by Kim Kelly

"Grim" Kim Kelly just got home from being on the "Metalliance" tour. She served as crew for the mighty Saint Vitus and rode in the van (read: school bus) with The Atlas Moth. That tour, which also featured bands like Helmet, Kylesa, Crowbar, Red Fang and Howl, hit Irving Plaza in NYC on 3/26, and ended 4/5 in Hollywood. Kim kept a diary and took some pictures on the road. Here is the first half:

Continue reading "on the road with Metalliance (part 1)"

words & photos by BBG

Crowbar @ Irving Plaza

"Helmet promised and delivered the entire "Meantime" album and more. Never got to see them in the early 90's when they were all the rage, cuz' I was already really not into going to shows in 92' and much more into smoking pot and making videos at the School of Visual Arts, but that "Meantime" CD, I remember, sure did get a workout for awhile.

Paige Hamilton, probably the most infamous post-hardcore millionaire ever, has always been an interesting fella in the annals of the mini-major/independent controversies that sort of started and ended in the post Nirvana, halcyon days of 90 whatever, with A & R's running around and signing every art school weirdo, whilst taking all the blue M&M's from their green rooms. Interesting to see them after all these years and ponder, "Has it really been 20 fucking years since film school?" Jeez. Paige looks good and his guitar was quite loud and supra, ahem, "staccato". Just a really weird bill, what with Helmet sort of inheriting that weird art school place they once lorded over. Not really metal, not really alternative, not really punk. Couldn't help but wonder how much of that one million bucks he still has? Great set, nada banter, just loud and sing alongish..." [TrashmansReader]

The Metalliance tour hit Irving Plaza on Friday, 3/26, kicking off at the early hour of 6:30 PM with The Atlas Moth. At that hour it's a bit optimistic to expect a full crowd, but there were quite a few folks that made it in for the duration of the sold-out show. Headlined by Helmet (who played Meantime, and in order), the rest of the show was rounded out by Crowbar (who were awesome as usual), Saint Vitus (ditto), Kylesa (again), Red Fang, and Howl (along with the previously mentioned Atlas Moth).

Metalliance is in Merriam, Kansas tonight (without Helmet). All dates and more pictures and some videos from Irving Plaza are below...

Continue reading "Helmet played 'Meantime' & Saint Vitus, Crowbar, Kylesa, Red Fang, Howl & the Atlas Moth played Irving Plaza too (pics)"

Metalliance photos by Samantha Marble, Whitehorse photos & words by BBG

Helmet @ Dirty Dog

Metalliance swoops in on NYC TONIGHT (3/25) at Irving Plaza (tickets still available). The tour moves into its East Coast leg after hitting SXSW and the south last week. Pictures of Saint Vitus, Helmet, Crowbar, Kylesa, Red Fang, Howl, The Atlas Moth and more from the Austin stop adorn this post.

A friday night during SXSW is always nuts, but nothing could compare to the scene at Dirty Dog which was packed to the gills on 3/18. With a line snaking down the block through the already heavily trafficked 6th Street, Dirty Dog was clearly beyond capacity (and then some) with people itching to see the traveling festival to the riff, as well as the SXSW addition of the almighty Weedeater (the show also featured Witchburn, who I/we missed). Dirty Dog was the place to be that night for metal fans in the area and it showed; during Kylesa's set the venue frantically removed tables to add extra capacity and even reportedly/unfortunately told a few bands that they had to remove their merch table as well. Venue issues aside, the bands sounded great and there was a reason why everyone wanted in; Metalliance is stacked with killer bands and performances.

Saint Vitus @ Dirty Dog

It may sound blasphemous, but knowing I would see Saint Vitus tonight in NYC, I left halfway through their set to head to the WFMU showcase down the street. It was there in a relatively light Barbarella that I caught one of my favorite performances at SXSW, Australians Whitehorse who tore the place down with their crushing death-doom punctuated with noise. Absolutely sick band that deserves to be playing to the hessian masses, and luckily for NYCers, you'll be able to catch them with The Body at Acheron on 4/1.

More pictures from Metalliance and Whitehorse at WFMU, and tour dates, below.

Continue reading "The Metalliance tour hits NYC tonight, Whitehorse is coming soon (here are pics from both at SXSW)"

by BBG

Kylesa @ Santos in January (more by Samantha Marble)

The Metalliance tour featuring Helmet (playing all of Meantime), Saint Vitus, Crowbar, Red Fang, Howl & The Atlas Moth has expanded, adding dates on the west coast and adding the great Kylesa to the bill as well. All dates are now on sale including tickets to March 25th at Irving Plaza.

Crowbar's killer new LP Sever The Wicked Hand is out now via E1. Order a copy, it's definitely highly recommended and could be Windstein's best work yet.

Saint Vitus's Wino just completed a solo tour with Scott Kelly. Maybe you caught them Saturday night at Mercury Lounge.

The full updated set of Metalliance tour dates and some videos, below...

Continue reading "Metalliance expands tour, adds Kylesa (updated dates)"

by BBG

Crowbar at Santos (more by Samantha Marble)

As discussed, the "Metalliance" tour will join Helmet (who will play all of Meantime) with Saint Vitus and Crowbar. Tickets are currently on sale for the NYC stop which will hit Irving Plaza on March 25th with additional openers Howl, Red Fang, and The Atlas Moth (and even more bands TBA). The full lineup for the entire tour will be revealed in one week, but until then you can check out the routing below.

Meanwhile Kirk Windstein of Crowbar will be back in NYC to play Nokia Theater on April 28th and in NJ at Starland Ballroom on April 30th as part of Down. Tickets go on AMEX presale at 10AM on 1/26 and regular sale at noon on 1/28 for Nokia, and at noon on 1/28 for Starland Ballroom.

Down's Jimmy Bower will play Europa on Feb 18th as part of Eyehategod. Tickets are still available for the show which includes Misery Index, Magrudergrind, Strong Intention & Mutilation Rites.

Don't forget that Crowbar's new LP Sever The Wicked Hand will hit store shelves on February 8th via E1 Music. Tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "NYC Metalliance date on sale ++ Down announce shows"

by BBG

Wino (of Saint Vitus) on stage with Shrinebuilder (more by Greg Cristman)

Helmet, Saint Vitus, and Crowbar. The three names alone are some of the most important in heavy music in the past two decades. And now BrooklynVegan is proud to co-present ALL THREE on ONE TOUR! That's correct, Helmet, who will be performing all of their 1992 classic Meantime, will team up with St Vitus & Crowbar to play a string of dates that will kick off on March 17th and conclude on April 5th. The trek, called the Metalliance tour, will also showcase some of my favorite names in underground music as opening acts. It's going to be a hell of a tour.

Look for some tour dates in the very near future! (including one in NYC? And maybe during SxSW?) More to come.

Helmet recently played NYC during CMJ with the great Intronaut and Fight Amp (who is playing Santos on 1/26 with Kylesa, tickets). Saint Vitus last played NYC at Europa with Saviours. And Crowbar destroyed NYC just in time for the holidays.

Wino (of St Vitus) will be in NYC in the very near future, and with his Shrinebuilder bandmate Scott Kelly. The pair will play Mercury Lounge on 2/10 (tickets) as part of a stint of tour dates for the pair.

Full press release, and some classic video is below...

Continue reading "Saint Vitus & Crowbar are going on tour with Helmet (who will be playing all of 'Meantime')"

photos by Samantha Marble, words by BBG

Kirk Windstein of Crowbar

I'm no expert on non-alcoholic beer. So when I see Kirk Windstein of Crowbar (who recently left alcohol rehab) hit the stage with a half-dozen bottles of suds, the mind gets curious. Fortunately, Clausthaler is definitely N/A.

"Let me get some more of that fake shit," Windstein says between songs, gulping it down.

Not to be the fun police or anything, but we need that bear guitar tone around for a while. And we definitely needed it Sunday night at Santos Party House, but it wasn't there, though not for any alcohol-related reasons, but more on that in a second.

Opening acts A Life Once Lost and Primitive Weapons started the show, but I missed them. I arrived in time for a rendez-vous with Black Tusk for the umpteenth time this year. The hard-touring band gave it their all on stage (per usual) but there's no fighting city hall or, to be more precise, a soundman more interested in his laptop. Black Tusk sounds this tinny? Unequivocally, no. The atrocious sound continued on to Crowbar's set, who followed the Savannah trio.

New Orleans juggernauts Crowbar have always had one foot in Sabbath-ian territory, but with sandpaper-y vocals that recall hardcore. As such, NYHC pit bosses were in full effect at the venue, and the mosh pit spiked in intensity for songs like "High Rate Extinction" and the encore of "All I Had (I Gave)". It calmed for tracks from Sever The Wicked Hand, the band's new and six-years-in-the-making effort on E1 due in February 2011, though the new songs seem to have the same gruff melodicism and signature Windstein riff badass-ery; they sound promising.

But they didn't sound good! Despite a killer and exacting set from Kirk & crew, Crowbar was a victim of the tinny sound at the venue. Their trademark low-end thump was noticeably absent from the PA. I eventually moved directly in front of the stage to get more from the backline of "Dime" amps (yes, as in Dimebag Darrell of Pantera), which helped immensely.

With a set heavy on favorites, Crowbar delivered despite the noticable obstacles. Crowbar also filmed a video for "The Cemetary Angels" from the new LP while in NYC. Look for that soon. More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Crowbar & Black Tusk played Santos Party House (pics)"

by BBG

Kirk on stage with Down at Nokia Theater (more by Nathaniel Shannon)

Metalsucks: I guess first thing's first, man: how are you? I know you've been to rehab recently. Is that something that you're still involved in?

It's actually not rehab. I'm in AA and attending meetings. Today is the 48th day, so I'm feeling good, man.

Congratulations. That's great. Was this something that you were coming to terms with for awhile?

Thank you. It's all good. Yeah, totally, it's been difficult. It's one of those things when I'm at home I'm fine. I play in three bands, and this past summer was overkill. I went to Europe four times between the beginning of April and the end of July: twice with Crowbar and twice with Down. I had other problems in the past - cocaine and whatever. That hasn't been an issue for over a year, thank god. Little by little, when I'm at home everything is fine. I might drink some beer at night, but I don't get drunk or anything. I go to the gym, workout, I'm on a schedule and everything's cool. If I don't have the responsibility of a gig everyday, I end up (out of boredom and loneliness) drinking to pass the boredom basically. It got to be too much, man. This has got to stop. You know?

New Orleans guitar god Kirk Windstein is distancing himself from his chemical dependencies and Crowbar will hit the road for a string of dates with Black Tusk (who recently played NYC with Buzzov*en). That tour that will include a show at Santos Party House on December 5th with A Life Once Lost (who is also playing the Metalsucks/1000Knives CMJ showcase). Tickets are on sale.

Kirk is currently finishing up the new Crowbar LP, which will see release on E1 next year. The 12 track effort will be the band's first release since 2005's Lifesblood for the Downtrodden. Windstein is also featured on the recently released Diary Of A Mad Band set by Down, which features two-disc document of a show in London and a 130-minute DVD as well chronicling the history of the band. Down is Kirk, Phil Anselmo (Pantera), Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod), Rex Brown (Pantera), and Pepper Keenan (of Corrosion of Conformity, but not Animosity COC, who recently played NYC).

All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "a more sober Crowbar touring w/ Black Tusk (2010 dates) "

by BBG

Godflesh (1988-2002) - Mission is Terminated

"On April 10th 2002, I disbanded Godflesh. This was something I had painfully been pondering since GC Greens' departure from the band in Oct 2001. Regrettably it took until the day of leaving for a lengthy U.S tour for the realization to finally take its toll on me.

"Unfortunately the finality of the decision and the responsibilities of making the decision proved too much for me to bare, and I collapsed under the weight. I found that without GC Green, Godflesh is not Godflesh, and him leaving proved to be an omen for me. I also feel that everything we originally intended or even imagined with Godflesh we have done....

"JUSTIN K BROADRICK / MAY 2002"

Before Greymachine, J2 or Jesu, there was Godflesh, the highly influential industrial metal juggernaut featuring Justin Broadrick in one of his first post-Napalm Death roles (check out our interview with Justin HERE). Godflesh has announced that they will reform for a single European performance at Hellfest in France on June 18-20, 2010.

Godflesh joins the recently confirmed 16, Asphyx, Crowbar, Katatonia, Omega Massif, Sick Of It All, and the mighty Ulver as well as quite a few others who have recently been confirmed and Agnostic Front, Suffocation, 7 Seconds, Black Cobra, Weedeater, Rwake, and many more who were previously confirmed. Full (current) lineup below...

Continue reading "Godflesh reuniting, playing Hellfest in France (lineup) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Shadow Of The Torturer - "The Walk" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fatalist - "Internal Misery" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mala Suerte - "Wine Like Clotted Blood" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Coffinworm - "High On The Reek Of Your Burning Remains" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Clone II Snippet Sampler (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sleep - Demos 1990 (Mediafire Link, courtesy of Chunklet)
DOWNLOAD: Thou - "Don't Vote" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Thou - "I am the Leviathan" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nirvana 2002 - "Mourning (Projections of a Stained Mind)" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mala Suerte - "Entrance/Black Art" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brown Jenkins - "Ashes In Her Mouth" EDIT (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brown Jenkins - "Lords Of Suicide" & "Lifetaker" (Mediafire Link)
DOWNLOAD: Witchmaster - "Two Point Suicide" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Witchmaster - "Total Annihilation" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gravehill - "Rites Of The Pentagram" (MP3)

Consider this the "Swedish Death Metal" edition as we'll focus on a few bands that have taken cues from the great sounds of Entombed, Dismember, Grave, and so many others. As such, lets start off with Fatalist! Though they hail from the land of sun and surf (California), Fatalist have nailed the tone of early (Stockholm) Swedish Death Metal sound, putting their own spin in their songwriting. Featuring ex members of Exhumed, Fatalist's debut album The Depths of Inhumanity is out on 11/23 via Ibex Moon and for a taste of the killer riffs that the band has cooked up, dig on "Internal Misery" above.

Lets get it out of the way, Nirvana 2002 is not a boxset from a certain Seattle band. In fact, Nirvana 2002 is the name of a lost Swedish Death Metal band who will finally release their full recorded output via Relapse Records, Recordings 89 - 91. The band that featured vocalist/guitarist Orvar Säfström (ex-Entombed) have released the "Mourning (Projections of a Stained Mind)" MP3, available for download above after it recently premiered on Decibel. If you love the sickening Swedish Death Metal buzzsaw sound, these long lost tracks are a welcome surprise. Orvar Säfström recently discussed his top 6 favorite Swedish Death Metal albums.

Much like Fatalist, Gravehill is also a sickening early death metal worship act from California. Gravehill's Rites Of The Pentagram LP is out NOW via Enucleation and the title track is available for download above. The band recently played the NJ Death Fest along with Acheron, who are releasing their latest LP and first in six years, The Final Conflict: Last Days Of God, on Ibex Moon.

Mala Suerte doom away on their latest crusty, dimly lit LP, The Shadow Tradition, available via Hellride Music. Download a pair of tracks from that Austin band's LP above. Mala Suerte have been around since the 90s and released a few LPs of their filthy Grief-like psychotic doom as well as a split with Japan's Coffins.

A Mala Suerte video for "Non Servium", Coalesce, Ghast, Eyehategod, Fuck The Facts, Zoroaster, Graveyard, thoughts on the new Slayer, and more as TWIM continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (11/03/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

Oderus Urungus and his new girlfriend

Oderus Urungus and GWAR have announced five new dates with Kingdom of Sorrow (Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Kirk Windstein of Crowbar) and Toxic Holocaust, one of which is at Irving Plaza on 10/8 (on sale here 8/8 at 10AM) and another at Northern Lights in Clifton Park on 10/14 (on sale here 8/16 at 10AM). Swing down low for the tour schedule so far.

Toxic Holocaust have a new Jack Endino-produced album on the way (two songs are streaming at myspace), and recently opened for At The Gates.

Crowbar recently announced plans for a new album and will play alongside Eyehategod. Dates below...

Continue reading "Gwar - 2008 Tour Dates (Crowbar, Toxic Holocaust)"

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

Type O Negative (Gonzuuh)

Black nail polish, camo shorts, AND denim vests? Dark lords Type O Negative will hit the road in May with kings-of-the-breakdown Hatebreed and goat-horders 3 Inches Of Blood. Tickets for a New York date at Terminal 5 are not on sale yet, but a Type O Negative show at Starland Ballroom on May 5th goes on sale Friday, March 28th at noon. Tickets are also currently being offered on pre-sale for select shows (not NYC so far). Tour Dates and videos for "September Sun" and "Trial Of Champions" below....

Speaking of Jamey Jasta's band, he's got another one as well with the six-string king of N'Awlins Sludge, Kirk Windstein of the thoroughly awesome Crowbar and Down, called Kingdom of Sorrow. It's out now, and it sounds pretty much what you would think it sounds like.... Jamey "crooning" over Kirk's doom heaviness. Check out KoS jamming on the Crowbar classic "All I Had (I Gave)" below.

UPDATE: Kingdom of Sorrow have some shows coming up too, and it ends up.....they're opening for Type O Negative. All dates below.....

Continue reading "Type O Negative, Hatebreed, 3 Inches of Blood - Tour Dates"