust legends Doom touring ++ Defeated Sanity, The Kill, The Body, Jarboe & others add shows too (dates)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Noisear - "Global Warning" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Relapse Label Sampler (Zipped MP3s)
DOWNLOAD: Cripple Bastards - "Sangue Chiama" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Regurgitate - "Excrementality" (MP3)

Cripple Bastards

And the onslaught begins! The weeks around Maryland Death Fest (lineup) mean tons of great shows from touring bands heading to the fest. One of the most exciting will take place on May 25th at Public Assembly when long-standing Italian grinders Cripple Bastards will team up with an unstoppable lineup featuring Swedish grinders Regurgitate, Australians The Kill, and New Mexico's Noisear (featuring Bryan Fajardo of Kill The Client/Phobia)! $15 gets you in the door (if you're 18+).

Noisear will welcome their new LP Subvert The Dominant Paradigm on February 1st via Relapse. The first track to surface from the LP, "Global Warning", recently surfaced on a label sampler and is available for download alone or in their sampler above.

Cripple Bastards recently dropped their 4xCD Age Of Vandalism boxset, which includes all of their previous tapes, demos, 7"s, and unreleased material from 1986 - 1993. That's 1,036 tracks of grindcore, so order it if you dare via Selfmadegod Records.

German thrashers Destruction will link up with Destroyer 666 to play BB King's on May 11th. Tickets go on sale January 5th at noon. The show is one of an ongoing tour, which will include a D666 date at Maryland Death Fest. Destroyer 666 is currently working on their new LP Siege.

Look for more MDF-related shows to be announced in the coming weeks.

Other non-MDF notable shows have also recently appeared. The Acheron will host The Osedax (mem-Psyopus), Misanthropic Noise, Backslider, and Curandera on February 5th. Two days later, Vilipend will team up with Pristina to play Precious Metal at Lit Lounge (on 2/7).

Destruction tour dates, Noisear song stream and some video is below.

Continue reading "Cripple Bastards, Noisear, Destruction, Destroyer 666 & other upcoming metal shows & tours (and MP3s)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "The Dagger" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dark Castle - "Awake In Sleep" (MP3)

Dark Castle

DIY is the name of the game for Florida's Dark Castle, as the duo has garnered a ton of buzz on the southern metal scene as of late due to their self-released EP and incessant touring. The northeastern touring love is on the way (this summer?), but in the meantime, Dark Castle's new LP, Spirited Migration is out NOW in digital formats (iTunes, amazon) with one of those amazing tracks, "Awake In Sleep" available for download above! Spirited Migration is due on May 26th in hard formats (CD, Vinyl) via the mighty At A Loss Records, so y'all wax lovers betta recognize!

Nebula will illustrate truth in advertising on July 7th when the trio drops their new album, Heavy Psych. Tee Pee Records will plead guilty to releasing the follow-up to 2006's Apollo, which includes "The Dagger" downloadable above. For the unaware, Nebula features former members of Fu Manchu, Mondo Generator, and Karma To Burn (who recently played Lit).

Australia's dark kings of blackened thrash, Destroyer 666, will release their NEW album on July 14th via Season of Mist! Defiance will be D666's first release in six years and first LP in seven, and will have artwork that'll look a little somethin' like this:

Another set of Aussies, black metallers Nazxul, will release their first new material in more than ten years via Moribund! Look for more details on the new album, Iconoclast, in the months ahead as well as some US dates.

Show No Mercy on June 7th at Public Assembly is SET with the recent additions of the the ungodly Woe, Black Anvil, and Snake Sustaine (mems-ALOL) to the previously announced Salome. While we wait for the show, you can check out some recent interviews that the guys in Woe did here, here and here. Flyer is below.

Obscura has pulled out of the previously mentioned Relapse Contamination tour due to sickness, rendering all dates after May 11th cancelled. That includes NYC's date at Fontana's.

News and videos from Clutch, Ocean, Swarm Of The Lotus, Torche, Cripple Bastards, Orange Goblin and More, as This Week In Metal continues!

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (05/08/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Harpoon - "Frogs, Boils, Locusts..." (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Like Rainbows in Gasoline" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Brown Acid Brainwound" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Complete Failure - "Subliminal Force of Suggestive Notion" Demo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Super Happy Fun Slide - "Fast One" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Super Happy Fun Slide - "Bohemian" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Elder - "White Walls" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Serpentcult - "The Weight Of Light" (MP3)

Welcome to this week in Metal! This week we'll start with the pedal to the floor with Harpoon of Chicago, who will release their new LP Double Gnarly / Triple Suicide on Interloper Records. Featuring members of 7000 Dying Rats, the band recorded the LP in August 2008 with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos), sending it off to metal-mastering go-to Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) for the finishing touches. The trio takes advantage of the drum machine gun to create a relentless grind assault reminiscent of Plague Bringer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, or Genghis Tron (sans keys). Check out "Frogs, Boils, Locusts..." available for download above, and cop it on limited LP (400 in black, 100 in white & blue marbled vinyl) when it drops on Feb 10th! Harpoon recently added bassist DJ Baracca (ex-Lair of The Minotaur) to their ranks and have added a few live dates in and around the Chi (dates below).

Absu have announced a new self-titled album, posting the ripping new track "Girra's Temple" to their myspace. Due on Feb 24th on Candlelight Records, the band have also lined up a few dates including SXSW on Mar 20th at Spiros and at... you guessed it... Maryland Deathfest. Meanwhile, Absu is garnering alot of media attention lately... check out features in Metal Maniacs, Terrorizer, and Zero Tolerance.

Hot off of the release of his first solo album Punctuated Equilibrium, Wino will play his first show with his solo band (featuring skinsman extraordinaire Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch) at the 9:30 club in Washington, DC on Sat Feb 7th! Wino will be joined by King Giant and the mighty Salome, who will be in NYC with Ocean on Feb 15th. In related news, Clutch have released their first digital single "King Of Arizona" (iTunes users, buy it here), from the upcoming remastered Slow Hole to China, Rare & Unreleased. The band have lined up a few dates with their alter ego (most of 'em anyway), The Bakerton Group including Feb 27 at The Chance in Poughkeepsie and Feb 28 at The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale. Full tour dates below.

As much theorized and finally realized, The Auditory Assault Festival will take place at Club Europa on May 16 & 17.

Complete Failure announced a short tour of the east coast and the midwest with Polish grinders Antigama including an NYC date at Europa on May 20th. Details are forthcoming, full tour dates are below. The Pittsburghers (CF) have posted a trio of demo tracks at their website, check them out above. Antigama is prepping for March 3rd, when Relapse will drop their new album Warning.

Mastodon's Crack The Skye artwork

Mastodon is currently streaming "Divinations" from the upcoming Crack The Skye. Check it out kids... it's a burner! The single is also available for sale with a limited edition tee. Mastodon and Genghis Tron are playing the Coachella festival this year.

Eyehategod, Rotten Sound, Cripple Bastards, Malignancy, Resistant Culture, and Voetsek have been added to the Los Angeles Murderfest!

Napalm fucking Death will be in NYC in April!

Rise Above dropped the new album by Belgians Serpentcult, a doomy hybrid of Electric Wizard and High on Fire fronted by Michelle Nocon, a female with some SERIOUS pipes. The Weight of Light was produced by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins) and the band is streaming three of those tracks at their myspace, with the title track available for download above. So far the band haven't added any North American dates, but if they do, we'll let you know (european tour dates below). Meanwhile, dig on an interview that Serpentcult did with Hellride Music here.

Coliseum have announced a slew of tourdates (below) as well as a new seven-inch entitled "True Quiet / Last Wave" on Deathwish! Full tour dates are below. Coliseum with join Converge, Genghis Tron (who was recently added), Ceremony, Pulling Teeth, and Rise & Fall at Europa on March 27th.

Blut Aus Nord have posted "The Formless Sphere (Beyond The Reason)" to their myspace page, the first new song from the upcoming Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With The Stars. Look for in Feb 23rd on Candlelight.

Valient Thorr have added a February 6th show at The Shank in Greenpoint (98 Bayard @ Leonard) with Acid Tiger, Golden Error, with Tournament. This show makes it TWO NYC dates.... don't forget about their upcoming show with Anthrax and a half pipe.

Minsk, Slayer, Battlefields, Devourment, Obituary, and more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (02/02/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Crowpath - "The Deed" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crowpath - "One With Filth" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crowpath - "Plague Bearer" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Graf Orlock - "Run Over By A Truck" (M4A)
DOWNLOAD: Cripple Bastards - "Sangue Chiama" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ocean - "The Beacon" (Excerpt) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ocean - "Of The Lesser" (Excerpt) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kylesa - "Set Controls for The Heart Of The Sun" (MP3, Pink Floyd cover)
DOWNLOAD: Kylesa - "Between Silence & Sound" (Remix) (MP3)

Crowpath

Let us all give thanks to Crowpath. For it is on November 25th, that the Swedes will brutalize us at the highly chaotic crossroads of brutal grind, death, doom, and hardcore with their new album One with Filth. The eleven-track LP One With Filth is currently up for preorder with a shirt at Willowtip Records, but you can download THREE of those tracks above, including "The Deed" available only here!

How can it get any better? Maryland Deathfest have added Napalm Death, Venomous Concept, and Misery Index to the already STELLAR lineup which includes the mighty Bolt Thrower. Tickets for Maryland Deathfest are on sale.

As we discussed last week, the mighty Graf Orlock have a new record on the way, Destination Time Today. The third installment in their cinemagrind trilogy, da Graf have been (un)kind enough to hook us BV'ers up with the new jam "Run Over By A Truck", downloadable above!

Ocean (of Maine) drops their new record, the two-track Pantheon Of The Lesser on Important Records on 11/11... check out the pair of MP3 excerpts available for download above. Likey? Pick it up right cheah...

Trap Them's massive new album Seizures In Barren Praise and the domestic issue of Carpathian's Isolation is out NOW via Deathwish Records. Broke/cheap & want 'em both? Email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Trap Them) and win BOTH CDs or BOTH LPs! Include your first and last name, your preference in format (CD or LP)... winners will be selected at random and contacted. Meanwhile, get your listen on at Hardcore Night's Trap Them Listening Party "and Beer Chugging Contest" (awesome) at The Charleston on 11/13.. flyer is below. Trap Them also was interviewed by Crustcake and sat in at WNYU! Download it here (forward to the 27 min mark).

Italian me(n)tal pantients Cripple Bastards dropped their new grinder Variante Alla Morte on FETO Records (owned by Shane Embury and Mick Kenney). Check out "Sangue Chiama", one of the few tracks over 30 seconds long (hell, over 10 seconds long), available for download above!

Neurosis have announced a few new new bands for the Beyond The Pale event at Roadburn 2009 including Om, Six Organs Of Admitttance, Skullflower, and A Storm Of Light! Hmmm, Wino is at Roadburn with Saint Vitus, Scott Kelly of Neurosis is obviously there, and now Al Cisneros from Om is on board.... thats 3/4 of Shrinebuilder... we'll keep you posted for new additions as come up! As originally discussed in February, Scott "Wino" Weinrich has a new solo album in the works... but now it has a name and a date! Look for the new album, Punctuated Equilibrium on Jan 20th 2009, and check out the album art!

That album art plus details on the Amenra US tour, news on Mastodon, Jesu, Metallica, Giant Squid, Agoraphobic Nosebleed and so much more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (11/12/08) "